(HealthNewsDigest.com) – A lot of us made New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, get in shape and become healthy. Awesome first step. But how do we do it? Here are several simple ways to stay healthy and get in-shape.

Get Up and Get Moving

We’ve found that inactivity is almost as bad for you as obesity. Although you’re more likely to be obese if you’re inactive. The solution for both is to get up and get moving. And the best bit? You don’t have to join a gym to do it. Take a break from the computer and stretch. Get off the couch and go for a walk. Better yet, spend time playing with the kids, taking the dog for a walk, or playing sports instead of vegging out in front of the screen. Or if that’s too much of a push, perhaps you could put an exercise bike in front of the TV?

There are a number of benefits to getting up and about. You’re forcing blood to pump through your limbs. This reduces your risk of developing blood clots in your legs or swelling in your ankles. Have your current health insurance plan compared to other policies. You may find health insurance plans that reward you for tracking your physical activity or healthy living habits, and that might incentivise you even more.

Start a Healthy Diet

An unhealthy diet hurts us in more ways than you think. All those meals you eat out and even those meals you order in are for one, expensive. They cost a lot more than a meal you could make at home and they also come with far more calories. We tend to eat too many fried foods, too much sugar, and not enough fruits and vegetables. The solution is to start a healthy diet. There isn’t one magic food to eat every day or avoid altogether. Rather the solution is a combination of everything. Load up on fruits and vegetables instead of French fries, crisps and sweets. It’s choosing the lean cuts of meat instead of fatty meat smothered in sauce. It’s cutting out the sugary drinks in favour of healthy juices and water. It also requires a bit of portion control. For example, don’t finish off that free basket of bread.

Sleep Right

There are several ways sleep impacts on your health. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, your body will crave sugar and fat to keep energy levels up. This is where cutting your good night’s sleep short for a run could backfire if it causes you to consume more calories than you otherwise would. The solution is to guarantee at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep at night (ideally eight). Don’t drink caffeinated drinks after lunch so that your body can easily fall asleep. And you know those artificial lights shining in your face? You need to turn them off at least two hours before you go to bed, because otherwise they’re going to keep on telling your brain that you’re awake. However, you also want to be careful not to sleep too much. Don’t try to offset six hour nights all week by sleeping in on the weekend; it isn’t healthy. Your body needs enough time every night to repair itself.