Many people start the new year with health goals—they plan to lose weight or exercise more or take better care of their diabetes, or do a better job remembering to take their blood pressure or cholesterol meds every day. In fact, 21.4% of New Years Resolutions are to “lose weight/eat healthier” and an additional 12.3% aim towards general “life/self improvements” [1]—that means 33.7%, or a third of people making Resolutions, are likely trying to improve their health in some way.

Making small changes that add up is a lot easier than making big, overwhelming ones. If you’re one of the third of people who wants to get healthier in 2018, here are some ideas that may make it easier to get started.

Meal prep! The best of intentions can go awry when life gets busy. Try to meal prep on a Saturday or Sunday evening—or whenever is convenient—to have healthy meals ready to heat and eat for the week! You can also pre-pack lunches for the week for work or school, and pre-bag healthy snacks to grab and go.

Work in small workouts. While parking farther away from the shopping centre or getting off a bus stop early might not feel like a workout, it can be a good way to get some extra exercise in. While 10,000 steps a day is an arbitrary goal (ie. not founded by research), try to add on a few hundred steps a month to your monthly average if you’re tracking using a wearable or your smartphone.

Take care of your mind. Self-care is important! Whether it’s a walk after dinner, an evening bath, or some time to write in a journal or play a musical instrument, take time to unwind and make yourself happy every day. These things can all help you process what’s been going on in your world and make sense of it all!

Make a medical ID bracelet or necklace a part of your 2018. If you have an allergy, chronic illness, or certain disabilities, it can be very important to wear medical ID to stay healthy. Especially if you plan to get more active, medical ID jewelry can help keep you safe when you’re out and about!

Enlist a buddy. Peer pressure works—and it’s better when it’s positive! Make friendly bets with friends and keep each other on track towards your goals—if you need to up the ante, the person who missteps first could, for instance, buy the “winner” coffee or dinner—and give the two of you to make tome to see each other!

Are you part of the third of people making healthier changes in 2018? Tell us your goals in the comments, or tweet us @MyIdentityDoc!