My Self-Care & Health Goals for 2019!

I cannot believe how quickly 2018 flew by and we’re already halfway through January of 2019! At the start of every new year, I like to take the time to reflect on what I did well in the previous year, and what I need to improve on in the coming year. I have 20 goals for 2019, all of which I posted on my vision board! However in this post, I want to share my health and self-care goals with all of you. Perhaps a few of my ideas may inspire you as well!

Goal 1: Sleep for 8-9 Hours Per Night

Admittedly, my sleep habits vary throughout the week. Sometimes I sleep for 6 hours (staying up late and waking up early for work), or I achieve adequate sleep (8-9 hours per night). My previous fitness coach recommended an excellent book called “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker, PhD (You can download it here from Amazon). I learned so many amazing facts about sleep that frankly frightened me into prioritizing my sleep! Examples:

• People who sleep less than 6 hours have a 70% increase in developing cancer!
• Male and females over the age of 45 who sleep less than 6 hours are 200-300% more likely to have a heart attack!
• Inadequate sleep on a diet can cause your body to lose muscle instead of fat!

Goal 2: Detox Daily

To start off the new year, I wanted to detox my body in some way. My favorite way at the moment is drinking lemon water in the morning and at night. Now to be honest, sometimes mornings can be a bit hectic, and the last thing you have time to do on a busy morning is stop, squeeze some lemons, and make lemon water. Well here’s my personal hack: I literally keep an adult “sippy cup” next to my bed at night, and I make it a goal to meditate first thing and drink this water before starting my day. It’s right there since you prepared it the night before, so just drink it! Your body will thank you!!

Goal 3: Pressing Pause Daily

If there’s one thing I’ve learned – you MUST take care of yourself! Both physically and mentally. How can you care for others that you love, if you do not take care of you? Meditation helps with this goal! There are many ways to meditate. You can do this with breathing exercises and practicing gratitude (a lesson I learned from my trip to Vietnam), reading a scripture, or even guided meditation. One of my favorite guided meditation apps to use is the “Calm” app. It truly helps you with having a clear mindset to start your day!

Goal 4: KETO!

Over the years, I’ve tried many eating trends – Whole30 (amazing), Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Paleo, and through each cycle I learn something new about myself and my body! This year, I wanted to give Keto a try. When I tried Whole30, I learned that my body positively reacted to taking away all sugars (go figure!). However, the strictness of their plan made it very hard for me to have a social life. So this year, I wanted to give Keto a try for a number of reasons: (1) I have friends who tried it and their results were amazing! (2) I would not have to worry about calorie counting, just healthy fats and macros (3) After all of my research, it seemed not only like a practical challenge, but something I could actually make a lifestyle change! Perhaps it’s the 2019 optimism in me that believes this could become a way of life, but we will see! My goal is to lose 25 pounds using the ketogenic process, and I will create a separate blog entry to take you guys along my weekly journey! Let’s go!!

Goal 5: Increase My Gym Activity From 2 to 4 Times a Week

I took a break from the gym during my first week of Keto. I was afraid of any crazy effects from my drastic diet change. During week 2 of 2019, I slowly reintroduced cardio back into my regime, with the goal of progressing to weight training during week 3. Diet and fitness go hand in hand. When I wake up first thing and workout, not only do I see an increase of  energy, I have increased focus at work, and I know I am investing in my body for the long-run to have prosperous health. 

I can’t wait to check in with you guys in the coming months to let you know how my goals are coming along. What are some of your goals for 2019?

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