Yes, it’s that time of year when we look ahead to how we can make our lives better. Inside Moravian asked four Moravian University experts—in fitness, nutrition, mental wellness, and spiritual well-being to name the one health habit they wish everyone would take up in 2025.
Resolution: Move more. Walk, run, bike, swim, dance….
James Scifers, associate provost and dean of the college of health
Benefit: Increased movement, even just walking, is strongly linked to improved overall health. Benefits include better mental health, reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes and other ailments, and improved brain function, including memory and problem-solving. Of course additional benefits include stronger muscles and improved bone health.
Ideally, you would fit in 30 minutes of movement five times a week. However, any increase in movement over being sedentary will provide some health benefit.
How to stick with it: Prioritizing movement is the key. Schedule a time each day to go for a walk or to the gym. You need to put it on the calendar as you would a doctor’s appointment and be certain to make that appointment. Blocking out time for movement outside of work, family, and school responsibilities is critical to success.
For those who find themselves in meeting after meeting, try to schedule one as a “walking meeting” with a colleague or colleagues who would also benefit from moving more. And conduct your meeting outside when the weather allows.
Using smart technology, like an Apple Watch, to track your steps and standing hours can help motivate you to keep moving.
Resolution: Add at least one plant-based food or meal to your diet
Susan Hurd, RDN (registered dietician nutritionist), LDN (licensed dietician nutritionist), campus dietitian
Benefit: That piece of whole-grain toast in the morning, apple at lunch, or weekly plant-based dinner changes up your eating routine and adds more color, variety, and overall nutrition intake of fiber and antioxidants. Small changes to your diet can add up to big health benefits along your wellness journey.
How to stick with it: Resolutions are best attainable if they are small and specific. Instead of resolving to “eat healthier in 2025,” think about how to include one additional fruit or vegetable in your daily routine, have a whole grain food at breakfast at least two days per week, or try a new meatless recipe once a week.
Resolution: Go outside at a time when you normally would not or when you feel like you would prefer to stay inside.
Joshua McSparin, assistant director of counseling and psychological services and certified mindfulness-based ecotherapist
Benefit: Any time spent in nature is great for mental and physical health and boosting energy levels, but choosing to leave the warm comfort of the indoors on a crisp winter day, for example, can also help bring awareness to your relationship with choice and motivation. Too often, misguided attempts to exert control in small areas of life show up in maladaptive ways. This is a chance to flip that dynamic with mindful intention.
How you perform this practice is up to you. Challenge yourself gently. Start small—a 2-minute walk around the block or even spend just 1 full minute observing how invigorating it feels to take deep breaths of cold air outside.
How to stick with it: To maintain the practice long-term, embrace “bad” weather and invest in some great wool socks. They are a gateway garment that can lead to other, high-quality outdoor gear.
Resolution: Practice gratitude
The Reverend Jennika M. Eckhaus Borger, Moravian University Chaplain
Benefit: When we practice gratitude, we remember to see and wake up to all that we already have and that we have enough. Oftentimes we have more than enough. When we practice gratitude for ourselves and who we are, we remember that we are enough. More than enough. We become present to the abundance of life. Practicing gratitude reframes our lives from a deficit mindset to an abundance mindset. This shift can heal our hearts and minds.
How to stick with it: Some people like to keep a gratitude journal and write in it every morning or evening. Some people choose to meditate with gratitude. Some people share their gratitude with a friend or sit around the dinner table and share their gratitude with their family members. Some people simply remember to notice gratitude throughout their day. Follow what works for you.