Wellcultured - A men's fashion, fitness, sex, and lifestyle magazine.

The new year brings the chance for you to establish the healthy you that got lost in holiday goodies. While everyone else is touting diet and exercise as the ways to get and stay fit, we have three resolutions for you that have nothing to do with what you eat or how much you move. Diet and exercise are still important, of course, but for the most lasting results, improve your health in these areas as well.

1. Get Enough Sleep

How late do you go to bed? How late do you sleep in? Are you getting enough zzzz’s at night? Sleep does more than just make you feel rejuvenated in the morning. It also regulates your appetite, boosts your immune system, and strengthens your ability to resist impulses. On the other hand, chronic sleep deprivation is linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Set a specific, consistent bed and wake time and stick with them. Prepare for bed by eliminating exposure to blue light (TV, computer, cell phone) an hour before bed. Unwind with relaxing music, a good book, or some writing. Make sure the temperature is comfortable. In the morning, don’t hit the snooze button. Not only will you feel well rested, but you’ll also not feel bloated, full, or hungry from late-night snacking or skipping breakfast.

2. Practice Mindfulness

Too much stress is the enemy to good health, but most of us don’t know how to cope with stress in health ways. We usually turn to food and drink, media, addictions, and distractions to handle fatigue, anger, depression, boredom, and other overwhelming emotions. The right tool to use is mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the practice of being present and aware. It’s learning how to recognize and sit with emotions, be connected to yourself and others, and manage difficulties. A good place to start is therapist Dave Potter’s free online course and Dr. Kristin Neff’s exercises in self-compassion.

Once you begin to acquire these skills, you’ll find yourself happier and healthier in all areas of life. By being present, you’ll eat less food. By knowing how to address stress, you won’t stay up late bingeing on Netflix and junk. By being in tune with yourself, you’ll know when you need rest or exercise.

3. Be Smart With Your Social Life

The people you hang out with influence your lifestyle. If you spend time with friends who encourage eating junk, partying, and watching movies as the sole forms of entertainment, your weight is going to show it.

Join a healthier group or be the leader of change in your own with the following ideas:

• Spend more time outdoors around nature and leave your electronic devices inside.
• Meet up at places where food is not the main event, such as the park.
• Join a sports league or book club together, or by yourself if you need to make new friends.
• Learn a new skill or hobby.
• Volunteer at a charity organization.
• Get to know local sites, such as historical locations, museums, galleries, gardens, landmarks, etc.

There is so much more to do in this life than eat and “hang out.” Take advantage of these opportunities to increase your knowledge, establish new relationships, and expand your interests – all while losing weight without counting calories or stepping into a gym.

Tags: fitness, Health, mindfulness, sleep, social