A New Way to Look at Resolutions: 19 Healthy Things to Do in 2019

Published: January 3, 2019

Happy New Year! Are you someone who is looking for a new start in the new year? The beginning of the year is a great time to start healthy habits, since 2019 is a clean slate.

I’ve recently been listening to (and enjoying) the Happier Podcast with Gretchen Rubin and her sister, Liz Craft. I like this podcast for several reasons:  (1) my sister’s name is Gretchen, (2) Gretchen and Liz are sisters, and I like listening to them banter, and (3) I have enjoyed reading Gretchen’s books.  Last year, Gretchen and Liz proposed making a list of 18 things you wanted to try in 2018 to make your life happier. 

This year, I thought that it might be fun to follow their lead and make a list of the 19 things I want to accomplish to be healthier in the new year: my 19 for 2019 list! These are actions or intentions that help improve my health and can be something done only one time (e.g., run the Cap10K) or daily or weekly habits (e.g., planning meals for the week). Some of these are ways for me to eliminate barriers to exercise or eating healthy. I have included the obvious healthy eating and physical activity-type resolutions, but I also included activities that include sleep, social activities, and meditation.

Here is my list of 19 healthy intentions for 2019:

1. Take a walk after dinner at least 5 nights per week with my dog Bella.
2. Find 2 new vegetarian recipes to include in our dinner rotation.
3. Plan our dinners and lunches for the week. As part of this, I would like to do batch cooking on the weekend, maybe with my Instant Pot.
4. Organize my healthy eating recipes. This is a big project!
5. Go to bed by 10 p.m. I need to sleep more (I am aiming for 7 hours/night during the week), and the best way for me to achieve that is to get to bed earlier!
6. Grow a new vegetable this year. Last year, we had success with eggplants! Gardening is an excellent way to get your family to eat vegetables.
7. Organize a family outing/walk at least once a month.
8. Walk 2-3 flights of stairs at work every day.
9. Sign up and run a 5 or 10K run (maybe the Capital 10K).
10. Get my bike fixed so I can go on more bike rides.
11. Read at least one book a month.
12. Balance on each foot as I brush my teeth.
13. Do a meditation challenge. Oprah and Deepak Chopra generally do a 21-day meditation experience that is free at least once during the year
14. Try a new tea.
15. Add a fruit bowl to my office for afternoon snacks.
16. Buy a new pair of running shores.
17. Do 25 squats a day.
18. Organize a girls’ weekend.
19. Find a good facial sunscreen. 

What are your 19 for 2019 healthier actions? Share your list via Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #19for2019, @msdcenter, or @deannahoelscher.  We would love to see what innovative ideas you can generate to be healthier in the upcoming year. Maybe you can start a 19 for 2019 healthier intention list as a family activity. 

Here's to a happy and healthy 2019!

Written by: Deanna Hoelscher, PhD, RDN, LD, CNS, FISBNPA