The new year is fast approaching us and everyone wants resolutions, right? Hands up if you’ve stuck to a new year’s resolution for the whole year? Personally, I don’t think I’ve managed it but I’ve learned now that it’s most likely because I have set myself unrealistic goals. I like to look at it as how I can make small changes to my lifestyle.

Things that I am realistically able to change and stick to. Some of these you may already do or some of them may be new to you, but these are my suggestions of how to keep your body and mind healthy in the new year. Kickstart the new year with some lifestyle changes that will keep your body and mind happier and healthier.

In this post, we discuss habits to improve mental health and physical health. Let us know if you have any other ideas you would recommend. 

 

 

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How to Keep Your Body and Mind Healthy in 2021

 

Moving Your Body

Getting your body moving gets your heart beating and blood flowing throughout your body. By no means does this mean going to a high cardio workout class every day, this can be as simple as going out for a walk, going to a yoga class or even just getting up from your desk at work every hour to move around. 

 

Track Your Steps

Most mobile phones have this installed and there are also a lot of cheap fitness watches on the market. This is a great motivator to make sure you get up and move your body throughout the day. I try and aim for 10,000 steps a day and if I’m running short, I’ll even get up off the couch and move around the house a bit or go for a walk to boost it up.

 

I use the Fitbit Versa, an excellent watch for tracking both my steps and my sleep! You can purchase your own Fitbit Versa here.

 

 

Get Outside

Whether it’s rain or shine, getting out in the great outdoors is great for our body and mind. It may be going out for a walk in the park or it could be a hike up a mountain. Nature and the outdoors will keep your body and mind happy and healthy. If you love hills and the outdoors and are based in the UK, make sure you check out our friend @iona.adventuring on Instagram and join her Facebook group full of like-minded adventurers, the photos will be enough to tempt you outdoors.

 

 

Home Workouts

YouTube is full of free workout ideas, some only lasting 10 minutes, the perfect option for if you are in a rush and thinking of putting it off. HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is a really good way of getting your heart pumping and body moving. Needless to say, you’ll feel brilliant after it. A favourite of ours is The Body Coach on YouTube and Instagram.

 

We also like to create our own HIIT workouts whilst we travel which we have posted on our YouTube channel.

 

 

 

Run Around a New City

If you are someone who travels a lot, or even if you’re not, experience a new city before it comes to life and get out for a morning run. This is also a great way of finding your bearings if you have just arrived. Find a new coffee shop or figure out where the best spot is for dinner, exploring a new city is always exciting.

 

 

 

Eating Well

Eating well doesn’t have to be boring or difficult. There are so many tasty and easy recipes out there to be enjoyed. Here are just a couple of tips to make your plate look healthier in 2019!

 

Get more Veggies into your Diet

Over the past year we have changed to a vegetarian diet and incorporate a lot of vegan meals and days into our life. We started off with “meat-free Monday”, however after exploring so many amazing recipes, this became a regular occurrence throughout our week. This has also saved us a lot of money over the year whilst being a more sustainable lifestyle choice for the environment. On top of all this, there are also a lot of health benefits from eating more plant-based meals, especially if you mix up your choice of vegetables every meal.

 

 

 

Stay Hydrated

Being dehydrated can have negative effects on our body and brain, and so it is important we keep drinking throughout the day. Water also helps to boost your energy levels and physical performance whilst treating headaches and of course those deadly hangovers!

We find having a water bottle drastically helps us stay hydrated, as we never venture outside without it. Get your own bottle and try to make yourself goals for drinking, such as a full bottle every two hours. You will feel and see the benefits in no time!

 

 

 

Self Care

Be Kind to Yourself

This is something that I am still working on, yet it is something we all need to remember. We are all different. Our bodies are as unique as our personalities, so we should each find a way of eating and exercising that suits us as an individual.

Let’s stop comparing ourselves to others, and instead work on what makes us healthy and happy. Praise your body instead of punishing it. A few minutes of meditation a day can also help you to refresh your mind and take some time for yourself.

 

Never over-estimate the importance of slowing down and taking some time to yourself.

 

 

Sleep More

I have always been a lover of my sleep, but I have learned a lot over the past couple of years about how a lack of sleep can have a detrimental effect on your health. After reading Why We Sleep by Professor Matthew Walker, I was blown away in learning that a lack of sleep can leave you with a shorter life expectancy.

By going to your bed an hour earlier in the evening, your body will start to feel the benefits. For us, getting a good 8 hours of sleep and a good sleep routine has worked wonders. By switching off an hour earlier, going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time every day (even at the weekend), we have been left feeling more energised throughout the day.

It is also crucial to remove yourself from your work, which we find very difficult to do as we LOVE doing it! Ensure you wind down each night, roughly an hour before you go to sleep, by reading a book or watching a movie. As much as we shouldn’t lie on our phone in bed if this is something you choose to do, purchase some blue light glasses to reduce the amount of white light that will keep your brain stimulated, and will prevent you from falling asleep.

 

 

 

Take a Rest Day

Remember that the importance of having a rest day from the gym is just as important as exercising. When you exercise, especially resistance training, your muscle tissues break down. Rest days allow these to rebuild and complete the process required to build muscle, strength and endurance.

Rest days do not, however, have to mean lying around doing nothing. If you are like us and struggle to sit still, going for a walk is a good way of dynamic rest, where you can keep active yet still recover.

 

 

Find Balance

Find a balance with all things in your life. I don’t believe life is worth living on restriction, as many of us will most likely end up on a binge cycle. Eat well, yet don’t restrict yourself from the things that you love. Find an exercise that you enjoy and don’t do it to punish your body. Hang out with your friends if you want to, have a night in to yourself if you want to.

Ultimately, do what makes you happy as you are the most important person in your life.

 

 

 

So there you have it, your guide to keeping your body and mind healthy in 2020. If you have already incorporated some of these into your lifestyle, let us know how it’s going! What is your favourite veggie meal? Have you ran around a new city before? How many hours sleep do you get a night Let us know in the comments below!

Also remember to share this with your friends and family. Sharing is caring and we want to inspire as many people as we can to keep their body and mind healthy in the new year.

Don’t forget to come and find us on social media to see where we are currently exploring. Tag us in your photos and we will share them with the rest of our community of explorers and backpackers.

 

 

Now Read:

• Why You Should Try Cycle Touring
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• How to Deal with an Incident on the Road

 

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