Reduce alcohol consumption, exercise, meditate, stay hydrated, take more steps walking, eat less meat and more vegetables, make conscious use of technology, eat less sugar, do body stretches, go to sleep before to sleep well, laugh often …
These are some of the habits that most medical, wellness and psychology professionals recommend incorporating into our lifestyle to enjoy better physical and mental health, and also some of the goals that are often part of the classic list. of purposes that we consider when a year ends to put it into practice the following year.
They are also the cornerstones of the ‘plan to be happier and healthier and fitter’ with a single challenge each month, as described by doctor Jennifer Ashton, gynecologist and obstetrician, health delegate for the television channel American ABC News, in its ‘Book of Self-Care’.
Whether you are considering these changes as healthy New Year’s resolutions, or if you decide to implement Ashton’s twelve-month plan in 2021, you should follow the recommendations of this renowned American physician and publicist to turn these challenges around. of health and well-being in lifelong habits.
Ashton (https://jenniferashtonmd.com) invites you to take each month as a personal experiment and give yourself a chance to explore how to be the best version of yourself every day, with these tips for, she says, ” change easily and naturally “:
1.- USE A WALL CALENDAR.
“Viewing our progress will motivate us to successfully meet our annual health and wellness challenges and help us turn them into lifelong habits,” according to Ashton.
He explains that this little trick works like this: “place a large wall calendar, of the traditional ones, in the most visible place on your floor (in the kitchen) and write down the glasses you take each week, the number of steps you take , the days you meditate or the type and duration of your ‘cardio’ gymnastics sessions “.
“This way you will be able to quickly calculate how much alcohol you drank, how many days you exercised and with what type of training, and how many days you have been without meditation, for example,” he says.
“Writing down our behavior in a visible place makes us responsible for each of these practices every day,” he notes.
2.- YOUR HEALTHY HABITS ARE PRIORITIES.
This doctor advises considering physical exercise as a non-negotiable part of the day, something you simply “have to do for your basic health and well-being, as imperative in your day as brushing your teeth.”
He also recommends applying the same mindset to habits like hydration, sleep, and eating more vegetables, “daily practices that should be as essential as showering or dressing.”
“You will probably never go to work without having showered and dressed in the right clothes. By the same ‘rule of three’, you should not let a day go by without trying to move, drink enough water, get enough sleep and eat more vegetables, “says the Englewood-based doctor (New Jersey, USA).
3.- THINK YOU WILL ONLY TRAIN A FEW MINUTES.
“Whether we don’t have time or we don’t feel like it, trying to exercise just five minutes on the treadmill or on a bike can have great benefits and give a twist to our mood and our mind, encouraging us to exercise during more time, ”according to Ashton.
“If, for example, you don’t feel like doing push-ups, convince yourself to do just one repetition. This is better than doing nothing and you may want to do some more to get started. on the ground, ”he adds.
“The same goes for walking or doing any kind of physical activity: setting low expectations when you have little time or little motivation is one of the easiest and most effective ways to get started and keep pace,” he emphasizes. .
4.- FIND DELICIOUS ALTERNATIVES.
“If our challenge is to eat less meat and more vegetables, or to eat less sugar, it’s vital to discover delicious, healthy alternatives so we don’t get obsessed with what we can’t eat,” according to Englewood’s doctor.
Ashton notes that when he stopped eating red meat, he stopped making it out of the way after discovering smoked salmon with cream cheese, and acknowledges that he would have been much more successful in his mission to eat less sugar if he had by hand some strawberries with balsamic vinegar when tempted by some appetizing French pastry cookies.
“The process of finding new foods that you might like as much as the ones you’re trying to avoid is fun. You just have to focus on alternatives that are accessible in your day-to-day, fit your budget and enjoy them,” he said. recommended.
5.- USE VISUAL SUPPORTS TO HELP.
Dr. Ashton has her closet full of clothes and accessories, many of which rotate for seasons or as styles change, but the only accessory that is always there is her striking orange foam roller, which she keeps in this place to remember to do stretches, he says.
“Every time I see this roller, I remember how it feels to do stretches, and that makes me take it out regularly. Each person can find their own visual stimuli that motivate them to keep their habits healthy,” he adds. .
6.- AND KEEP LAUGHING, FOREVER AND FOREVER.
Ashton invites us to seek the joy of life and realize the “miracle that is our body,” everywhere, every day, and in everything we do.
“One of the best promises and palliatives for overall health is the happiness that is created from within, and not with external factors like money or the success of your career,” he points out.
“Recognizing what makes the amazing machine that is your body day after day and thanking you for having it in this state, even if you want to aspire to more, is a cause for joy,” proposes this expert
“There is always joy around you and in you. Take the time to find them and celebrate them every day. This is my recipe for wellness, following the saying ‘Doctor, heal yourself ‘”he concludes.