Make a Good One
Having spent some time working for a well known bookseller, I am all too familiar with the new year resolution craze, yet falling off track is also a well know phenomenon. Often the reason we don't stick to resolutions has to do with how we pick one. It's best to choose something approachable, and to think about what you can add rather than what you take away. It's also a good idea to get specific. Here are some suggestions I've picked that most of my patients could benefit from, but don't let me stop you from creating you own!
Eat More Vegetables
Regular consumption of vegetables not only supplies you with vitamins and minerals that your body needs, but also primes your gut to better house healthy flora. If you want to set the bar awesomely high - try eating vegetables at every meal for a month. Then after that you'll have more ideas and it will be easier to at least eat them daily.
Ideas:
breakfast: veggie scramble (sautee them and add scrabled eggs), quiche, fritatta, smoothies, soup for breakfast - why not?
lunch: salads, stir frys, tempura, raw sclices with a sandwich.
dinner: roasted, sauteed, as a side.
For a snack try making hummus out of steamed cauliflower or roasted sweet potato - both are great with tahini!
Drink More Water
I'm a bullet journal fan, and I love my trackers. Water consumption is a great thing to add into things you keep in awareness. Maybe lists or spreads aren't your thing - maybe you'd like a certain kind of water bottle. For me it's a temperature thing, I like to drink my water at room temperature or just slightly warmer. I can't drink ice water more than a sip at a time. Once I experimented and just made peace with it I got myself an insulated water bottle to keep the temperature just so. Now I have no problem keeping up. Do whatever you need to do! Try something to get your water consumption to a healthy level. (I tell my patients to drink half their body weight in ounces per day - if you weight 100 lbs., drink 50 ounces a day, etc.)
Get That Body Moving
Getting regular exercise can help with metabolism - that's the standard thing we think about when we hear the word resolution. Exercise also increases circulation and releases endorphins, therefore it helps to decrease pain and inflammation as well as promote a better mood. Start small, just do it often. A walk around the block is better than nothing, and if you don't hate it, you just might do it again tomorrow.
Outside: Seasonal sports, walking or running
Inside: Calisthenics, yoga, living room dance parties
If available: dance or martial arts classes, group fitness or spin classes, exercise equipment
Bottom Line
Be honest with yourself about what you want and what you think you can stick to. A healthy diet can improve your weight, mood, and immune system so it's worth trying. A goal like "Be Healthier" is better than "Loose 20 pounds," and a goal like "Eat Vegetables Daily," is even more specific. Once you've had some success with eating more vegetables, then add some exercise and likely after several months you'll notice changes in your body. Be kind to yourself along the way too so that you don't give up. If you fall off your plan, just love yourself and get back on it.