We all enjoy the indulgences of the holiday season — as we should! Christmas and Hanukkah only come once a year, after all.
But after all those delicious feasts and, um, holiday spirits (don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone how much eggnog you put back this year!), it’s time to get focused. What are your goals for the new year?
Many hope to make 2018 their year of fitness, whether that means hitting the treadmill, pushing away the plate, or both. Maybe you want to increase your focus and resolve by rolling out a yoga mat or settling in for a few minutes on your new meditation cushion. No matter how you slice it, getting healthy and focusing on wellness in 2018 is a worthy goal… and it doesn’t have to be daunting!
Losing weight and getting fit can seem like an impossible uphill battle. But there are easy ways to adjust your current everyday lifestyle that’ll help you achieve your goals in no time — not to mention feel better almost instantly.
So, ready for a healthy new year? Here are some of our best healthy new year’s resolutions tips and ideas — and a few fun facts, too!
Eating Healthy for the New Year
Exercise is important, but you know what they say: you can’t outrun a bad diet.
Luckily, eating healthy in the new year can taste great, and you don’t have to be a master chef to do it!
1. Focus on whole foods.
You don’t have to give up all your favorite foods or subscribe to some kind of fad diet to get healthy. Just focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods that make your body feel good. A great rule of thumb: shop on the perimeter of the grocery store, avoiding anything in a box, jar, or hermetically sealed package!
This will automatically fill your plate with fresh foods like produce, meat, dairy, and eggs, as opposed to the shelf-stable stuff with who knows what chemicals added in. And don’t worry, preparing these food items doesn’t have to be difficult. In many cases, it’s as simple as throwing everything into your slow cooker or Instant Pot. That way, you have a delicious meal the whole family can enjoy with very little cleanup or effort. Perfect for camping!
2. Mix it up.
Healthy foods are delicious, but everyone gets tired of chicken breast after a while, no matter how gifted a grillmaster you are.
So no matter what your go-to prep method is, don’t be afraid to look for some healthy new ideas to mix up your recipe roster. Here are some of our favorite books for slow cookers, Instant Pots and grills — some of the best ways to cook when you’re RV camping!
- Healthy Grilling : Sizzling Favorites for Indoor and Outdoor Grills by Barbara Grunes
- The Clean Eating Slow Cooker by Linda Larsen
- Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook for Two by Pamela Ellgen
- Instant Pot Whole 30 Cookbook by Christine J. Coleman
Healthy Habits for the New Year
Here are some more of the best healthy new year’s resolutions to try in 2018.
3. Go outside.
When you’re first looking into how to get fit and healthy, you might find yourself completely overwhelmed by all the fitness options out there, not to mention the lingo. What’s the difference between a set and a rep? BPM? TRX? Huh?
But despite what it seems like, fitness doesn’t have to be as complicated as an algebra equation. In fact, as an avid camper, you already have a wonderful piece of exercise equipment at your disposal: the great outdoors.
From hiking in the woods to swimming in lakes and rivers and maybe even climbing mountains, there are plenty of ways to move more when you venture into the natural landscapes you’re camping in. Just make sure you’ve got a good pair of sneakers or hiking boots, lots of sunscreen, and drinking water, and put one foot in front of the other. Not only is it a lot more scenic than what you’ll encounter at the gym or on a treadmill… it’s also usually free!
4. Make time to meditate.
Being healthy in the new year is about more than trying to lose weight — and taking time to sit quietly and reflect is one of the easiest (and important!) ways to get healthy we know of.
Just a few minutes of meditation each day can help you gain perspective and beat stress, which will make all your other efforts at living healthier go much more smoothly. If sitting still for an extended period of time sounds challenging, you might consider trying a moving meditation like pilates or yoga. (Here are a few great yoga poses to help work out the kinks from those long RV drives.)
While you don’t have to get a yoga mat to practice or to meditate, if you are going to invest in one, we recommend the Manduka PROLite. It’s a little pricey, but it’s covered by a lifetime guarantee… so you’ll never have to buy another one!
5. Don’t forget about friends and family!
We’re social creatures, and spending time with those closest to us is an important part of maintaining health and wellness. Besides, what better way is there to reconnect than by enjoying a camping trip together?
You can even make the trip-planning portion into a collaborative activity. Figuring out where to go on your next vacation is a great way to learn more about each other, and you’ll also get a chance to practice the great arts of empathy and compromise.
How to Start the New Year Off Healthy
We hope this post has helped you make some great healthy new year’s goals — and put your mind at ease about achieving them. In the end, staying healthy and happy doesn’t have to be a chore. In fact, if it is, it might just be defeating the purpose!
New year’s resolutions should be all about finding ways to live better and enjoying all the best that life has to offer. No matter where 2018 takes you, here’s to a happy and healthy new year!
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