Creating Lasting Wellness: Cultivating Healthy Habits with Yoga in the New Year
Setting New Year’s resolutions is a great way to identify the areas in your life you’d like to improve, but building healthy habits with yoga is even better. While resolutions can be difficult to keep since they require you to quickly change your behavior without a real plan in place, it’s often easier to build healthier habits and rituals over several weeks or months. And once you’ve officially built these new habits, they’ll become a part of your daily routine — similar to brushing your teeth or making your bed.
Below, Yoga Health & Fitness Benefits shares a few of the best habits for improved health and well-being in the new year. Keep reading for some tips on living your healthiest year to date!
Do Yoga Stay Healthy
Whether this year’s goals include improving your balance, flexibility, and muscle tone, losing weight, becoming more present, managing stress levels, or alleviating chronic pain, creating a daily yoga habit could help to boost your physical, mental, and emotional well-being overall. Some other benefits of practicing yoga on a regular basis include:
Image via Pexels
- Relief from anxiety, depression, and chronic neck, back, and arthritis pain.
- Increased blood circulation throughout the body.
- Prevention from injury and disability.
- Improved energy levels.
While the recommended frequency and duration of your yoga practice will depend on whether you’re looking to calm your mind, improve your balance and flexibility, or build muscle in the new year, many yoga practices range from several minutes to an hour and a half. However, there are many different types of yoga to meet your specific intention, and you can learn more about them — and find free online yoga classes — see below.
Practice Self-Care
Building self-care habits is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind in the new year, as self-care has been linked to improved immunity and self-esteem, increased productivity, reduced stress levels, and better health and wellness overall. And while self-care means something different to everyone, there are several ways to care for yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually — which could, in turn, help you to achieve larger goals like losing weight, reducing stress, or exercising more.
As a few examples, your self-care habits could mean going to bed 10 minutes earlier in the evening, enjoying a bubble bath on Saturdays, ordering a healthy meal on Friday nights, or meditating each morning before work.
You could also upgrade your wardrobe, write in a gratitude journal, say “no” to the things that no longer make you happy, and drink an extra glass of water each day. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables, spending time in nature, and exercising regularly are some other ways to practice self-care.
Eat Healthier Foods
In addition to creating a yoga and self-care habit, improving the way you eat can also help to improve your health and well-being in the new year. This doesn’t mean eliminating snacks or entire food groups from your diet but instead achieving a better balance of lean proteins, carbs, and fats.
Keeping a food journal, planning your meals each week, and filling your plate with more greens are all great starting points when you’re trying to develop better eating habits. You could also subscribe to a meal delivery service such as Home Chef or Sun Basket, join a local CSA, or take part in the Meatless Monday movement.
Build Better Habits for Improved Health and Well-Being
Building healthier habits is often easier than keeping resolutions, but building new habits can still be a challenge. Be sure to start small and avoid changing more than three habits at a time, as smaller changes are more likely to stick than larger ones. Once you begin to reap the rewards of these healthy habits, you might even feel motivated to make additional changes throughout the year!
Are you ready to experience the physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits of practicing yoga? Visit the sites below which are some free online yoga classes that you can participate in to learn about the different types of yoga and the amazing benefits that yoga can bring to your life.
Free Online Yoga Classes
There are several platforms that offer free online yoga classes, making it convenient to practice yoga from the comfort of your home. Here are some popular options.
YouTube
Many yoga instructors and studios upload free classes on YouTube. Channels like Yoga with Adriene and Yoga With Kassandra offer a variety of classes for all levels.
DoYogaWithMe:
This website provides a range of free yoga classes, including videos for beginners, intermediate, and advanced practitioners. It covers different styles and durations. Click here
Yoga Journal:
Yoga Journal’s website offers a collection of free yoga videos for various levels and styles. It’s a great resource for both beginners and experienced yogis. Click here
Fightmaster Yoga:
Lesley Fightmaster’s YouTube channel, Fightmaster Yoga, features a variety of free yoga classes, from beginner to advanced levels. Click here
Yoga for the Inflexible:
This YouTube channel is tailored for those who may feel inflexible. It provides accessible and beginner-friendly yoga classes. Click here
Daily Burn:
Daily Burn offers a free trial with access to a variety of fitness classes, including yoga. While it’s not entirely free after the trial, it’s an option for those looking for a broader range of workouts. Click here
Yoga by Candace:
Candace’s YouTube channel provides free yoga classes with a focus on strength, flexibility, and mindfulness. Click here
Yoga with Tim:
Tim Senesi’s YouTube channel offers a diverse range of free yoga classes, including vinyasa, power yoga, and yin yoga.
Fitness Blender:
While known for its variety of fitness workouts, Fitness Blender also offers free yoga videos for different levels. Click here
Gaia:
Gaia offers a free trial period during which you can access a library of yoga classes. It becomes a subscription service afterward, but the trial provides an opportunity to explore their offerings. Click here
NOTE: Always ensure that the instructor’s style and approach align with your preferences and level of expertise. Additionally, listen to your body and choose classes that suit your individual needs and goals.