January has come and gone, and you are either in the beginning of your new year’s health goals or have waved goodbye a long time ago.
No matter what category you fall into, setting and keeping health goals for yourself is not only important for your physical health, but also your mental health. Here are some important health goal ideas every man should have in 2021.
Invest in Your Mental Health
Usually, more often than not, mental health is not associated with “health.” Our mental health affects so much of our “health,” that it’s a shame it is brushed under the rug. It’s a new year and new things can happen. Take the time to be proactive about your mental health. This could look like starting to meditate, it could look like seeing a therapist, doing something that brings you joy every day, picking up a new hobby, or just having a few quiet moments in your day to give you rest. Whatever you do, start somewhere. Taking priority over your mental health does not have to be expensive. You can start small and work your way up.
Keep a Consistency Mindset
What sets the successful people apart from the ones who are not? What is different between someone who starts a business and stops one year later, or someone who starts a business and is still working hard at it 6 years down the road? One word-consistency. Big goals start by small wins. You can only have small wins if you try and you can only try by doing something every day that gets you closer to your goal. This concept can be applied to a lot of areas of your life. You can see it in the workplace, in changing a habit, and even health and fitness. If you have a dream to lose 20 pounds this year, you are not going to wake up tomorrow, 20 pounds lighter. You are however going to wake up probably 2 to 3 months later, down 20 pounds because you chipped at it every single day. You adjusted what you ate and chose healthier options for your meals, you made sure to drink enough water, and exercise at least 30 minutes, 3 to 4 times a week. That is how success is made with anything. Consistency is key.
Don’t Give up If You Fall Off
There is not one person on this planet who has never failed at something. Or fallen off the wagon, or given up only to start over, only to give up again. It happens. The important thing is to get back up. If one of your health goals in 2021 is to eat better, and 2 days later you realize it’s 4 p.m. and all you have eaten today is 2 chocolate chip cookies, a bag of chips, some almonds, and a diet Dr. Pepper—-you can make 1 of 2 choices.
Your first choice is to say, “What the heck. I’ve eaten this much garbage today, might as well not try the rest of the day or week.” Or you can say, “I haven’t eaten as well as I intended to today, so for dinner I’m going to make myself an actual healthy meal and sit down to eat.” Don’t give up. If you mess up, get right back on. You will make more progress standing back up then you will trying to completely start over weeks down the road.
Health is Also Relationships
As humans, it is in our DNA to want connection. We are wired for it. It is not good for us to be alone. But having many relationships is not as good as having a few healthy relationships. Take a look at who you surround yourself with and who your friends are. Would you consider those relationships to build you up? Would you consider those relationships good for you in making you want to be a better person? Do they make you feel good about yourself? Yes, we aren’t wired to be alone, but we are wired to need stability and healthy interactions. Your time and presence is valuable and your peers should reflect that. Seek health in all aspects of your life, not just physical.
Invest in Cardio
Reading that title, you are probably sweating a little. Yes, doing cardio is needed even as you get older. Especially as you get older. There are numerous benefits to regularly participating in cardio. First off being the fact that you get increased blood flow to active muscles. Some of the other benefits you will also experience are increased cardiac output, increased oxygen uptake, lower rate of all cause mortality, lower rate of colon cancer, lower rates of breast cancer, lower body fat percentage, and lower incidence of type 2 diabetes. Cardio doesn’t have to be just singularly running. You can find something to participate in that is enjoyable to you. Some cardio exercises you can choose from would be swimming,elliptical, cross country skiing, dancing, rowing, jogging etc. Generally, you want to make it a goal to do cardio training at least 3 times per week at 20-60 minute time slots. If you are a beginner, start low and slow. Try 15 minute increments and work your way up.
Strength & Resistance Training
Even if you are not in your prime years (or maybe you are) strength training is always a brilliant idea. To get started with strength training, you can sign up for a gym membership and start going 1-2 times per week. As you go, you can start adding on more days and time when you get more familiar and comfortable. Write your workouts before you go and keep in mind that you shouldn’t be working out longer than an hour and a half at the most. To become familiar with good form and for some extra accountability and guidance, hire a personal trainer to guide you through workouts to show you proper form and get you in your own unique and personal resistance training schedule. It’s always helpful to have someone to keep you accountable, especially as you first start out.
