New Year's Health Resolutions You Can Stick With

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New Year's Health Resolutions You Can Stick With

The New Year is a great time to take an honest look at your health and make some decisions.

Have you been eating enough veggies? What about exercise? Couch surfing doesn't count. Did you get a physical? Are there any issues you're concerned with, health-wise?

Is there something you're overlooking in terms of your health? Making a New Year's resolution to take your health seriously is always a good thing. And it doesn't have to be the dreaded New Year's diet, either. There are plenty of resolutions to make this year that can help your health in the long run and keep you regret-free at the end of 2015.

New Year's Health Resolutions

Diet. No, not the dreaded “D” word. We're talking about an overall eating plan for the year. The key to healthy eating is always moderation, and an eating plan helps keep you

on track.

Eliminating entire food groups is a recipe for failure, so focus on reducing things that may impact your health negatively.

Exercise. Running mindlessly on a treadmill is no one's idea of a good time. In addition to cardio and resistance training, changing your daily habits can get you closer to those fitness goals. Taking the stairs, walking during lunch and going out of your way to be more consistently active all add up in the long run.

Smartphone workout apps can help coach you through simple but impactful exercises that will help you fulfill that resolution.

Physical Exams and Screenings.

For women Getting a physical each year can take care of a lot of health screenings in one fell swoop. Your local medical center can test you for high blood pressure, sexually transmitted diseases, cholesterol and diabetes.

Other important tests to take include osteoporosis for women over age 65, mammograms for those over 40 and colorectal cancer screenings after age 50. Pap smears to screen for cervical cancer are recommended for sexually active women and those over 21.

For men That yearly physical is just as important for men. Take care of high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and sexually transmitted diseases.

Other screenings include Colorectal screening after age 50; prostate cancer screening at 45 for men with family history or 50 if not; osteoporosis between ages 50 to 70.

Keeping your New Year's resolutions past February is always a challenge, but if you make good health choices, you'll find that it's pretty easy to make your health a priority and change for the better in 2015.