With a new year beginning, many of us are beginning to reflect on the past few years. One of the most popular New Years Resolution is to be healthier. For some, that means making a commitment to start going to a gym, for others, that may mean cutting out a Pepsi a day. Change is hard, and old habits are hard to change. With that being said, here are 8 easy ways to live a healthier lifestyle starting in 2017:

1. Eat Breakfast

Many people skip breakfast because they either didn't schedule enough time in their morning for it, or because they are "not hungry" when they first wake up, so they don't want to consume the extra calories until they are hungry. By consuming food in the morning, your body's metabolism is able to keep up with calorie intake much more effectively. Not only will skipping breakfast hurt your metabolism, but in the long run it will make it harder to shed those unwanted pounds. Breakfast has also been proven to improve your concentration and energy throughout the day.

2. Take the Longer Route

Try to make an effort to park in the far parking space, instead of the one right next to the door. These extra steps will add up, while maybe even giving someone who needed it a shorter route. This can also be taken a step further by choosing to take the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator.

3. Skip the Sweets

It is hard to say no to a home-made dessert when it is offered to you, so start by limiting yourself daily. Only allow yourself to eat one sweet a day. Not only might this start saving you some cash when you don't have to buy that Snickers out of the vending machine, but will also make you feel healthier without having to work too hard. Your brain loves tons of sugar, but your body likes to keep it limited.

4. Watching TV? Spend 5-10 minutes of that time being active while enjoying your show!

Pinterest is full of short workouts you can do from the couch. It takes a short amount of time, but can really be effective. Here is a link to "Sofa Abs" that had me feeling the burn after a while ;)

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/489062840769128205/

5. Choose a Healthy Snack

Somewhere at about 3 p.m. many of us start to get the munchies. Swap the chips and pop for a healthier alternative such as an apple with peanut butter or a nut mix.

6. Put down the technology

We spend hours doing pointless streaming on Social Media. Cut off some of that time online and trade it in for an extra hour of sleep.

7. Drink Water, and Lots of It

Carry around a water bottle with you throughout your day. You will drink a lot more H2O if you already have it on hand.

8. NO snack after dinner!

If you are eating right before bed you are not giving your body a chance to burn those carbs off. Eat a big healthy dinner and then stay away from the kitchen afterwards!

There are several ways to be healthier starting in 2017, however these 8 things are what I find to be among the easiest. Start by following a few steps, and then add in more. Before you know it you will be doing all 8 things on this list plus some!