20 Habits That Will Make 2020 Your Happiest, Healthiest Year Yet

You might procrastinate when you have a big paper due, but when it comes to making healthy changes, it’s better to just take the plunge. “Don’t put off your health,” Jose Duncan, a certified personal trainer at Crunch, told POPSUGAR. Getting started is the hardest part, but setting smaller, more manageable goals and then tackling them, without hesitation, is always wiser than waiting for tomorrow.

Developing any new habit, particularly a fitness regimen, is a challenge, which is why it’s important to have a support system. “Get a trainer or a workout partner that is as serious as you are about improving their health,” Jose said. “You will need accountability and support.”

Not with complicated, time-consuming ingredients, but foods that make eating simple, healthy meals much easier. “I love keeping frozen fruit – wild blueberries are my favorite – on hand for easy smoothies,” Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in the New York City area, told POPSUGAR. “I’ll keep other staples for quick breakfasts on hand, including nut butter, oats, hemp seeds, and chia seeds.” You can apply the same logic for lunch and dinner (think: breezy salads).

With all the demands on our time, sleep is often the first to suffer. But if you’re trying to be healthier, there are few things as important as those zzz’s. “The majority of us are sleep deprived each day,” Jose said. “To improve overall health and have better energy, the body needs its rest.” Most experts recommend between seven and nine hours each night, though it can vary from person to person. Try adopting these simple habits for better sleep.

You’re probably familiar with the term “text neck” and the muscle strain that comes with it. A simple way to combat this problem: “Hold your phone in front of your face when in use, versus looking down and holding it in your lap,” Colette Nguyen, a certified personal trainer at Crunch, told POPSUGAR. It’ll improve your posture, too.

You don’t have to make sweeping changes straight away. “Begin 2020 by eliminating a few things from your shopping list that you know nutritionally will not benefit your new health goals,” Jose said. “Even starting with one thing like your favorite ice cream can jumpstart you.” Try replacing it with a healthier treat, like frozen grapes.

It’s simpler in some professions than others (and a whole lot harder if you work from home), but doing what you can to get some downtime – by not checking emails after dinner, for example – is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress.

Not everyone will share your goals, but if you find that the things you do with your friends (like eating and drinking way too much) only serve to get you off track, it may be time to reevaluate those plans, Jose told POPSUGAR. Try suggesting something you’ll all enjoy, like a hike instead of a boozy brunch.

“A lot of my clients do not necessarily eat poorly. They just don’t eat, or their eating is sporadic and inconsistent,” Jose said. “Start eating on purpose with a purpose.” Meal prep is more popular than ever and with good reason: it allows you to plan healthy meals in advance (here’s a crash course for beginners), saving you time and money, and eliminating any excuses in the process.

“Commit to a habit or lifestyle change for a set period of time without compromise,” Colette told POPSUGAR. Research shows that it can take at least a couple months to form new habits. Keeping them up is much easier, so push through early on, even on those days when your willpower starts to wane.

It’s the easiest thing to do and yet one of the simplest to forget. “Good consumption of water has so many benefits for the body,” Jose said, noting that, when you start working out more, you may need to work even harder to stay hydrated. Try these tips for drinking more water or invest in a smart bottle that will track your intake.

There’s only so much you can do to eliminate stress from your life – whether it’s looming deadlines or your dwindling bank account – but you can experiment with healthy habits like yoga, meditation, or a short walk to find a strategy that helps you better manage it. (What works for some may not work for you!) Colette noted that sometimes that means “cutting out toxic relationships” – and if that’s the case, that’s OK.

“Plant-based eating is in, and there’s a reason why – because they’re so good for you,” Amy said. “Eating more plants doesn’t necessarily mean eating cups and cups of kale or eating all plants all the time. Just do your best to incorporate them into your snacks and meals so that you’ll reap their benefits. Plants include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, and more.”

Sitting too much can be detrimental to your health, so “elect to stand when possible,” Colette said. Take that phone call outside or stand at the kitchen counter while drinking your morning coffee, instead of lounging on the couch.

Whether you decide to keep a gratitude journal, or write out a to-do list for the next day before going to bed, putting a pen to paper can help offload stress, easing anxiety and even improving your sleep.

You might be surprised to see a fashion tip on a list about healthy habits, but stay with us. According to Colette, combining style with comfort can make a big difference to your physical well-being. “Wear clothes that fit, versus trying to fit into clothes,” she said – it can go a long way toward building your body confidence. “Pick comfort and functionality over style for footwear, too,” Colette added. Life is too short to accept that beauty means pain.

While learning to build a balanced meal is essential, how you eat is just as important as what’s on your plate. “Eat slower, [and] use smaller dishes to prevent eating larger portions,” Colette said. These habits will help you get only what you need, while giving your body time to signal when it’s full.

“Stretch for five minutes before bedtime and first thing after waking up,” Colette suggested. (Try some of these targeted moves.) Along with simply stretching in the morning and at night, she recommends keeping an eye on your posture throughout the day as a small but important adjustment. “There are no exercises to correct posture,” she said, but paying attention and then doing your best to fix it in the moment can help prevent aches and pains.

Self-care isn’t just about Instagram-perfect bubble baths. It’s about stealing away moments of joy without the side of guilt. “Sometimes you may feel like you need an afternoon or night off for self care – and whether that means curling up on the couch with Netflix, hitting the gym, or making a home-cooked meal for one is up to you,” Amy told POPSUGAR. “Just remember that it’s OK to say no to a night out with friends, a party, or whatever it is that you’re missing. Take the time to recharge if you need it, and you’ll be happier and better able to focus on your health and wellness goals.”

Living a healthier lifestyle is about finding balance and being kind to yourself, not guilting yourself for having an extra dessert every now and then. “I tell clients to start over immediately with the next meal,” Amy said. “So drop the guilt, accept the fact that there’s really no way to be a perfect eater 100 percent of the time, and get back on track as quickly as you can.” (The same can be said for exercise or sleep.) Getting too wrapped up in every misstep can actually perpetuate the cycle, which is much more damaging to your goals.