10 Wellness Goal Ideas for the New Year

If you’re anything like us, the New Year always sneaks up on you, and before you know it, it’s January and those New Year’s resolutions you set are hanging over your head. While we love the idea of committing yourself to changes that improve your life, this time of year is also often marked by pressure and self-critical thinking.

With that in mind, we'd like to share a few wellness goal ideas that are sustainable and achievable for you to consider. Rather than being hard-and-fast rules like going to the gym six times a week or never eating sugar again, these ideas are gentle commitments to changing the way you think, allowing your mindset to guide your actions, rather than the other way around. Let’s dive in!

1. Add More Nutrients to Your Diet

One of the most common New Year’s goals is to lose weight. And since we humans love seeing quick results in any endeavour we take on, this often takes the form of crash diets, intense workout regimes, and other hardline tactics. While this may work for some in the short-term, we've seen an overwhelming amount of people burn out on these major lifestyle changes before January’s through, leaving them stuck in a counterproductive, all-or-nothing mindset.

Instead of attempting to set a hard limit to your daily caloric intake or cutting out entire food groups, try an inclusive eating goal rather than an exclusive one. One example is to simply add more nutrients to your diet. You can also find ways to incorporate a wider variety of whole foods. One easy, fun way to do this is to choose fresh produce and try to incorporate as many different colours into a given meal. This simple method not only incorporates more complete nutrition into your daily diet, but also it makes the whole process of dieting feel more approachable.

2. Try Intuitive Eating

Another diet-related goal is to give intuitive eating a try. Rather than committing to a hard-and-fast dietary plan, give yourself permission to have a snack or a meal when you’re hungry. When you listen to your body instead of eating when your schedule or an arbitrary diet allows it, you’ll find it easier to stop the cycle of restricting and binging or eating when you’re bored. When combined with goals around eating more nutrients and a more diverse diet, this simple approach can boost your nutritional intake and make eating feel enjoyable again.

3. Hydrate

While overly tangible goals around food can create more problems than they solve, it’s a little different when it comes to drinking water. Water is vital for organ health, digestion, circulation, and so much more, and yet many people aren’t getting as much hydration as their bodies really need. This can be as simple as getting yourself a water bottle and taking it with you everywhere, buying water-rich foods like fruits and veggies, or even setting reminders to hydrate on your phone.

4. Listen to Your Body

This wellness idea ties into mindfulness, i.e. the practice of quietly observing and noticing your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations. Basically, your body is a sophisticated machine with an incredible ability to tell you what’s going on. All you need to do is listen! 

When it comes to listening to your physical health, this means paying attention to certain signals from your body. Things like hunger, energy levels, tensions, aches, and restlessness are all signs your body needs something. Like intuitive eating, physical mindfulness means making choices based on the real-time information you get from your body, not on your schedule or what you’re ‘supposed’ to be doing.

5. Move Every Day

We all know someone (or are someone) who’s fallen into this classic New Year’s conundrum. They swear to go to the gym every other day or run four times a week. For the first while, it’s all going well…until they miss a day, feel bad about it, and fall out of the habit entirely.

This doesn’t happen because you’re lazy or undisciplined. It’s because you’re trying to go against your natural instincts. So rather than forcing yourself to adhere to an idealized workout regimen, make a simpler commitment: move every day. 

For example, on a sunny Monday morning, you might go for a long run. A lazy Sunday could be an afternoon of frisbee with friends. And on a hectic Wednesday night, you might want to keep it as simple as 15 minutes of stretching. 

By allowing your fitness goals to be flexible, you’ll find it much easier to keep up with the ritual of daily movement.

6. Sleep Better

Sleep is one of the most important parts of our physical and mental health. When we sleep, our tissues heal, our cells regenerate, and our brains are literally washed clean. By setting a goal to sleep better next year, you’ll support every other promise you make to yourself. We suggest improving your sleep hygiene routine (e.g., no screens in the hour before bedtime), setting a schedule that gives your brain a chance to wind down before bed.

7. Work on Your Mind

Your brain supports the body, and your body supports the brain. To help both, we suggest finding new ways to tend to your mental health this year. This looks different for everyone. Some people can get a lot out of a few simple mindfulness strategies, daily meditation, or journaling. Others might get the best results from therapy and other professional support. Consider setting a goal to learn more about your mind and the best way to support it this year.

8. Find New Ways to Manage Stress

Relating to the last point, stress management is one of the best ways you can support your overall health. Not only does prolonged stress damage our mental health, but it can have tangible effects on the body as well. Identify the stressors in your life and see if you can find ways to minimize them. 

9. Get Outside More Often

Getting outdoors has proven benefits for our health — both for the body and mind. Not only does time in nature help relieve stress, but it also presents the perfect opportunity for movement and mindfulness, making it an ideal way to holistically support your wellness.

10. Maximize the Benefits of Your Wellness Team

If you’ve been dealing with physical pain, tension, or a lack of mobility, you know firsthand the effects it can have on your mind and body. That's why now is a great time to start looking into using your extended health benefits, where you can access the skills, knowledge, and support that a wellness team offers. 

With their guidance, your body will become better prepared to move and be flexible, and any injuries or limitations can be treated early before they grow into challenges. When you work with your wellness team to address your physical concerns at their source, you’ll find it so much easier to approach your other goals with confidence.

At Triumph Physio and Wellness, we’re proud to offer tailored solutions to our clients, helping them overcome physical challenges and limitations that have held them back from feeling their best. If you’re looking for support with your physical health, comfort, and overall wellness this year, our experienced and award-winning team is here to help.

Contact us today for a consultation if you want more info on physiotherapy and how it can help you have your best year yet!

Disclaimer: This BLOG content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The creators of this BLOG are not liable for any actions or decisions taken by individuals based on the information presented herein. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Creative Commons Attribution: Permission is granted to repost this article in its entirety with credit to Triumph Physio and Wellness and a clickable link back to this page.