The new year is here & now is the time of the year when we all self evaluate & try to make changes that will better our lives. Unfortunately a trend we see every year is people who start working hard towards there goals & then by the end of January they have already given up. AFC Urgent Care North Andover would like to give you some advice that will help you make goals that you will actually stick too. The trick is to make smaller goals! There is no shame in making more modest goals that are attainable & reasonable with your lifestyle. Most people think if they make their goals too low then they will not be able to achieve what they really want.

Work out goals

The most popular new year resolves to transform your body into peak physical condition. However, most of the resolutions fail at this goal because they want quick fast results & because of the lifestyle change. Bodybuilders did not become bodybuilders overnight. They worked towards smaller individual goals & once they surpassed them, they made more goals for themselves. The same should go for anybody with fitness goals. Start small with your goals & once you hit them make bigger goals for yourself. Before you know it, you will have created a routine for yourself & adopted a new lifestyle.

Clean your environments

A good resolution to make is to make sure your house/living space is clean. Sometimes with a busy life, we can get into habits of leaving dishes in the sink, not making their beds in the morning, & leaving laundry unfolded or all over the place. If you are relaxing in your house & in the middle of a mess, you can actually be adding stress into your life. The sight of unfinished chores staring at you all day can lead to more stress & anxiety. Take 15 extra minutes out of your day & clean! Relaxing in a clean environment can leave you feeling tremendous & motivated to do more things!

Healthy food

Eating right does not always mean having a salad for every meal. Small changes to your diet can actually have a very lasting impact. The best way to get into the swing of healthier food is to do it slowly! Some starter tips are:

• Make sure you consume 1500-2000 calories a day! (Check a weight calculator online to see exactly how much)
• Add “Clean Carbs” to your diet to replace a typical meal you have. So anywhere from baked chicken & pasta to grilled chicken & pasta.
• Hit 3 meals a day. This will get your body in the swing of eating & you will be able to eat more or less depending on your current eating schedule.

We hope these tips will help you get off on the right foot for 2019, good luck!