Happy New Year!
I recently took a poll on Instagram & the results showed that people aren't too interested in setting resolutions this year which kind of makes sense.
If you are setting goals for 2021, especially if they involve improving your health, here's what I recommend you focus on:
Sleep
There's no way around it, you need to be sleeping to not only function but also to recover from the day. I wrote a blog all about sleep & recovery which you can read here.
Nutrition
There is a lot of chatter about what diet is best. But like everything in the world, it's going to depend upon who you are as a person, your values and what you're willing to stick with for the long term. When I talk to people about their diets, my first focus is making sure that they are getting enough calories (fuel) for their activity level. You can read more about the consequences of underfueling here.
Hydration
Anyone else immediately think of the movie Water Boy when water is mentioned or is it just me? Our bodies are mostly made up of water and it's important to maintain our hydration level. I've worked with many people who were able to completely get rid of their headaches by drinking more water. My tip - buy a water bottle, keep it filled up & take it with you everywhere. Having the constant reminder will very likely lead to drinking more.
Stress Management
If nothing else, 2020 has shown us how we personally deal with chronic stress. Not all stress is bad, some is good. Part of this is about your mindset around the situation, another part is your coping mechanisms. I went into more depth about how you can manage stress as well as the health implications of ignoring it here.
Movement
Depending upon your movement journey, this may mean starting to move more or maybe moving differently. If you are starting a new activity in 2021, I recommend that you work with a movement professional to learn where you're fitness is currently, to address any concerns that may impact your efforts and to work to decrease the risk of an injury occuring. If you're a seasoned movement enthusiast, may I recommend trying something different? A lot of the athletes I work with have found a sport that they love and don't tend to explore other types of movements. This can lead to burn out and overuse injuries long term so try something new this year. It's kind of fun to be a beginner again.
As always, if there's anything I can do to help you reach your 2021 goals, please reach out!
