5 Healthy Things For The New Year That Don’t Include Losing Weight

So, it's the new year and once again I am faced with the eternal struggle of choosing a resolution that will change my life and make me a better human. Every year we vow to get healthy by losing weight, going to the gym and finally starting to eat right.

Year after year it usually ends the same, around mid-January I forget about the losing weight part and dig into my same old eating habits. Can you blame me? This is a tough time of year to diet with all of the football playoff parties that feature just about every type of non healthy food imaginable.

We're talking about wings, nachos. chips and dips, sliders and subs, pizza, chili and all the goodies you want to see at decent football "watch party".

The other day on the show, my co-host LBF was telling me about a new trend called "wintering" that bucks the trend of new years resolutions and getting healthy.

She said that it is not natural for human beings to begin a healthy diet regimen in January because we are mammals and winter is the time to rest and nest. She says we should just stay home and not worry about losing weight, much like hibernating bears and embrace the "sloth life".

I see her point, but cannot fully embrace the "wintering" concept because I am hard wired to begin the new year with ambitions towards living a healthy life. The good news is, you don't have to go overboard and set yourself up for failure with lofty goals that you probably won't achieve. Instead opt for lifestyle changes that will be easier to adhere to and still give the benefits you disire.

University of Lincoln Senior Lecturer Rachel Woods identifies five evidence-based health improvements that don’t require weight loss. Research on over 2.2 million adults shows plant-rich diets significantly reduce risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and premature death.

Adding 200 grams of daily fruits and vegetables lowers heart disease and stroke risks among all eaters. Exercise improves HDL cholesterol levels, reduces blood triglycerides and helps regulate blood glucose without weight changes.

Managing stress protects immune function and blood pressure, as chronic stress affects eating patterns in 80% of people. Adults need approximately seven hours of nightly sleep to prevent high blood pressure, heart disease and depression. NHS guidelines recommend limiting alcohol to 14 weekly units with several drink-free days to reduce cancer and liver disease risks. (Story URL)

These are great ideas because they are not strictly done for the sole purpose of losing weight, yet are very beneficial to achieving a healthy life style without all the effort of a strict diet and exercise regimen. Plus, you might actually stick to them and see real results this year.