Developing Healthy Habits in 2024

Fraser Stewart

4 min read

January 4, 2023

Set small goals

Setting small and achievable goals is the key to success when it comes to forming healthy habits. When setting these goals, make sure they are realistic and specific. For example, rather than aiming to "eat healthier", set goals with a plan of action, such as eating two servings of vegetables each day or having a piece of fruit with every meal. By setting small and achievable goals, you can reach your long-term health objectives one day at a time!

To stay accountable to your goals, it is essential to track your progress. Keep a journal, take notes on your phone as you go along, and look back when you reach a milestone. Seeing the small changes accumulate into more significant successes can be incredibly motivating! Additionally, remember to reward yourself for achieving each step. Whether going for a walk in nature or drinking an extra cup of tea, give yourself something to look forward to that nourishes both body and mind.

Make your health a priority

Start by committing to prioritise your health. Schedule time in your day to make healthy eating and exercising part of your life. Set realistic goals, such as exercising three days per week or replacing one unhealthy snack with a more nutritious option daily. Make sure to set aside time for self-care, including getting enough sleep and relaxing activities.

Health is a lifelong journey, so check up on your progress. Periodically review your goals and assess whether they’re still realistic or need to be altered to adjust to life’s changes. And make it a point to celebrate the small victories along the way; whether it’s finishing a workout or mastering a new recipe, take pride in your achievements! Lastly, don’t forget that health isn’t only about physical well-being. Make sure to include activities like connecting with friends and family and investing in personal growth as part of the equation for true holistic health.

Find an exercise you enjoy

Finding an exercise you enjoy is key to helping you stick to your goals. Investing in a gym membership or online workout classes can make exercising more convenient and provide motivation, but remember that it’s not a necessity. Exercise can be as simple as walking around the block or doing some exercise videos in your living room! Try out different types of exercise until you find an activity that makes you look forward to every session - this will help ensure you maintain your healthy habits all year long.

Incorporating exercise into your daily routine can help you create a habit of staying active and promote improved physical and mental well-being. While it’s important to understand the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, don’t forget to enjoy yourself! Experimenting with different types of exercise can help make working out less of a chore and more like an activity that fits your lifestyle. Additionally, find activities that you feel comfortable doing around or with your friends or family - when we feel supported, we have people to lean on when challenges arise and stick with us for our long-term goals.

Find delicious, healthy recipes and meal-planning ideas

Planning ahead is key to staying on track with healthy eating. Finding delicious, nutritious recipes and ideas for meals that fit into your lifestyle can make meal planning easy and fun. Try out different cooking techniques, get inspired by healthy cookbooks and subscribe to health-focused magazines with fresh recipe ideas. Making food in advance will help you stick to your plan when times get busy, so don’t be afraid to get creative and make some of your favourite dishes in bulk – like soups, stews, sandwiches or casseroles - that you can freeze or store for later.

Meal planning also helps you better control the quality and portion sizes of your food to adhere to a more balanced diet: more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains than unhealthy fats, salt and sugar. And it can save time because now, when preparing meals, it’s convenience-oriented rather than pressing pause on everything else to figure out what’s for dinner. A simple yet productive healthy habit for 2024 is investing time in making a meal plan. It just takes practice and tweaking until it becomes second nature.

Track your progress and adjust as needed

Making changes in eating and exercise habits is an ongoing process that involves trial and error. Monitor your progress by creating a chart or spreadsheet to track what’s working and what isn’t. You may also find it helpful to keep a food log of meals you’ve eaten, drinks you’ve had throughout the day, portion sizes, and how much water you drank - which can help you quickly identify areas where adjustments are needed. And don’t forget to reward yourself for those small successes along the way – whether it’s treating yourself to a massage or taking a weekend getaway!

To ensure that you keep on track with your goals, in the long run, regularly adjust your plan according to how your body is responding. This could involve changing when or what types of meals you are eating or adding a few more minutes to a particular workout routine. Taking time to assess what’s working and what’s not can help you stay motivated and remain successful in developing healthy habits for the coming year.