Whether you’re just about to embark on your fitness journey or are consistently pursuing new personal bests, there’s immense joy to be found in the gifts of movement and good health. Experts are always finding more evidence that factors like eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight can improve your lifestyle and lifespan.

But what should your diet include? What are the best exercises? And what other changes can you make to maximize your health and happiness? Here’s a closer look at the habits, exercises, and foods that will help you start the year healthy.

Habits

It can be tempting to only stick to what you’ve always done, but it’s especially rewarding when you challenge yourself to try something out of the ordinary. You can open up new neural pathways by using your brain in different ways. 

• Study a new language: Maybe you want to help a new neighbor from overseas feel more welcome, are looking to travel abroad (see below), or are interested in reading your favorite author in their original tongue. Learning a new language can be a great way to challenge yourself and develop a valuable new skill.
• Pick up a musical instrument: Have you always admired people who can pluck out a tune on the guitar, or play their favorite song on the piano? Don’t be intimidated by the learning curve—everyone starts at the same place when learning a new skill.
• Visit somewhere you’ve never been: Each region of the world contains its own unique adventure that you simply can’t recreate through travel documentaries. Look for the best deals and venture into a locale that will help you appreciate the diversity of human experience.
• Be a social butterfly: Keeping an active social calendar with friends and family supports memory and cognition. Don’t be shy—learning about the lives of others and sharing in their triumphs and tribulations grants perspective and boosts compassion.
• Adopt a pet: People with dogs exercise more, improve their blood pressure, and are less prone to heart disease. But any pet is a great way to enrich your life. Plus, the inevitable adorable photoshoots are sure to be a hit at the office.

Exercise

Maybe you’re looking to finally run a marathon, or are just curious about the benefits of seated workouts. Exercise is fundamental to our happiness, no matter your eventual goal—and it doesn’t require living in the gym.

• Build strength: Build or maintain muscle tone with simple bodyweight, dumbbell, and elastic (resistance) exercises. 
• Stay mobile: Get cardiovascular exercise by walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming—or even dancing and gardening—to keep blood flowing to your brain and promote new cell growth.
• Find balance: Activities such as Pilates, martial arts, and yoga are fantastic ways to stay active while minimizing wear and tear on the joints.

Foods

What are the best foods to stay healthy? It’s going to vary from individual to individual, but there are some best practices that will apply to everyone. If you’re experiencing any health issues, it’s always a good idea to consult with a medical professional before significantly transforming your diet.

• Prioritize protein: This nutrient is essential to preserve and repair your muscles, whether it’s adding protein powder to your morning smoothie, leveling up a salad by adding some turkey bacon, or snacking on some nuts throughout the day, protein gives you the energy to tackle whatever comes your way.
• Bring on the B12: This vitamin—found in fish, meat, eggs, and dairy products—plays a critical role in the production of red blood cells, DNA synthesis, and proper nerve function. It helps maintain the health of the nervous system, supports energy metabolism, and more.
• Eat when you’re hungry: Your body deserves your trust, and the best morning routine idea is greeting the day by consuming a hearty breakfast. After that, just eat when you feel the urge, and focus on colorful, nutrient-dense vegetables, along with lower-fat proteins like turkey bacon.

Small Changes Can Produce Big Results

It can be daunting trying to sift through the different advice and self-care habits constantly being offered to us. While it will take some experimentation to discover the best foods to stay healthy and the wellness routines that are right for you, it’s well worth it—and it doesn’t have to radically alter your current approach.

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be labor intensive—here are a few healthy meals to help you on your fitness journey which only take a half hour to prepare.