by Evelyn J. Mocbeichel
It’s been many years since I even made a New Year’s resolution because I never seem to get passed the first month and my plans fall to the wayside. Whether it was to tackle a long overdue house project, to read some books I have been waiting to sit and enjoy, or to take a day trip we have been putting off, the plans often get ignored. But when it comes to resolutions about health and taking care of our well being, that’s another story that should be addressed. According to the American Heart Association (AHA) they suggest to begin with small changes and measurable goals when it comes to eating healthier and reducing calories. Here are some tips from them on how to get started on a path to better health in the New Year 2026! We should make a resolution “to sit less, move more, sleep more and be mindful about what we eat.” Start with picking a few healthy new behaviors like eating more servings of fruits and vegetables and including them in foods you already like. If ordering pizza, add some fresh sautéed spinach leaves or green peppers for your topping. We always try to make a salad to go with our pizza or at least some raw broccoli, carrots or celery sticks on the side with a light dressing or dip. When it comes to eating a large quantity of fruit, do be aware that fruit can have a tremendous amount of sugar/fructose in them, as well as in those fruit shakes we feel are healthy drinks. Try to avoid over processed foods high in sugar and flour, as this will only make you hungrier. Stick to real foods and usually the more color the better.” See if you can keep a food log diary for a week to see what and when you eat.
Get Better Sleep…Catching more sleep is another key to unlocking a healthier you, according to the AHA. The amount and quality of sleep can influence your eating habits, mood, memory, internal organs and more. The American Heart Association says about seven to nine hours a night for most healthy adults is necessary for a healthy metabolism, optimal brain function and quality of life. Without enough sleep, long-term problems can include weight gain and chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. I know for myself, six to seven hours seems to be plenty of sleep for me, but it has to be in a room with total darkness. For people that need their phones or tablets close by, the light they emit can cause one to not have a total deep sleep. I find even a bright digital close by the bedside is a bit annoying and I turn it to face the other direction. Some people like a certain bedtime routine to help them relax for a good night’s sleep. Maybe it is a hot bath, soft music, yoga or meditation, or a few minutes of easy stretches.
Commit To Moving More…Physical activity burns calories, helps you lose weight and contributes to your overall health. However, if you haven’t been active the previous year, do start slowly into an exercise routine. Set measurable weekly and monthly goals that are realistic. Don’t start off trying to run a marathon in a few months if you never even walked a few laps around your local track! An easy start is walking 30 minutes a day for a few weeks, then set your sights for longer sessions and picking up speed. But even casual walking is better than no walking at all. Invite a friend to join you and you’ll see chatting and walking makes the time go faster and is more interesting. Frequently I walk with a few lady friends around our local track that has benches all around it. After a few laps we’ll sit and rest, chat a bit and then start again. This works for us and it is nice meeting up and being united in the same goal of walking more. As most of us know, cardiovascular disease risk increases with too much sedentary time, so adults should strive for at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week, or at least 75 minutes of vigorous activity. Try to work in some muscle-strengthening activities, too. Aim to boost physical activity through an exercise class, brisk walks, vigorous yard work or even dancing. The activity doesn’t have to be continuous. Exercise sessions or other types of physical activity can be broken into small segments throughout the week. Check out your local gym and find out what types of classes they have for your age group. For older people there is what is called Silver Sneakers that have classes specifically tailored for senior citizens. Also, some health insurance plans will pay for these programs or list which gyms will honor your insurance coverage for free or discounted memberships.
Schedule A Checkup…Are you overdue for your annual checkup and keep putting it off for no particular reason? To maintain physical and mental health, it’s crucial to meet regularly with your health care provider. The visits should address all factors that can affect your health, including changing lifestyle behaviors and updates on the medications you might be taking. When you visit your health care provider, be sure that the conversations also should include family history, which can be a strong link to heart disease risk. If you don’t know your family health history, start asking relatives. Begin with your immediate family and then branch out. Of course, when it comes to grandparents or older relatives often the history of what the person passed from may not have been as accurate as we know today with medical advances. But it could still give you a general idea of what may be hereditary in the family. “It should be of note that your provider is there for more than just an ECG or blood checks. Pick his or her brain on health screening, healthy lifestyle, various aspects of nutrition and a healthy diet and how to assimilate these practically.
Try to pay closer attention to your health and any warnings or signals that something may need to be checked out. Try to avoid unnecessary stress in your life, but if it happens, focus on finding ways for you to decompress or tackle the problem rationally. One of my favorite ideas for the New Year is to try and learn something new. It is always good to stimulate your brain by tackling a project that you may be unfamiliar with. If your town offers programs through their parks and recreation programs, check them out because they are usually reasonable priced and varied in topics. Maybe you’d like to take a cooking, painting or gardening course. How about learning a new language, learning a musical instrument or refreshing on one you learned as a child? In closing, remember to start your New Year resolutions slowly and don’t take on more than you can handle. By eating right, cutting out too many sweets, high calorie or processed foods and adding more exercise you can look forward to a healthier 2026 ahead! Happy New Year greetings to our Montauk Sun readers!