Top 10 Health Resolutions for 2010

New Year's resolutions are often made just to be broken. Come January first, to proclaim that you are going to lose weight and get healthy is only asking for trouble. These goals are too vague and generic. You need small manageable doses of change and you need specifics.
Over 2009 I was able to accomplish all of these goals and it helped me loose over twenty pounds, run in two 5K races and feel better and stronger than ever. I am not a health nut, nor do I love to exercise, but at 47, I was starting to feel old and I didn't like it.
My suggestion from personal experience is to commit to one of these goals a week. Take them in whatever order works for you with the exception of the first and in a few months, you will have changed your lifestyle and your health style. Instead of the big, all encompassing vows to change, here are ten suggestions you can easily start doing today.
1. Drink your water. This is number one for a reason. Hydrating your body is the most healthy and nurturing thing you can do for yourself. Think of it as the oil of your machine. Without it, you are going to dry out and rust! Besides that, it makes your skin look better.
2. Stop eating sugar. I know sugar is tough, but it can be done. I kicked the habit last June and I was a two packs of cookies a day user. If a heroin addict can kick the horse, you can kick the Circus Animal cookies. Just say no. You have already tasted everything sweet and delicious anyway. It's not worth it to get back on the merry go round. After a few days the cravings subside and it becomes easier. The best part is, food actually tastes better.
3. Have breakfast. This one wasn't difficult for me, as I love to eat any time of the day, but I realize for some people it is a huge challenge to eat a healthy, well balanced breakfast. I liked breakfast, however I liked big, starchy and fat filled breakfasts, so I needed to learn how to eat a smarter breakfast. Right now, I am drinking a protein smoothie made with bananas, strawberries and Protein powder mixed with low fat milk. It's tasty and filling. It's quick, easy and I can take it with me. Find a fit for your active morning and stick with it. Breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day so put some thought into this very important part of you life.
4. Now that you have subtracted sugar from your diet, commit to adding something healthy. Have at least two servings of vegetables a day. The USDA recommends at least three servings of "any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as a member of the vegetable group. Vegetables may be raw or cooked; fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated; and may be whole, cut-up, or mashed." Eat as a snack dipped in Ranch dressing, or for dinner in a sauteed in olive oil and sea salt. Have a V8! Do whatever it takes to have vegetables at least twice a day. One of the things I have found since I stopped eating sugar, is that the veggies taste better.
5. An apple a day isn't old school medical advice. It's still one of the best sources of vitamins and nourishment you can get. Apples with peanut butter spread on top is probably one of life's greatest pleasures and like the vegetables mentioned above, the less numb your tongue is from sugar, the more the taste of Eve's favorite fruit will satisfy your sweet cravings. Apples also fill you up and their easy to carry around with you until it's time to chow.
6. Take your vitamins. No need to go crazy at the fancy vitamin shop. Take a multi-vitamin every day, no matter what. Consider it medicinal. Add vitamins carefully and consult with your doctor, but you can't go wrong taking a standard multi-vitamin.
7. Stretch in the morning and before you go to bed. Ever watch your dog or cat get up from a nap? They take their stretching very seriously. . Yoga calls it cat pose and dog pose for a reason. Do the same thing. Every morning, take a couple of minutes to stretch your neck, back and legs. Don't forget to breath!
8. Brush your teeth. Oh, and don't forget to floss them too. While you're at it, loofah your tongue. No that is not some new sex technique. Get a tongue scraper and scrap that puppy every day. My nutritionist friend Betsy Milligan suggested this to me a few years ago and it do it without thinking now. Not only will your breath smell better, but your food will actually have more flavor.
9. Run a race. If you are overweight and out of shape, running is just the activity for you. I know it's hard to believe, but at the beginning of last year, I felt out of breath walking around my block. I have now worked up to five miles three days a week, which isn't going to qualify me for any sort of marathon, but for me, it's a huge accomplishment. I started with Cool Runnings.com, which has a Couch Potato to 5K training program for $20. It's an easy to follow training program to get you up to speed so that you can actually compete in a 5k. I did two 5K's last year. For the first race, I committed to being able to finish it. The second, I committed to running the entire distance. Goals need to be small and manageable. I felt so incredible when I ran across the finish line the most recent race. Next up for me is a 10K and then who knows? There is some sort of race, some where near you every weekend. Sign up for one and start running or walking.
Check out www.active.com for a race near you.
10. Get your parts checked. I know this one can be annoying, but if you're a woman, get your pap smear and mammogram and if you're a guy, go get that prostate checked. Just do it and you'll be able to rest easy for the rest of the year, knowing you're good to go until next time. Make your appointment for next year while you're there. It's a good way of keeping track of time and you'll have a natural reminder when the New Year's ball drops.

If all of these suggestions sound overwhelming, don't sweat it. Commit to doing at least one or two and you'll be better off and more healthy in 2011 than when you started 2010. Good luck and Happy New Year!