New Year, Better Me

For many of us, turning the calendar over to a new year symbolizes a fresh start to focus on new things. New goals and intentions for the coming year are a great way to get motivated. I’m not so much into the “new year, new me” approach, but more so into the “new year, better me” approach. I like to take a look at things I could improve on or smaller changes I could make in my life to better myself.

As I mentioned in my last post, Cancer and Clean Beauty, one thing I want to focus on this year is using cleaner beauty products. So far, I have been loving the changes I have made there. Beyond that though, I also decided to focus on drinking more water, eating less meat and more veggies, and exercising more consistently. These aren’t crazy changes, but are little steps to bettering myself and my health! 

Drinking More Water

First on my list is drinking more water. I am notorious for drinking very little water throughout the day. At this point, I am surprised I haven’t turned into a raisin already. I think we all know by now that there are numerous benefits to drinking water. So, how much water should we actually be drinking? A common recommendation I’ve heard is to drink 64 ounces of water a day, or 8 8oz glasses. There really isn’t a magic formula for how much water everyone should be drinking. It depends on a lot of factors, such as  age, weight, and activity level.

For me, I decided to focus on drinking my weight in ounces. It seemed like a reasonable goal. For example, if I weighed 200 pounds, I would drink 200 ounces. You get the picture.  I found that a good water bottle can make a world of a difference! This is the one I use, and I love it! For me, a straw is the key to success. I also found that “rewarding” myself with my morning coffee after I have drank at least a third of my daily goal has been really helpful. 

Beyond having to pee roughly 50 times per day, this has been a really positive change for me. My skin is reaping the benefits. I have really dry skin and this has helped tremendously. 

Eating Less Meat and More Vegetables

Let’s face it, I am a true Minnesota gal who lives off meat and potatoes. I love a good medium rare steak with a huge mound of mashed potatoes and a glass of milk. Not exactly the epitome of health right there, but oh so delicious. In light of my LFS diagnosis, I decided it was time to make some changes regarding my diet to include some more cancer fighting superfoods – like vegetables, and a little less red meat. 

So, I started doing “Meatless Mondays” and am also focusing on more of a mederterrianain style diet the rest of the days. This has definitely been an adjustment, but I hope will get easier over time. However, you might be wondering, will I still be ordering a burger and fries when we go out to eat on a Saturday night? You bet. It’s all about balance! 

Exercising More Consistently

I’ll be honest here, I’ve been really lazy lately. There, I said it.  I could blame it on a number of things, the pandemic, gyms being closed for awhile, my recent mastectomy surgery. But in all reality, those are all excuses. I have had plenty of opportunities to get my butt in gear and exercise. Therefore, I decided I needed to make more of a consistent effort to get in at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. Whether that be going to the gym, going on a walk (wheel?), or doing some sit ups and weights at home. There are so many ways to get active. 

So there you have it, my 2021 “goals” or whatever you want to call them really. What are yours? Are there any things you will be focusing on this year to better yourself? I’m hopeful that 2021 turns out to be a better year for all of us!