New Year's Resolutions are hard. I mean you've probably already tossed the towel in on eating healthier, exercising more and going to the gym every day.
And, if you read our blog post How Sustainable Living Checks off All of Your New Years Resolutions, then you know that in order to make a lifestyle shift sustainable, you have to be willing to let go of the big goals.
Instead of committing to going to the gym EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Why not make a pact to do something a little more manageable? And, once you've built the habit of doing that more manageable task you can scale it up over time.
So, I've rounded up 8 products that have allowed me to commit to leading a healthier lifestyle seamlessly.
1. meal prepping:
Last year my big goal was to put my health first. I had gotten into a really bad habit of eating out wayyyy too much. My weekly pizza habit had slowly morphed into a bi-weekly habit, and after a few months, I began to notice I put on a few pounds.
The top reasons I was eating pizza was because I was too tired to cook and I didn't have enough food at home to make the meals I wanted to eat.
So, I got serious about meal prepping. I stopped prepping meals because who wants to eat casserole 14 days in a row? And, started prepping ingredients. This gave me complete freedom to whip up a few different types of meals based on the food that was in season.
I always try to prep a protein like chickpeas, a grain like quinoa, and a few in season vegetables I can make a salad, a bowl, stir-fry, or a curry depending on how I dress the ingredients!
And, the number one that helped me slay the meal prep - my Glass Snapware.
2. staying more active:
Another one of my goals last year was to go from writing at my desk 18/6 to to 12/5 and use some of my spare time to be more active.
Most of my hobbies include writing, singing, drawing, reading, a lot of very sitting focused activities. Every time I'd go work out I'd hate it because I was wearing really old leggings and t-shirts that made me itchy.
One of the best things I did was order a few cute workout sets. Now, I actually want to work out! I feel confident about leaving the house and I feel good! If you're similar here are a few of the sustainable brands I recommend.
3. reading more:
This year, one of my main goals has been to read more. And, I've discovered the concept of coupling a task you enjoy with one you might not enjoy so much....
So, since I really enjoy reading, but don't really like exercising, I've started coupling the two together thanks to audiobooks!
So, if reading more is also on your to-do list, then may I recommend picking up a pair of headphones and going for a walk or a jog?
This is also a great time for me to break away from screens and get lost in a story or just learn some new information. So, grab your airpods and your new Pela Airpod case and get movin'!
4. focusing on health:
Last year was all about putting health first which meant getting serious about using natural deodorant and taking my vitamins and supplements. I did a lot of research on sustainable supplements and the information is a little murky.
Most days, I take CBD, a probiotic, collagen, an omega 3, a b complex, and a multivitamin. And, since it's the winter, I'm also boosting my immune health with an immune defense!
I can write a whole blog post on supplements if you're interested but a brand I trust that sells almost all of these products is Mega Food.
When I wake up in the morning, while my tea is brewing I like to drink a glass of water and take my supplements. I do tend to take my supplements on an empty stomach and haven't had any problems.
5. focusing on focus:
After my tea is brewed, I like to sit down and meditate for a few minutes. I whittled my morning routine down to something that is easily accomplished in 30 minutes. This guarantees that I actually check off most of the boxes every morning. It goes a little something like this:
- Wake up at 6 am
- Wash face, brush teeth, etc.
- Put on the tea kettle
- Stretch until the kettle whistles
- Brew tea
- Sit down with tea and meditate for five minutes
- Practice gratitude
- Start work @ 6:30
Like most of you, I can get so caught up in my day and sometimes I need a few small reminders to just breeeaaatttthhhheeeee. Starting my day with stretching, meditation and gratitude keeps me in the right frame of mind to remember to check-in and listen to my body.
And, if you need a little extra nudge you should check out this limited edition mandala case designed specifically for you to remember to breathe every time you pick up your phone.
6. sleeping better:
Now, speaking of my morning routine, I've also implemented a nighttime routine that helps me sleep a little better. And, one of the best things I've done is to plug my phone in the living room!
I don't bring my phone into the bedroom so I'm not scrolling when I wake up or when I fall asleep. So, if you're looking to create a little home base for your phone outside of the bedroom check out this wireless charger from Nimble.
It's made from recycled plastics and ships without any single-use plastic.
7. drinking less coffee:
We're really just bouncing all around my New Year's Resolutions over the last three years. But, I think it's a good way of showing all of the baby steps I implemented and have succeeded in slowly building habits to be a healthier human being!
If we throw it back to 2018, my goal was to stop drinking coffee and drink less caffeine in general.
I analyzed my habits and found one of the reasons I was drinking so much coffee (I was drinking three cups a day!) was that I like the ritual. I liked going to the coffee machine at work and making myself something tasty. I liked having that break built-into the day.
So, instead, I switched my coffee for another hot drink like matcha and golden milk. I love the mixes offered by Further Food because they include all of the adaptogens. They're made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic and are vegan.
8. practicing gratitude:
Bringing it back to one of my goals in 2020 is to practice more gratitude. So, of course I'm starting really small by just writing three things that I'm thankful for. They can be really small things that just made me smile.
In my eco-friendly planner that plants trees, there's a section to write down what you're grateful for. I use that every morning before I jump into work, and it's so convenient because I have to write out my to-do list for the day anyway.
I hope that you've found this blog post helpful! And, I hope that you'll find a few small ways you can incorporate your New Years Resolutions into habits you've already built to keep that fresh, new-year-energy rolling into this month.
