Healthy habits don’t have a deadline: Building a routine for a better life

Chloé Jackson, MD

Family Medicine

How are all those New Year’s resolutions you made going now? Busy schedules, unexpected stress and everyday responsibilities can make it feel difficult to stick to those life changes we felt so sure about in January. The good news? Healthy habits don’t have a deadline, and you don’t need to strive for perfection to make a difference in your day-to-day.

Family medicine physician Chloé Gonzalez Jackson, MD, offered advice on small, steady steps that can help you build healthy habits any time of year.

Remember, you can always reset and start again

“There’s really no calendar you have to base life changes on other than your own,” said Dr. Jackson. “If a resolution from New Year’s didn’t stick, you can always take a look at what might have led to that misstep and then start again in a way that feels realistic and doable for your life.”

For many, the feeling of having ‘failed’ at a resolution even just once, such as skipping a workout, can make you feel like giving up on the whole thing altogether. Dr. Jackson noted that dramatic changes are harder to stick to, but the smaller, consistent steps build up into a larger picture of long-term health.

Make sure you head in for your yearly well check

“Regular checkups let us keep an eye out on really important signs of ongoing health like blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar,” said Dr. Jackson. “The problems that high blood pressure can cause, for instance, may not show any symptoms early on. Getting regular blood pressure readings can help us catch rising blood pressure early and take steps toward lowering it back to healthy levels.”

Preventive visits also offer you a chance to speak with your doctor about ongoing concerns, immunizations or health screenings you might need, such as mammograms, colonoscopies, lung cancer screenings and more. Being proactive about these screenings helps catch potential concerns much earlier, when they’re more easily treated.

Being more active can go far beyond the gym

“We’ve seen resolutions where someone who is fairly sedentary, meaning they’re not moving around much during their day-to-day life, sets a goal of working out five days a week,” said Dr. Jackson. “While some are able to embrace such a huge change in activity, for most of us, that’s a big ask, and a resolution that may not stick.”

Instead, think about activity as an on ramp, where what matters is the steady progress toward better health and not how many days you hit the gym. Aim for 30 minutes or more of exercise most days of the week. This could be as simple as a half-hour brisk walk around the neighborhood, or it could be any type of exercise you enjoy, like yoga, Pilates, resistance training or swimming.

“Movement supports heart health, helping you manage weight, strengthen your muscles and improve your mood,” said Dr. Jackson. “If you have a busy schedule that doesn’t leave a lot of room for lengthy exercise, breaking your activity down into shorter sessions through the day can still be effective.”

What’s on your plate? Supporting health through nutrition

While ‘you are what you eat’ is a little bit of an exaggeration, nutrition does in fact play a big role in your overall well-being. Healthy foods provide essential nutrients to support not just digestion, but also improve the health of your heart, immune system and more.

“Adding fruits and vegetables to your meals, rather than trying to stop eating what you love, is an easier change to stick to in order to build a healthier routine without overhauling your entire diet,” said Dr. Jackson. “For example, adding pureed butternut squash or pumpkin to your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe adds vitamin A, which supports vision health, without changing the taste you love.”

Dr. Jackson also recommended being mindful about how much meat you eat. Americans have a famously meat-heavy diet, and even planning out just one meatless day per week can make a significant difference to your diet. Reducing meat consumption helps lower cholesterol levels and plant-based protein sources like beans and lentils provide fiber and other nutrients.

Not ready to give up meat even for one day a week? Try cutting the amount you normally use per recipe in half and using plant-based proteins like beans to make up the difference. Pureed kidney beans can easily work into a meatloaf recipe, for instance, and blended white beans add a lovely creaminess to potato soup.

Don’t forget your mental and emotional health, too

“Mental health simply doesn’t get enough attention when talking about building a healthy lifestyle,” said Dr. Jackson. “Stress takes its toll on both your mind and your body and has very real effects on how often you get sick, how well you sleep and more.”

Meditation, time for quiet reflection or keeping up with a journal can help you reduce stress and improve emotional well-being. Even a few quiet minutes each day can help create space to reset and refocus.

“I encourage patients to think about progress, not perfection. Small changes, such as moving a little more, eating one extra serving of vegetables or taking time to manage stress can add up to meaningful improvements over time,” Dr. Jackson said.

Even if your New Year’s resolutions fell by the wayside thanks to the stress of everyday life, it’s never too late to begin again when it comes to making changes to build a healthier life. Not sure where to start? Talking with a primary care provider can help patients set realistic goals and create a plan that supports their overall health, one step at a time.