Alex Buscemi
Sticking to New Year’s resolutions can feel like a challenge, especially when it comes to health and fitness goals.
But sometimes, it’s the little tips and tricks that make all the difference.
Reddit users have been sharing their surprisingly simple and effective health hacks, and they’re worth a look if you’re trying to stay on track this year.
From easy ways to build healthier habits to clever shortcuts for staying motivated, these ideas might just give you the boost you need.
Dive in and see which hacks could work for you.
#1.
“Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly.” That can apply to many things. If meal prep is stressing you out, nothing is stopping you from getting some raw veggies and incorporating them as snacks while figuring out how to make meaningful dietary adjustments. If you can’t dedicate an hour a day to a structured workout routine, go on a walk, take the stairs instead of always using the elevator, do 50 high knees while you wait for your coffee to heat up, stretch, or do what you can in small increments. It still counts and can help. Just because you can’t jump in headfirst doesn’t mean the change isn’t worthwhile.
#2.
A 5-minute walk is better than 0 minutes.
#3.
Walking is a perfectly good form of exercise; there’s no need to jog or try anything more elaborate.
#4.
Learning to say “f**k it” and go to sleep. Stress kills.
#5.
Embrace your authentic identity. Don’t spend energy pretending to be someone you’re not.
#6.
What gets you to complete a goal isn’t being so strict you never break it; it’s not letting setbacks derail you. Many people will be good for a bit but then have a bad weekend, get sick, binge, or just give in to their favorite foods. Once they lose momentum, they often say, “what’s the point,” and jump back into what’s comfortable. However, if you want to complete your goal, you’ve got to just say, “alright, that was fun,” and get back to the grind for a few weeks. Being able to jump back into your good habits is key, not being obsessed with always staying strict to your diet/workout.
#7.
Swimming is a great workout.
#8.
Figure out how to cook. It’s a lot easier to stick to a healthy diet if you aren’t torturing yourself with boiled chicken, steamed broccoli, and brown rice all day.
#9.
You can do anything you want, but you can’t do EVERYTHING you want, so choose wisely.
#10.
“Stop that or you’ll go blind.” So I started learning Braille.
#11.
You’ve got to expend a bit of energy to get some energy. Sounds counterproductive, but if you’re feeling fatigued, take a brisk walk, do a short workout, or get up and stretch a bit—you’ll get a bit of pep back to last the distance of the day.
#12.
Eat your vegetables… or suffer the consequences!
#13.
Reading the nutritional labels on stuff. You’d be amazed how so many seemingly nutritious foods are secretly killing you with lots of sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and other harmful things in them.
#14.
Thinking about and trying to add fiber to every meal. Now poop very good.
#15.
Drink enough water every day, have a good sleep, and don’t smoke.
#16.
Want to fix your lower back pain? Work out your core. Get strong, and you will hurt less. This is true generally as well.
#17.
Calories are king. How you consume those calories is what matters. 500 calories is 500 calories, but 500 calories of chicken and broccoli is better than 500 calories of potato chips.
#18.
“The best exercise is the exercise you’ll do consistently.”
#19.
Nothing is worse for your general health than a sedentary lifestyle.
#20.
Stop thinking about the past, stop worrying about the “what ifs.” Learn from the past and focus on the next step.
#21.
Doctors are people, and they can f**k up.
#22.
Not one more drop of alcohol. Not one. I’ve lost 40 lbs, I’m stronger than I’ve ever been in my life (45M), and my mind is clear as crystal.
#23.
Learn to waste food. Too many of us eat past the point of full or eat something we’re not enjoying because we don’t want to waste it. It’s still being wasted—you’re now the trash can.
#24.
Stand on one foot when you brush your teeth. A very common cause of death among older people is falling. So, stand on one foot when you brush your teeth. My balance is great, and my doctor even said so.
#25.
It’s actually okay to not eat everything on your plate if it doesn’t spark joy. Meals can count as meals even if they don’t include meat sometimes.
#26.
SLEEP.
#27.
Fat isn’t the problem, sugar is.
#28.
If you’re diabetic, get regular eye and feet checks.
#29.
Spending more time in the fresh air, meditation, and breathing exercises has truly opened my eyes to my health—or rather, its actual state.
#30.
Don’t worry about things out of your control.