Guess what? 2012 is here. Actually, it's three days away, but what's the difference? No time is better than now to create a healthy lifestyle. 

In the past couple of weeks I've been doing research on many health topics, and found a very interesting article. 12 in 2012: Doctor-Prescribed New Year's Resolutions is (not surprisingly) about 12 New Year's resolutions that should be on everyone's list. They are:

1. Monitor your blood pressure
2. Quit smoking
3. Exercise 30 minutes a day
4. Lower your cholesterol
5. Get a diabetes screening
6. Control your portions
7. Get a flu shot
8. Take the stairs whenever possible
9. Sleep at least 7 hours a night
10. Eat whole grains, not refined flour
11. For women, perform a self breast exam every month
12. Spend more time with family and friends

After reading the article several times over I couldn't help but feel stunned, and surprised by these simple resolutions. A healthy lifetsyle isn't always easy, but the resoltuions on this list are the basic health precautions people should take regularly. These resolutions were created because human beings take life for granted. 

We, as a people, take our health for granted. 

This list of New Year's resolutions are not obstacles, nor are they mind boggling. In fact, they are commonplace. For 2012 make the New Year's resolution to appreciate your life and health. If you can do this, every other New Year's resolution will fall into place.  

We've got just a few weeks left until the New Year, and I'm starting to come up with a few New Year's resolutions. Actually, I came up with one New Year's resolution. I don't plan to make a huge list or use the same common resolutions people use every year. 

So what's my resolution? It's bread and pasta. I'm trying to give up bread and pasta. Not for the crazy carbohydrate counting lifestyle or for a bodybuilding show, but because I can't eat one single peice of bread or a single bowl of pasta. I love them and want to eat four pieces of bread with extra butter, and a huge bowl of pasta with seconds. Even health & wellness professionals have weaknesses, but most won't admit it. I have no problem saying my love of bread and pasta is too much of a good thing.

I plan to eat more rice, brown rice and quinoa, which is what I eat a lot of during the bodybuilding season. Eating these reduces my taste for bread, and still gives me energy for weight training.

Now that you know my goal; what is your goal? Have you set a single goal or a full list of goals? Did you recreate the same goals from last year, or do you have new resolutions for 2012? How do you plan to follow through on these goals? 

I'd love to hear about your resolutions, and how you'll accomplish your goals. Please drop in and leave a comment.

There's 29 days until 2012, and many of us will be racing to come up with some sort of New Year's resolutions.

Why wait? 29 days is not a long time so why wait to create some changes that can jump-start 2012 in a positive manner.

I understand, it's the Christmas holiday, and you're busy.  But, choosing one resolution is less overwhelming than starting a long list of New Year's resolutions at the same time. For example, if you plan to set five New Year's resolutions into effect on the first; why not start with one now? Not all five, but one. 

Choose a resolution that is small, but attainable like eating breakfast or taking one hour out of the week for yourself. These resolutions are not huge challenges like climbing the Himalaya's, but they are ways to create stepping stones to a postive grand finale. 

Here's another way to look at it. If you begin with a small, attainable goal that has good gains; it's a great way to end 2011 and an awesome way to begin 2012.