Each New Year, millions resolve to make a change in their lives over the next 365 days. Losing weight and eating better reign as the most common New Year’s Resolutions year after year, but research suggests 80 percent of resolutions have been neglected come February. We asked Vance Ferrigno and Vanessa Phillips of The Cliffs Wellness team to share their top tips for becoming a stronger, healthier you this year, whether you’re looking to recommit to your Resolutions or are simply interested in making a few healthy changes to your lifestyle.
Think Global
Vance Ferrigno, Wellness Lead at The Cliffs Valley, is an internationally renowned conditioning coach and accomplished exercise physiologist with a deep understanding of and experience in human biomechanics.
For optimal health, Vance suggests thinking globally: “The human body is designed to move in three-dimensional patterns that take advantage of gravity and ground reaction forces. Walking, dancing and everything else we do in daily life are examples of this concept. For better mobility, agility, balance and strength that will improve the quality of your life, learn to train with full-body movements, instead of isolating muscles.”
Nourish Body and Mind
Vanessa Phillips, Wellness Lead at The Cliffs at Mountain Park, is passionate about the intersection of fitness and nutrition. “Just as you eat certain foods for a healthy heart and weight train for a stronger body, you want to make sure you’re also incorporating into your diet that promote good blood flow to the brain.”
Good-for-your-brain foods include broccoli, cabbage, dark leafy greens, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, walnuts and omega-3 fatty acid-rich food like salmon, bluefin tuna and sardines. These foods may not only help strengthen your memory, but they will positively support overall health.
Get Some Rest
“Diet and exercise are meaningless without proper rest,” added Vance. Most adults need between 7 and 10 hours of sleep each night, but Vance says your bedtime routine should begin long before your head hits the pillow.
“Set up an evening routine that turns off all visual electronics at least an hour before bedtime, as the blue light emitted from these devices are brain stimulants that are shown to interfere with sound sleep. A warm shower or bath with some soft music can set the tone and — over time —trigger your brain to recognize that it is time to sleep,” said Vance. It’s also important to set a consistent sleep schedule to gently train your body and mind into a natural rhythm to achieve deep sleep and recovery.
