Fitness, diet, and mental health tips for 2024

Fitness, diet, and mental health tips to boost wellness in 2024

January 22, 2024 2:19 PM

A lady is walking on a bike path; the focus is on the foot that's lifted, showing the bottom of her orange and blue sneaker.

Did healthier habits make it to the top of your New Year's resolutions for 2024? It may be easier to accomplish this than you think.

YouGov polled 1,000 Americans about their goals for 2024, and unsurprisingly, more exercise, a better diet and improved mental health were at the top of the list. Still, nearly 60% of workers are experiencing at least moderate burnout at their current job, according to Aflac, underlining just how challenging it may be to build better habits when it feels like one's bandwidth has already been stretched to its limit.

That's why moderation is key, says Kim Waters, nutrition and wellness instructor at Wellbeats, a Lifespeak product that provides employee wellness programs.

"Whatever new habits you're taking on, think about it as something you will maintain for the long haul," she says. "Lose the 'all-or-nothing' attitude. Something is better than nothing."

Waters encourages anyone with health-related goals to give themselves plenty of grace. The worst thing they can do is expect perfection, then spiral into bad habits again when that expectation is inevitably unmet, she explains. Whether someone is focused on nutrition, fitness, mental health or all three, there are ways they can improve their overall health without being completely overwhelmed.

Here are three tips for anyone focused on their relationship with health and wellness this year.

A good diet takes planning

Between work and family, it can be hard to find time to shop and cook a nutritious meal every day — so have some meals prepared in advance, advises Waters. For example, if Mondays are particularly busy or draining, have a few meals that incorporate protein, carbohydrates and vegetables ready to grab and go. This doesn't mean an individual needs to prepare every meal in advance, but it can help to identify when pre-made meals would make the biggest difference.

As for breakfast and snacks, Waters recommends that workers always have quick foods they can grab so they aren't letting themselves go hungry until lunch and dinner. She notes that protein-rich snacks like Greek yogurt and trail mix can especially help pick people up when energy slumps strike. Still, it's important to identify which nutritious foods one actually enjoys — meal planning should help workers look forward to their next meal or snack, not dread it.

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"The worst thing we can do is skip meals," says Waters. "Our energy drops, and we end up eating way more food than intended. If we leave ourselves hungry, we just don't tend to make the best choices."

Waters also reminds workers to stay hydrated. A lack of water throughout the day can also affect energy and make people feel hungrier even if they have eaten enough. She suggests workers bring a water bottle that shows how many ounces they drank so they can be more aware of their intake (and no, coffee doesn't count).

Sneak in exercise

While many health professionals recommend everyone try to fit in 30 minutes of exercise a day, Waters believes even just 10 minutes of exercise is better than nothing. She emphasizes that not everyone can step away from their families or other responsibilities for very long, so if someone can only sneak in a 10-minute yoga practice in the morning, they should still feel like they accomplished something.

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Other exercise breaks can include a short walk during lunch or biking to do a quick errand. Make the exercise work around your schedule, not the other way around, says Waters.

"One more vegetable per week is better than none. A 10-minute bout of exercise will be better than none," she says. "Just keep plugging away, be consistent and that's going to have the long-haul results."

Intentionally build a positive mindset

There's no quick fix for mental health challenges, but Waters believes short journaling every morning can at least help people feel more centered during the day. She suggests people try to write down three things they're grateful for, either in a notebook or on the phone. This habit can help program the brain to seek out the positives already there even when the person isn't journaling. Depending on how someone is feeling, there may be just one positive thing, or there may be five, but the attempt to move aside negative thoughts while keeping a tangible record of the positive parts of life can be a great exercise for the mind, says Waters.

As with exercise and diet, Waters reminds workers that they shouldn't expect to execute this habit without fail — the most important thing one can do when incorporating a new habit is not to give up.

"Health is a marathon," says Waters. "It's achievable, but we have to be consistent and take the [journey] in bite sizes."