Mix & Match: New Year’s Resolutions for the Whole Family
Did you know you’re more likely to keep your New Year’s Resolutions if you ask others to join you? Support from the people you love makes you more likely to turn your January goals into year-round healthy habits, according to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
Another way to set yourself up for success is finding small, sustainable changes to make in your everyday life. The lists below are focused on three areas of health: exercise, diet and sleep. Go through the lists with your family and pick the ones you think would be easiest to integrate into your family’s lifestyle.
As you reach those goals, you can choose new ones or make up your own. Not only will it help your kids learn healthy habits, but you’ll have the support of making those changes together.
Healthy Eating
- Add one serving of fruit and vegetables to a meal each day.
- Choose whole-grain breads and cereals instead of refined grain options.
- Cook dinner together once a week.
- Switch to nonfat or reduced fat milk.
- Make one meal a week a vegetarian or vegan meal. Not only will this add more vegetables to your diet, it can be an opportunity to try new foods.
More Movement
- Do crunches, push-ups or wall sits during commercial breaks when watching TV.
- If you’re watching on a streaming service where there are no commercials, pause your show for 1-2 minutes in between episodes and squeeze in some exercises.
- Have family fitness contests, such as who can take the most steps in one week.
- Make active chore lists, such as walking the dog, mowing the lawn or vacuuming. Have each family member pick one chore each day.
- Take a walk or a bike ride through the neighborhood or a park.
- Turn on your favorite music and dance together.
Restful Sleep
- Commit to a family wake-up time. Get up at the same time every day, even on the weekends.
- Go to bed one hour earlier than normal.
- Get up when your alarm goes off—refuse the snooze!
- Read together as a family (out loud or separately) before bed, as reading can help calm your mind before sleep.
- Turn off electronics at least one hour before bedtime.
