New Year, New You

Another year means another list of New Year's resolutions. How long is your list this year, and how confident are you that by year's end, you'll have stuck with them? To be successful in whatever you resolve to do, it's important to set realistic goals. Here are six achievable wellness resolutions to get you started.

We start with this one because too many people equate New Year's resolutions, particularly as they relate to health, with unbending rules about diet, exercise, etc. It's more important to live in the moment, in the sense that you can't be afraid that eating dessert one night or missing one workout will set you back forever.

If you haven't taken a walk for awhile, go for a 15-minute stroll during a work break or after dinner; we bet you'll immediately feel more refreshed and less stressed about the world. The simple act of walking - away from the relative confines of your office or home - allows you to enjoy nature and exercise all at once.

New year new you - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark

We're not suggesting you eliminate TV altogether, particularly if it's news- or education-based, but a few less hours a week of reality TV and late-night B movies wouldn't hurt. Substantial evidence links TV viewing to negative health outcomes, not the least of which is obesity. So turn off the boob tube now and then.

Most adults are fairly locked in to their food preferences, which can be dangerous on several levels: If your preferences aren't healthy ones, you're in trouble; and if you don't mix things up occasionally, you risk getting bored. The solution? Try at least one new food a week, preferably the healthy variety.

Games, that is; games with your kids, your significant other or yourself that keep your mind sharp and take you away from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind. Whether it's a board game, a crossword puzzle or even a sport that keeps you on your toes (literally and figuratively), make more time to play.

Your last New Year's resolution is perhaps the most important one, because you can't be healthy, at least not over the long haul, if you don't spoil yourself occasionally. Schedule a vacation, plan a date night, or just commit to taking an hour or so at least once a week and relaxing all by yourself. You're worth it.