As humans, we severely overestimate how much we can accomplish in a year, and severely underestimate how much we can accomplish in a decade. But we need to start now, if you don’t start now, don’t expect yourself to start later. Every day that you continue your current unhealthy habits is a day of being healthy you miss out on. Health is a journey, a long journey that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Most of us are far from our optimal health, and for what good reason? How healthy could we be? How healthy could YOU be? Imagine waking up every day at the same time fully rested and excited for the day. Imagine feeling good, great, alive and thriving, ALL THE TIME, not just when you go out 2 or 3 times a week when you go out and party. Having optimal health is something we all seem to want yet so few have actually obtained it. So while we are all having the new year’s revelation that we can do whatever we want. Here are 5 simple, easily actionable, new year resolutions that you can do that can have a big and dramatic improvement in your health both now and later. Baby steps baby!

1. Easy Action Eating

Go to the grocery store 1x a week. The simplest, most impactful way to improve your eating is to just go to the grocery store. It’s no secret that eating out is bad for you, and that cooking your own food is better for you. It makes sense when you think about it. It’s a whole lot easier to choose to eat healthy when you are planning what you want to eat that week ahead of time. So make it a priority, a household law, a non-negotiable that you will simply drive yourself to the grocery store every single week no matter what. Start this simple habit and you’ll be amazed at the real results you’ve accomplished this year, and you’ll have a great foundation to go on moving forward

2. Just Try It

There is such a wide variety of amazingly healthy foods out there. So stop making it some mystery. I’m not telling you to do a total diet makeover right out the gates, because that’s crazy and no one actually sustains that. What I am merely encouraging is that you just consistently try and do your best to enjoy a few new foods that you know are better for you. If you want to go above and beyond on your new exciting health journey, my simple rule of thumb (not an end all and be all solution) for foods are organic plants, and wild meats.

3. Have Fun Working Out

You don’t have to become a bodybuilder to be healthy. The first day of the week you workout is the most important. The difference between working out once a week and not at all is HUGE. So let’s not have a goal that’s unnatural and isn’t going to actually be achieved, let’s instead make it easy on ourselves. Invite an old friend on a hike. Get the bike out of the garage. Look for free trial yoga sessions. Ask your fit friends what they do that’s fun and active. Try stuff out, find something you like, and slowly let yourself fall in love with it. If you’re not excited to workout, it’s not going to work… out

4. Talk About It

Casually talk about all the little things you’re doing to improve your health with your friends. Be excited about it. It’s a big deal, it’s your health for crying out loud.

“I’ve gone to the grocery store every week this month and I’ve saved so much money from not eating out.”

“I tried an apricot for the first time yesterday and honestly it’s not that bad, I think I’ll get another one next week as well.”

“Charlie and I went on a hike yesterday and it was so much fun, it had the most beautiful view at the end of it too. I had such a blast I can’t wait for the other trail we’re trying next week.”

All of these are great things that you should be celebrating and sharing with anyone who will listen. Letting people who love you support you on your journey will make it more rewarding for you and them. Everyone wants to be the reason for someone else’s success, so let others be the reason for yours.

5. Keep Learning

I truly did save the best for last, and that is to keep on learning about your health. Make it a priority to become an expert in your own personal well being. There are countless books, newsletters, and blogs (like this one) putting amazing information out there on how to live a better life. We really do want to see you healthy, but it’s up to you to make it happen. Nothing is more motivating than new information to further you on your journey of living the best life possible. Personally, my life turned around when I started listening to audiobooks. Slowly but surely I got addicted and now I dance with joy in my car whenever I run into traffic because of the extra goodness that is going to be resonated into my brain. Fuel your mind, fuel your body, fuel your life.