Most people start thinking about resolutions for a healthier lifestyle at the beginning of a new year. Talking to your primary care physician about adopting new habits can give your goals a boost, reminding you that a healthy lifestyle really is possible.

Dr. James H. Mitchell, DO, family medicine provider at Intermountain Health Sunset Clinic, emphasizes the benefits of small, sustainable lifestyle changes, particularly for those at risk of diabetes and heart disease. "Insulin resistance is the precursor to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and has been shown to be a significant risk factor for heart disease," he said. "Thirty minutes a day of cardiovascular exercise combined with modest carbohydrate intake can reduce your chances of developing insulin resistance and improve your overall health."

Lucy Sorenson, registered dietitian for Intermountain Health, said that a healthy lifestyle can be as basic as drilling down to determine an individual’s specific health goals.

“People say, ‘I know what to do. I just don’t do it,’” Sorenson said. “But figuring out what the ‘it’ is, that’s an imperative step. They might say, ‘I want to lose fifty pounds,’ but that’s not what is motivating them. It may actually be, ‘I want to go walking with friends and not feel out of breath’ or ‘I want to get off my cholesterol medication.’”

Knowing the motivation and the desired result helps Sorenson when counseling with clients, and it helps clients more accurately measure their success and stay on track.

When it comes to making healthy lifestyle changes, Sorenson said the number one barrier people talk about is time. “They say they don’t have time to cook or exercise, so we identify how they can fit those things into their life,” Sorenson said. “People think they need to fit in one hour of exercise all at once, but you can break it up into a few ten-minute walks each day.”

Dr. Colson J. Healy, DO, a family medicine provider also at the Sunset Clinic, echoes the importance of physical activity as a powerful health investment. "Research has shown that a sedentary lifestyle negatively impacts your lifespan and healthspan more than smoking cigarettes," he said. "Establishing and maintaining a consistent exercise schedule is one of the most powerful things you can do for your health."

Another barrier many people mention is the fact that they don’t really crave healthy food or that it is difficult to make healthy options more appealing. Cindy Garcia, Chef de Cuisine at Intermountain Health, has several solutions. “Find a way to fit healthier snacks into your day, like more fruits and vegetables,” Garcia said.

Garcia and her family enjoy snacking on fresh fruit during movie night, but she dresses it up with a bit of a twist. “If you add some spicy chili powder or hot sauce to your fresh fruit, it gives that spice the kids crave,” Garcia said. “It is also a way to entice them to eat more fruit.” Garcia also suggests pairing certain flavors to keep foods interesting, such as adding basil to watermelon or strawberries.

Regardless of the combinations you try, one of the key components to a long-term healthy lifestyle is developing a healthy relationship with food. “Food is not a positive or a negative,” said Sorenson. “Food is there to provide the body with fuel and energy, not something to be obsessed about.”

Getting to a healthy mental place with food can be a difficult journey for some, but Sorenson said there are numerous resources available, including one-on-one dietetics counseling, group classes, and more. For more information on healthy living, visit intermountainhealthcare.org.