How to Start a Healthy Routine for 2018

2018 is officially here! What better way to ring in the New Year and make some positive changes than to start implementing a healthy routine? Routines don’t always have to be strict and structured; they can give you the ability to do healthy, positive activities on a regular basis so that, before you know it, they become habits. Here are some ways to start your own healthy routine for 2018 and set yourself up for the best year ever…

1. Prioritize.

    First, find out what truly matters to you when it comes to your wellness. Do you want to be more productive? Do you want to eat more frequently? Do you want to practice mindfulness? Make a list of everything that you think would greatly improve your overall well-being and then create a plan to start including those things in your every day, or even weekly schedule. For example, if you want to be more productive, make a plan to start writing down what you want to accomplish every day first thing in the morning, or maybe get a fun new planner to encourage you to tackle your goals.
    2. Find what makes you feel good...and do that!
    When it comes to diet and exercise, you don’t have to dedicate yourself to Whole30 or go on a BBG kick to get healthy. Simply figuring out what foods nourish you and what movement brings you joy can help you be your healthiest, happiest self. Browse Pinterest for recipes that seem interesting and appealing to you while still packing in the nutrients, and try out different forms of exercise to find what fits best into your lifestyle. Once you start incorporating more nourishing foods and joyful movement into your life, you can make a habit out of it by stockpiling recipes to make throughout the week or meal prep, and make exercise regular and rhythmic. Maybe you exercise every day or maybe you exercise twice a week; finding what works for your body and your schedule are key components to any kind of sustainable health plan.
    3. Do things that nourish your soul.
    It’s all well and good to nourish yourself physically, but what about emotionally and mentally? Self-care is so much more than taking care of your body; it’s taking care of the whole self. Some healthy options I could suggest are journaling, reading, walking on the beach, volunteering or spending time with loved ones; any activity that boosts your mood can help you to fully embrace the healthiest, happiest version of you. Self-reflection helps you evaluate how you’re doing in this current phase of life and pay attention to your struggles and triumphs. Giving back to the community allows you to connect with others and make a positive impact on people’s lives. Incorporating both of these wellness components can give you a major self-esteem boost and help you take care of yourself so that you can give back to the world around you.
    4. Balance work and play.
    If you’re like most college students, your daily life is a constant battle between huge amounts of school work and academic commitments on one hand and friends, family, and fun on the other. One without the other is a recipe for disaster, so try to plan a couple fun events or outings each week, so that amidst the busyness and chaos of college life you will have a few things to look forward to that give you a much-needed break from school work.
    5. Use a planner or calendar to stay on track.
    I have found that using a planner with a fun design and easy-to-read format really encourages me to write down your goals and stay on track, but if planners aren’t your thing, a calendar (paper or digital) can also help you accomplish the same goals. Define when you will work on certain assignments, take note of deadlines, write out club meetings, your work schedule and volunteer events, and keep track of all of the healthy habits you’re trying to start and maintain. For example, you can write down what days you plan on making what meals or make grocery lists, and figure out which days you have a block of time that you feel you can use for exercise and other physical activity. Last but not least, schedule time for yourself, whether that means meeting a friend for coffee, taking off for the beach, or simply planting yourself on the couch for a Netflix marathon. This will help you to maintain that work-life balance and ensure that you are taking care of all areas of wellness, versus the two that most people focus on this time of year (diet and exercise). Try to keep your schedule fairly regular so that these healthy habits become rhythmic and, well, more habitual than scheduled. Before you know it, you’ll have a routine that allows you to stay on top of all of your commitments and take care of yourself and give back to others, so that you can truly become the healthiest version of yourself in 2018.
    I hope that these tips to start a healthy routine for 2018 inspire you to take charge of the year and fulfill its potential to be the best one yet. As always, do what feels good for you, be patient with yourself, and know that nobody has it “all together” (especially nutrition majors, am I right?). If you see healthy living as a journey rather than a destination, you can enjoy the trip, rather than focusing on the end goals.
Happy New Year, SNO! May your sweet potatoes be sweet and your biology lectures even sweeter!

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Kacey Clark

Freshman. Foods and Nutrition Major.