5 Health Tips to Follow Heading into 2020

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As you head closer and closer to the new year, there are probably some things you’ll want to do better in 2020 than you did in 2019. Maybe it’s spending more time with your family and friends, focusing on your career development, or perhaps you want to work on employing healthier habits. Whether you’ve already started practicing healthy habits or are waiting until the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, you’ll probably need as much support as possible as you take on a new year with a new you.

To help you begin your health-focused journey, we’ve come up with 5 health tips to follow in 2020.

1) Set goals from the start

One of the best things you can do for your personal health and fitness goals is set specific goals for yourself. Not only do these help you track your progress but they also keep you accountable, too. An even better idea is to tie your goals to a reward. Let’s say you want to lose 20 lbs by April 2020. Make it a point to also come up with a specific reward for yourself upon achieving your goal. Maybe it’s booking a vacation, buying yourself a new outfit, or treating yourself to a spa day. Whatever it is, make sure it’s something that makes you feel rewarded, confident, and accomplished!

If you have trouble keeping track of your goals, consider investing in a goal-setting journal or a goal-tracking app to help you stay on track with your progress. Another good tip is to set regularly occurring goals either weekly, monthly, or yearly.

2) Outfit your exercise routine with the best gear

As you probably know, diet and exercise are the cornerstones of building a healthy lifestyle. But sticking to a regular exercise routine isn’t so easy for everyone. Whether it’s because you’re feeling a lack of confidence, don’t look forward to working out, or feel like you don’t have the safe or appropriate gear to do so, there’s one solution that can help take care of all three issues: quality gear.

But getting new gear doesn’t just act as an incentive for working out. It’s also necessary if you want to prevent injuries. Shock absorbing shoes, for example, help keep your heels and joints safe from high impact while you run. This is especially important if you do any trail running where there’s a risk of injuring your feet on terrain.

If you have pre existing injuries, you might want to invest in some athletic tape or braces to protect the areas where your injuries most affect you.

3) Make a healthy diet work for your lifestyle

The other key piece of a healthy lifestyle is a healthy diet. Even if you don’t think you have the time or money to do it, where there’s a will, there’s a way. A healthy meal preparation service can save you time at the grocery store, save you money on wasted groceries, and make sure you abide by healthy eating habits.

4) Prioritize mental health, too

Your physical health isn’t the only thing you should be serious about in the new year—your mental health is important, too! Yes, eating healthy and working out will contribute to your happiness as is, but there are plenty of other things you can do to make sure that you’re living your best life through and through in 2020. Here are a few tips!

  • Take up yoga and meditation to help you connect your mind, body, and soul
  • Participate in Self Care Sundays
  • Disconnect from screens periodically
  • Take a break from drinking
  • Make sure to take time off from working now and again
  • Find a new creative hobby by taking an art class
  • Make time for friends and family
  • Tell yourself positive affirmations

5) Find a buddy and motivate each other

If you’re having trouble jumpstarting your motivation, you might consider asking a buddy to join in on your efforts. This way, you can hold each other accountable for workouts and making progress toward your goals.

Key takeaways

As the new year approaches, you have the opportunity to rethink your lifestyle so that you can be your best self in 2020. Use these tips to help you make healthy changes a part of your day to day life!

As our second lead editor, Anna C. Mackinno provides guidance on the stories Great Lakes Ledger reporters cover. She has been instrumental in making sure the content on the site is clear and accurate for our readers. If you see a particularly clever title, you can likely thank Anna. Anna received a BA and and MA from Fordham University.