As the New Year unfolds, many of us find ourselves reflecting on the past and setting intentions for the future. One common resolution that consistently tops the list is the commitment to leading a healthier lifestyle.
As many of us already know, achieving and maintaining overall well-being goes beyond fad diets and sporadic gym sessions. If you really want to make real changes to improve your health in 2024, we can help.
Let’s explore the concept of a holistic, healthy lifestyle, determine how to commit to it, and identify healthy lifestyle activities to kickstart your journey to a healthier you.
Understanding a Holistic Healthy Lifestyle
A holistic, healthy lifestyle transcends traditional notions of fitness and dieting. It involves radical self-care — nurturing your physical, mental, and emotional well-being to achieve balance in all aspects of life. Here's a breakdown of key areas of your life to consider:
Nutrition
A holistic approach to nutrition is different from dieting. Instead, it’s an increased focus on eating a balanced diet and fostering a good relationship with food.
A good place to start is eating a variety of whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Incorporate more mindful eating practices, such as savoring each bite and paying attention to hunger and fullness cues.
Make it a point to try new things in 2024, including unique salads and probiotic-rich foods such as kimchi or kombucha that can have a positive impact on your gut health — which is key to overall wellness. A supplement like Somaya Life also works alongside a healthy diet to help boost your gut’s microbiome and support overall wellness.
Physical Activity
From preventing and minimizing health issues to reducing stress and anxiety, the benefits of staying physically active at every age are well documented. As you look to lead a more holistic lifestyle, exercise is less about weight loss and more about making daily exercise a natural, fun part of your routine.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, adults should aim for 150-300 minutes of exercise per week. You can break that up as you need to, such as 30 minutes per day.
Engage in regular exercise that combines cardiovascular, strength training, and flexibility exercises. Choose activities you enjoy, such as dancing, biking, or even kayaking or paddleboarding.
Mental Health
Your mental health plays a big role in all areas of your life, so it’s a key part of holistic wellness. A holistic approach to mental health takes into account your physical, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions.
Prioritize stress management through meditation, deep breathing, journaling, or yoga. Many also find spending time in nature to have a calming effect. These therapeutic and mindfulness techniques help you to better connect with your emotions and cultivate a positive mindset.
Quality sleep is also important for “brain performance, mood, and health,” according to the National Institute of Health. Focus on establishing a consistent sleep schedule paired with a relaxing bedtime routine. Minimize phone use before bed and ensure your sleep environment is conducive to restful sleep.
While it’s important to focus on yourself and rest, building positive social connections is also important to your overall mental well-being. Carve out time to be with like-minded communities that build you up, be it family, friends, coworkers, or spiritual groups.
How to Commit to a Healthy Lifestyle
You may have the best of intentions as we head into 2024, but maintaining a healthy lifestyle is often easier said than done. Life gets busy, stressful things happen, and old habits are hard to break. With that in mind, we wanted to share some tips to help you stay on track and make ongoing lifestyle changes that actually improve your overall health.
Set Realistic Goals
Change doesn’t have to happen all at once. Break down your aspirations into achievable, smaller goals. When you can see progress and celebrate even small victories, you’re more likely to stick with it.
Start by picking one small healthy habit from each core area — nutrition, physical, and mental — and set a timeline for achieving them. For example, maybe you challenge yourself to journal, take a daily supplement to support your gut health (like Somaya Life), and walk for 30 minutes per day for 30 days. After the 30 days are up, you can reevaluate and expand on those goals or shift as needed.
If that seems too ambitious, you can always adjust to focus on one area at a time. The idea is small, consistent changes that continue to build into a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle.
Create a Routine
We understand that life gets busy and there are only so many hours in a day. That’s why it’s so important to develop a daily or weekly schedule that includes time for exercise, meal preparation, and self-care.
Consistency is key, so find a routine that suits your lifestyle and is sustainable in the long run. For example, maybe Sundays are always dedicated to meal prepping, or 9 p.m. marks the start of your phone-free bedtime routine.
Blocking off time in your calendar for these activities ensure you don’t overschedule or lose focus. Visual reminders and alerts also help keep your goals top of mind and makes it harder to ignore them.
Seek Support
We can’t and shouldn’t do life alone. Share your healthy lifestyle goals with your community and find people to help keep you on track and hold you accountable.
Look for a community that supports your goals. For example, if you struggle with consistent physical activity, consider finding a workout buddy, fitness classes, or online group to provide mutual encouragement and accountability. Similarly, support groups, therapists, or coaches can help you work through mental health struggles that may be impacting your health journey.
Also, look for other practical ways to free up time to focus on yourself. If your budget allows, you could hire a cleaning or lawn service to take those often time-consuming tasks off your plate. You can also try a meal kit service or grocery pick-up/delivery to minimize time spent shopping for and prepping healthy foods.
Healthy Lifestyle Activities to Explore
Looking to shake things up in 2024 and beyond? We’ve got some ideas for healthy lifestyle activities to bring some fun, joy, and adventure to your holistic health journey.
Outdoor Adventures
Hiking, biking, or simply taking a nature walk are excellent ways to stay active and connect with the outdoors. Consider making it a weekly or monthly goal to visit a park or trail you haven’t tried yet.
Mind-Body Practices
Consider trying activities like tai chi, yoga, Pilates, or dance, which each promote physical and mental well-being simultaneously. These can be great additions to your normal workout routine as a warm-up or cool-down or for “rest” days.
Culinary Exploration
Experiment with healthy recipes and cooking techniques to make nutritious meals enjoyable and fun. Challenge yourself to try one new food or recipe a month, or consider a meal kit or subscription box that gives you something to look forward to and can bring the whole family into the journey.
Social Fitness
Participate in group fitness classes, sports leagues, or virtual workout sessions to combine socializing with exercise. Group events and classes can be especially helpful for folks who work from home or tend to be more solitary in general.
Supplements
Consider taking a proactive approach to health with supplements like Somaya Life. Somaya Life goes beyond a typical probiotic with 10 Smart StrainsTM of good bacteria that can help support your digestive system, immune system, and overall wellness. It comes in a convenient tablet form and can be taken with or without food, so it’s simple to work into your daily routine.
Live Well in the New Year
Embarking on a journey toward a holistic healthy lifestyle in the New Year requires commitment, dedication, and a multifaceted approach. By focusing on nutrition, physical activity, mental well-being, and incorporating various healthy lifestyle activities, you can create a sustainable and fulfilling path to wellness.
Remember, the key is to make choices that contribute positively to every aspect of your life, fostering a balanced and thriving existence. Cheers to a healthier and happier you in the coming year!
