The most common New Year’s resolutions for 2020

As 2020 starts, many people around the world will be optimistically setting themselves New Year’s resolutions.

According to a YouGov poll, the most common aspirations for the coming year in the U.S. are to eat healthier, get more exercise and to save more money – all worthy goals that might be a bit tricky to put into action. Fortunately, there are myriad places that can help turn those goals into habits, right in our own backyard!

#1 Eating healthier

With the ease of prepackaged, processed and fast food these days, eating healthier can be a bit of a challenge, especially as many peoples’ lives just seem to get busier and busier.

“Eating right is the basis of good health, and your heart is one of your organs that benefits the most,” UT Healthcare Systems’ website states. “From lean proteins to daily fruits and vegetables, eating healthy is easy and should be a focus for you and your family, starting at the grocery store.”

UT Healthcare Systems professionals have put together a short list of what to eat and how to help people get more bang for their nutrition buck in the new year.

Limit trans and saturated fats -- The best way to limit saturated and trans fats is to limit the amount of solid fats such as butter, margarine and shortening. These are commonly used and included into our foods. Avoid fried foods or use substitutes wherever possible. For example use low-fat sour cream or salsa on a baked potato instead of butter and sour cream, or avoid frying meats; broil, bake or barbeque instead. Use olive oil instead of shortening and avoid deep fried foods or battered fried foods.

UT Health officials recommend checking food labels, especially those that are labeled ‘reduced fat’ because sometimes these items are substituting fat with oils that contain trans fats. ‘Partially hydrogenated’ is a typical phrase that indicates trans-fat so use this as a clue when reading those labels. Try to choose foods that contain monounsaturated fats, such as olive or canola oil.

“Polyunsaturated fats are found in nuts and seeds, which are also good choices. Both of these types of fat may help to lower your total blood cholesterol - but with moderation because these are still ‘fats.’”

Choose sources of low-fat protein -- Lean meats, skinless poultry and fish, or low-fat dairy products and egg whites are the best sources of low-fat protein. Legumes (beans, peas and lentils) are also great sources and contain less fat and no cholesterol, which makes them great alternatives to meat.

Eat more fruits and veggies and whole grains -- Fruits and vegetables are a great source for vitamins and minerals; they are lower in calories and rich in fiber. Fruits and vegetables also contain substances that help prevent cardiovascular disease.

“Eating more fruits and vegetables will fill you up more, helping you to eat less high-fat foods and snacks,” the healthcare system’s website states. “Remember to avoid drenching fruits and vegetables in butter, dressings, sugar and sauces as these add fats and calories, and try to avoid breaded and fried vegetables, canned fruits in heavy syrup and coconut.”

Whole grains are an important source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and iron. breads, pasta and cereals made from 100 percent whole grain and avoid refined white flour. “Flaxseed is another whole grain to add to your diet,” healthcare professionals said. “Ground flaxseed is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which lower your total blood cholesterol. You can easily add ground flaxseed to your foods by stirring in a teaspoon over hot cereal, applesauce or yogurt.”

Reduce salt intake and eat in moderation -- Reducing the salt in your food is an important part of a heart-healthy diet. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day, which is about 1 teaspoon.

“Salt is added to many foods that are canned, processed, frozen and prepared,” UT Healthcare System’s website states. “Snacks, chips, crackers, soups, frozen dinners all add salt to improve flavor. The best way to reduce salt intake is to eat fresh foods and make your own soups. Another way is to replace salt with salt substitutes, herbs and spices or choose reduced-salt condiments or prepared/processed foods.”

Eat in moderation -- diet also is about maintaining balance and control. Eating enough fruits and vegetables, and not overindulging in empty calories keeps your whole body healthy, not just your heart.

“It’s okay to treat yourself to your favorite ice cream or candy, just moderate that to once a week and even then, limit the amount you consume,” UT Health officials said. “Don’t let your favorite treat become an excuse to abandon your healthy-eating plan, but rather make healthy eating habits the norm.”

So how does one incorporate all that into a daily habit?

UT Healthcare System’s medical teams recommend creating daily menus and plans.

“Put your plans in action by creating daily menus,” the hospital’s website states. “Using the strategies listed above, emphasize vegetables, fruits and whole grains, choose lean protein and limit high-fat and salty foods. Planning your meals ahead helps you to shop smart when you go to the store – saving money as well. Variety also helps make mealtime and snacks more interesting.”

#2 Getting more exercise

If you don’t use it, you lose it – everyone knows regular exercise is one of the most important things a person can do to keep themselves healthy.

“Physical activity provides long-term health benefits for everyone,” the U.S. Health and Human Services website states. “By being active, you will burn calories that you store from eating throughout the day — it can be as easy as walking the dog or as rigorous as running a marathon. Providing opportunities for children to be active early on puts them on a path to better physical and mental health. It's never too late to jumpstart a healthy lifestyle.”

Locally, there are plenty of venues people can utilize to help get them up and keep them moving.

Both Cherokee County hospital systems offer fitness centers and programs therein.

Christus Trinity Mother Frances Healthcare System in Jacksonville offers “a system of medically-integrated fitness centers giving our members access to a highly trained staff with health and fitness degrees and certifications recognized nationally for excellence.”

The hospital’s fitness center features 14,000 square feet of all new equipment, personal trainers, and enrollment specials. Classes offered include boot camps, Kinetic Express, Iron Works, extreme core conditioning, body sculpting, Aqua Moves, cardio kickboxing, Zumba, Hip Hop Hustle and Step Express. Classes are designed for all levels of activity, too.

Other venues around Cherokee County include Anytime Fitness, DCS Fitness, Crossfit and Fit for Life gyms in Jacksonville – most of which are offering new year’s membership deals. In Rusk, Cudd Marshal Arts is offering a new year’s self-defense class.

“It’s great exercise, and you learn to defend yourself at the same time,” instructor Stephen Cudd said.

#3 Saving more money

Building that nest egg – for emergencies, retirement, whatever – is something many people are striving for every day, not just at the beginning of the new year.

“Savings enable consumers to withstand unexpected expenses or income disruptions, in addition to also funding large expenditures, such as the purchase of a home or college education,” the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s website states. “Research indicates that people who save have better relationships with family and neighbors and increased community involvement.”

Federal education programs that help teach people of all ages become more saving-savvy, including the FDIC’s Money Smart and Youth Banking Network programs; the America Saves campaign, coordinated by the Consumer Federation of America; and the Financial Literacy & Education Commission’s mymoney.gov website – to name a few.

Local financial professionals and bank officials can also help people do just that, through the various savings programs each offers their customers.

Financial advisors with local Edwards Jones offices can help clients set up just the savings account they need.

“We work with clients to help them achieve important long-term goals, but we also know that you have short-term savings needs and expenses to pay along the way,” the company’s website states.

Programs the investment firm offers includes the Insured Bank Deposit Program, Edward Jones Flex Funds account; and the Edward Jones Income Manager account.

“A financial advisor can work with you to incorporate a solid short-term cash strategy into your overall financial picture,” the company’s website states.

Cherokee County bank branches and credit unions including Citizens 1st Bank, Cherokee Federal Credit Union, Austin Bank, the Cherokee County Teachers Credit Union, Texas National Bank, BancorpSouth, Southside Bank, Commercial Bank of Texas, Prosperity Bank, First National Bank all offer regular and automatic interest-bearing savings accounts, as well as certificates of deposit (CDs) and money market accounts.

Contact your local branch for more information on what programs it offers.