The start of a new year is a time we think about bettering ourselves. We often make health-related goals like eating better and exercising more.

Having a reason to accomplish your goals, like reducing your risk for heart attacks and strokes, can make it easier to stick to your resolutions.

Marshfield Clinic Health System providers recommend seven resolutions to help you achieve better health this year.

Improve your lab value numbers

During an annual visit with your primary care provider, you will check your weight and blood pressure, plus you may get a blood draw for common lab tests. When you have your lab values, you can look to improve those numbers in the New Year.

Blood pressure, cholesterol, fasting blood sugar, body mass index and waist size say a lot about your risk for heart disease, strokes and chronic illnesses.

If your numbers aren’t in the normal range, make it a goal to get there within six months or by your next annual appointment.

Shop the perimeter of the grocery store

Bettering your health can start in the kitchen or really, the grocery store. Fresh veggies, fruit, lean meat and low-fat dairy are usually found around the perimeter of the store are part of a heart-healthy diet.

When you venture to the inside aisles, look for high-fiber, low-sodium and low-fat options like nuts, beans, whole grain bread and cereals and frozen fruits and vegetables.

Learn to cook meals from scratch.

“When you cook at home, you know exactly what ingredients go into each meal,” said Amber Hall, family medicine nurse practitioner with Marshfield Clinic Health System.

Include whole grains, protein, fruits and veggies in each meal. If you really want a quick meal at home, you can meal prep.

Here is a great skillet recipe for meal planning.

Exercise 30 minutes a day

The American Heart Association recommends adults exercise 150 minutes per week or 30 minutes a day, five days a week to improve heart health. If 30 minutes is challenging, start with 10 or 15. Anything is better than nothing.

Walking is the simplest way to meet your cardio exercise goals, but any physical activity that raises your heart rate will do. Shoveling snow, raking leaves or dancing around the living room to your favorite music count as cardio.

“Exercise is inexpensive compared to medications and procedures,” Hall said.

You can do exercise in many forms and make fitness a family affair. Go skiing or ice skating in the winter. When the weather warms, bike, play tennis or swim as a family.

Your pet is your health companion

It’s not your traditional health advice, but getting a dog is a huge motivator to walk 30 minutes or more per day if you’re up for other pooch care duties.

The benefits of having a pet go beyond companionship. The American Heart Association suggests that owning a pet can help lower unhealthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

There are more benefits of pets, including boosting mental health, lessening depression and adding responsibility for your children’s benefits as well.

Limit screen time to 60 minutes a day

Screen time limits aren’t just for kids.

Spending less than one hour of your time at home in front of a TV, tablet, smartphone, personal computer or video game system will encourage you to be more physically active.

Set some goals of 15 minutes less screen time or find another hobby to replace rather than spending time in front of a screen.

 

Print our New Year’s resolutions list

How to make your resolutions stick

Although you try your hardest to stick to a resolution, it can be difficult to do so. According to Forbes, only 8% tend to stick with their goals for one month.

Marshfield Clinic Health System psychiatrist Dr. Alison Jones shares how to make this year’s resolution stick.

Dr. Jones recommends focusing on the benefits to the resolution rather than any negatives.

“Resolutions are good things,” she said. “It’s helpful and healthy to review the previous year and then determine how to improve in the upcoming year.”

She also said to ask yourself, “Is my resolution SMART?”

There’s an acronym helpful for goal setting that you can apply when setting your resolution: Specific – Measurable – Attainable – Relevant – Timely (SMART).

“It’s important your New Year’s resolution is reasonable and achievable,” Dr. Jones said. “You only set yourself up for failure when it’s simply too difficult to accomplish.”

You don’t have to do all seven resolutions above for better health. Dr. Jones says fewer resolutions increase the rate for success.

“All of us struggle with eating right, time management, healthy weight – the list could go on and on,” Jones said. “If we can select just one or two that mean the most to our self-improvement, we are more likely to succeed.”

Finally, Jones recommends working toward your resolution with a coworker, friend or significant other. Even if they have a different resolution, inform them of yours and ask them to regularly check in on their progress.

“Witnesses hold you accountable,” Jones said. “If you have a buddy, you can check on each other and review successes. It’s easier to avoid slacking with this system.”

For more healthful tips and recipes, visit Shine365 or talk to your primary care provider.