Tweak Your Nutrition
When you’re young, you don’t realize how important what you put in your body really is. Your metabolism is high, you feel great, and eating pizza and fruit cakes all day every day doesn’t really affect any part of your life in a negative way—except that you want more. Until you get older, and realize these habits aren’t going to take you far in life. Diet and what we put into our bodies is so important. When we say “diet,” we’re not talking about any fad diet or going on a restrictive binge where you only consume 1,000 calories a day. I’m generally
talking about the food you choose to eat. Let the food you choose to eat be energy for your body. Think of the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time you should be eating for fuel and food that is good for your body. The other 20% you can eat your favorite foods and candy and junk that is just plain good. Health doesn’t have to be restrictive. You can eat the foods you love and still be in good health. Everything in moderation.
Scheduling Wellness Checks
You should at least be having a wellness exam and check up once a year. It can be easy to get out of the habit of scheduling these, so make it a priority. The good news is, most insurance companies provide a free well check each year. Anything done during your appointment is covered by your insurance. Part of aging well and staying healthy is being caught up on these appointments and aware of how your body is fairing. This allows you to tackle any issue head on and get the care and help you need when you need it.
Lifestyle Changes – Not Challenge
If your motivation for making change is to complete a challenge, chances are, you are not going to be successful long term. Challenges last a short time, and are not sustainable long term. If you are making change to have a permanent effect on your life and to live healthier, chances are, you will be successful. Lifestyle changes, whether they be physical or mental in nature-are more sustainable than any diet, quick fix, or challenge that you participate in for 21 days.
Take Your Vitamins
Ideally, you want to be getting your vitamins and minerals every day in the foods that you eat. This would look like eating a variety of green leafy vegetables and bright colored foods mixed with additional protein and fat. Realistically, for the general public that is not always attainable every single day. Work schedules and life get in the way and time and easiness play more of a role in what we eat. We are busy and the easiest options for food to grab are usually fast food items or quick packaged snacks. If you find you are not eating a diet full of micronutrients and macronutrients, it’s time to start supplementing with a daily men’s multivitamin. You will want to look for a vitamin that is made of whole foods and natural ingredients. These can be found at your local health food store.
Take up a Hobby
Finding something you enjoy doing is one of the best things you can do for your mood and your brain. It keeps you looking forward to what you are excited to do, but it also keeps your brain active and working. For some this might sound intimidating, so you don’t have to start big. You could pick up jiu jitsu, sign up for a class on a topic you are interested in learning about or learn how to do woodworking. Take time experimenting and finding out what gives you peace and relief.
Make Friends
Yes, making friends should be one of your health goals for 2021. As we grow older we tend to grow apart. We tend to keep to ourselves and not spend time with people as much. Make it a goal to keep making friends as you age and grow. Make plans to go to the movies or grab lunch with a buddy. Doing these things has more of a positive impact on your mental health than you think.
Manage Your Finances
Financial health is also part of overall health. Having your assets and wealth in order brings peace of mind and ease of life. Pay your bills on time, pay off debt, and make a budget each month. Build a savings account for a rainy day and another where you can build up 6-12 months of income in case you lose your job or experience some other life event that is uncertain.
Drink Your Water
Water has many functions in our body. It helps regulate body temperature, flushes out waste and aids brain function. It protects your joints and spinal cord, aids in digestion, and helps fight off illness just to name a few. The general population gets around 20% of their total water consumption from food every day. Eating foods that are water dense aids in this capacity. Gage how you feel. Are you waiting until you are thirsty to drink water? Are you paying attention to your body’s cues to tell you when to drink water? Is your urine dark yellow? These are all indicators that you need to be drinking more water every day.
Visit Genesys Men’s Health
We hope you have found our information helpful and that you implement some of the above advice. Here at Genesys Men’s Health, we specialize in difficult cases that others have given up on. We know that every man is unique and so is their treatment. If you find yourself having issues and questions about sex drive, physical stamina, energy, or emotional stability, we can help. Visit us in our office located in Sandy, Utah or give us a call at (801)-671-7456. Contact us today!