Living healthier doesn’t always mean losing weight. Maintaining a healthy weight is extremely important for overall health, it certainly isn’t the end all be all of living healthy. There are many other actions we can take in order to improve our mental, physical and total body health. Here are my top 5 non-diet New Year’s resolution ideas for healthier living.

Drink More Tea

Tea has many well-documented health benefits and is one way you can become healthier this New Year. And after consuming two months’ worth of drink and a month’s worth of food within one week, now is a great time to start. Plus, the weather is ripe for it! Additionally, certain teas like green tea is believed to aid weight loss and the antioxidants can protect your heart and blood vessels and help improve your skin. Go to a specialty tea store to get motivated. They will be able to provide you all sorts of teas that you find appealing. The can also supply you with the perfect tea vessels.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is critical to our health as it affects every aspect from our immune systems to our risk for developing diabetes. Most adults require 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night to feel well rested. Of course, others require more sleep, while some can get by on less. People with short sleep duration tend to weigh significantly more than those who get adequate sleep. And in fact, short sleep duration is one of the strongest risk factors for obesity. Research has shown that those who clock six hours or less of sleep a night are twice as likely to develop diabetes in their lifetime as those who sleep seven hours. So if you're not getting enough rest -- even if you're slim and fit -- you're putting your health in serious jeopardy. Make every effort to go to bed early and get a full night’s rest.

Get Active!

Studies show that people who are able to lose weight and keep it off include physical activity in their daily routine. Getting regular exercise also can help prevent excess weight gain in the first place. And besides weight management, exercise has a slew of other health benefits that shouldn’t be ignored. Regular exercise helps to improve overall mood, control chronic health conditions like diabetes, boost energy and promotes better sleep.

Manage Stress

While the immediate response to acute stress can be a temporary loss of appetite and increased metabolism, more and more we are coming to recognize that for some people, chronic stress can be tied to an increase in appetite and stress-induced weight gain. Both hormones and behavioral responses to stress can cause unwanted weight gain. On the bright side, research has shown that exercise is by far the best way to reduce cortisol levels that have risen in response to stress. Additionally, exercise helps to burn extra calories, thus promoting weight management. If you know you are a stress eater, keep your kitchen stocked with healthy snacks and consider researching healthier versions of your favorite comfort foods, like macaroni and cheese, chili, sloppy Joes and chocolate desserts.

Get Regular Check-ups

Regular health exams and tests can help find problems before they start. They also can help find problems early, when your chances for treatment and cure are better. By getting the right health services, screenings and treatments, you are taking steps that help your chances for living a longer, healthier life. There are many diseases and conditions that may not cause any symptoms immediately and that only regular exams and blood tests can see.

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