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According to a survey from the American Heart Association

79% of respondents don’t prioritize their health during the holidays

In fact, they reported having greater stress during the holiday season than during the often-dreaded tax filing period. 

Those surveyed said eating healthy food, exercise and sleep were the main health priorities that fell by the wayside during the holidays, along with worries about overspending on gifts and other purchases. After a season of eating out, entertaining, missing workouts and staying up late, you may be at a loss for how to get back on track in 2025.

Instead of looking back on things we can’t change, let’s look ahead to the new year and all the possibilities and opportunities it brings. Change doesn’t have to include setting unrealistic goals and never-ending to-do lists. 

Consider these four tips that can make a dramatic impact on your overall wellness and improve your health.

Tip 1: Focus on financial planning 

Set aside some time this month to focus on your finances to help recover from a long December (or even longer period) of spending. Try to identify major objectives or goals and decide how you’ll allocate your resources to achieve them. 

These goals could include:

  • Continuing your education
  • Home improvement projects 
  • Paying off credit card debt
  • Saving for a new house
  • Starting a family
  • Retirement 

Setting a monthly budget is one way to improve your financial health. Talk to your financial advisor about creating a plan that meets your needs. 

Online resources and budgeting apps are also helpful tools. Many apps offer free versions, such as Empower, Goodbudget and EveryDollar.

Tip 2: Practice meal planning 

Instead of completely revamping your whole diet, focus on one specific area, such as eating more meals at home in 2025. A smart way to focus on your physical and financial health is meal planning.

Familiarize yourself with budget shopping for healthy meals that taste greatand reduce the risk of cancer. Shop smart for sales and plan meals weekly before going to the grocery store. This helps you avoid impulse buys and allows you to stick to the essentials. 

Browse healthy recipes online for two or three healthy dinners per week and prepare them ahead of time for the upcoming week. This gives you flexibility throughout the week for nights you don’t feel like cooking and allows you to keep things less monotonous. 

No time to spend at the stove on weeknights? Healthy crockpot cooking is a great option that allows you to do everything in advance. 

Tip 3: Prioritize sleep 

Sleep is the foundation of good overall wellness. Don’t short yourself on it or minimize its importance. 

If you’ve traditionally had trouble sleeping, get back on track and make specific, manageable goals. The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends seven to nine hours per night for adults. However, you know yourself best, so document what makes you feel good, function well and have adequate energy levels.

A good place to start is by setting a bedtime that enables you to meet that goal. For suggestions on improving sleep quality, take a look at these sleep hygiene tips.

Tip 4: Exercise

Ditch the all-or-nothing mentality for starting or resuming your fitness routine this year and commit to reasonable workout goals. Save yourself frustration and possible injury by not trying to do too much too soon and just focus on being more active. 

If you’ve largely skipped regular exercise recently, set a modest goal to exercise two to four times per week for 20 to 30 minutes each session. Use the step counter on your smart phone or watch and set a goal of beating your average by 250 to 500 steps weekly. 

Or, aim for a certain number of active minutes per week. Short workouts are effective too. Check out the scientific 7-minute workout

How Labcorp can help 

Labcorp health coaching can assist your employees with their individual wellness goals and help them create healthy, sustainable habits. This includes reducing stress and improving their mental health, as well as providing them advice, encouragement and emotional support to lead healthier lives. 

Contact us today to get a program started for your employees.

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