New Year’s Resolutions in Omaha, NE

The New Year is here! Since the arrival of 2017, and each new year, is considered to be synonymous with a fresh start, right about now we tend to be reevaluating the past year and moving forward with the resolutions that are intended to transform our lives for the better. This of course could be any number of things, from a bevy of different health-related goals to home buying/selling/improvement endeavors to pursuing a higher level of education, professional advancement or a new hobby, and even the little things that can make a big difference, like cursing less or volunteering more.

If you have yet to make any vows for the coming year, it’s not too late to get the ball rolling, and if you already have a goal in mind, you’ll probably need concrete plan moving forward. We’ve got you covered either way, all thanks to our local experts who are experienced in coming alongside their clients to help accomplish those New Year’s resolutions they’ve set for themselves.

Without fail, when January rolls around, you can always tell that New Year’s resolutions are in full effect as every fitness facility in the area is full to capacity. It’s the place to be…for what seems like every single person in the Lincoln area. But, sadly, it doesn’t last much past the first couple months of the year for the majority of those folks. Hitting the gym is great and all, but whether your goal is to lose weight, strength train, combat a specific health condition, or to lead a healthier, more active and well-rounded lifestyle in general, it’s never going to be the only key player in the game if you want to win long-term (aka actually achieve the resolution you’ve set for yourself).

The secret to good health is balance, and no goal in this area can be achieved without it. Nutrition, exercise, sleep habits, stress levels, eliminating vices, preventative healthcare visits and screening—these all work together. Finding your ideal balance is no doubt a work in progress thanks to all of these contributing factors and more that we haven’t mentioned, but well worth putting forth the effort to do so. Routine is also critical, as are dedication and perseverance.

Let’s begin with what we put into our bodies. You might resolve to eat more fruits and vegetables, to eat organic, to eliminate fast food or restrict your intake of sugar or salt, to only consume foods with ingredients you know or with high nutrient content, or the popular one, sticking to a diet that supports weight loss goals. Whether adding or subtracting, you’ll want to ensure you’re fueling your body with what it needs to produce the results you desire. After this piece is in place, you can then focus on adding more to the mix, working gradually towards achieving optimal health and wellness. It’s indeed a marathon, not a sprint. Nutrition is the cornerstone that must first be addressed in order for everything else to come alongside and be most effective.

“No matter what your goals are related to nutrition, gradual integration will be critical to meeting them successfully,” advises Kathi Bratberg, owner of Eat Well Nutrition & Wellness, Inc.. “Start out simple, with one specific objective. Once you’ve mastered that, add another one into the mix. Six months down the line you will have made significant progress, but it won’t have been such a tough fight to get there as it generally is when a person tries to change everything all at once.

It’s easy to set forth really big goals for ourselves, and although ambition is a great quality, it can be overwhelming when you don’t hone in on a specific point of focus. Simply resolving to ‘eat healthier’ is very broad, which exacerbates the feeling of stress related to tackling your goal. Often one will find more success by breaking that down to smaller, more articulate changes that are then introduced in increments. Start with what’s attainable, and then branch out to what might pose more of a challenge. I can not only advise on areas of nutrition that you’re aiming to improve, but I also help with breaking down that overall, big goal at the finish line into a subset of ‘mini goals,’ or a process of attainable steps to take, as well as tracking progress and providing continued support and accountability.

Proper nutrition is essential for living a healthy, happy life. Everything we need to can be found naturally in our food supply, but unfortunately in the world we live in today, everything we should be avoiding is readily available too. Going back to our roots can be difficult given all of the choices in front of us, but it’s worth it. Now more than ever, we need to be smart consumers and make conscious choices that support our health and happiness.”

As the source of our food supply has become a critical factor in how healthy it is to consume, it’s important to know where to go locally to find the food that you can trust will best support your health goals.

“We take great pride in being knowledgeable about our products and nutritional requirements so that we can assist our clients with a diverse range of specific needs based on their goals,” says Sean Fuller, owner of Just Good Meat. “For the same reason, it’s also been very important to us to ensure that our products are the very best. At Just Good Meat you’ll find a great selection of meats that are all-natural, locally-sourced, hormone-free, and only administered antibiotics as needed as opposed to on a scheduled basis. We offer an organic line at a very affordable price as well.

We always enjoy assisting our customers when it comes to choosing the right items to complement their diet. Furthermore, variety of meals isn’t something that needs to be compromised either. We can certainly offer a few new ideas or our advice on how to cook or prepare a certain cut of meat that you’ve never tried before. As a prime example, we carry buffalo, which is lower in cholesterol and higher in protein than beef. We find that a lot of our customers have never tried it, but those who do seem to really enjoy it. We also have many prepared items that are very popular among our customers. I can’t stress enough how important it is to be conscious of what goes into your body, and resolving to improve in this area is a great goal to set for yourself in 2017. We’d be happy to help in any way we can, and with over 800 different products to offer, we invite you to stop in to the store or visit us online at justgoodmeatomaha.com to check out everything we have to offer.”

Doing your own research when it comes to your health and wellbeing, and supporting that with the guidance of your trusted advisors within the medical community as well as many other health-related industries, is a savvy approach that many people have adopted in modern times. There’s a lot of information out there, but you alone are still the one who is ultimately responsible for the decisions you make.

In addition to all of the lifestyle changes you might resolve to make in 2017, being proactive about your own health is a goal in and of itself. With all of the advances in screening and preventative healthcare, there’s much to look into that could make a big difference in your health, the number of years you’ll enjoy, and the quality of life during those years.

As one key example, a company right here in Omaha is busy revolutionizing the way prostate cancer screening is conducted, and men from across the nation are coming here to have it performed.

Daniel Cinotto of FirstScan explains, “The science behind optimal health care is constantly evolving in all areas, and we are proud and excited to be a part of that progress. We’ve recently introduced a new method for prostate cancer detection that harnesses cutting-edge MRI technology to deliver results at a level of accuracy never before achieved, by a wide margin no less, along with the benefits of being non-invasive and yielding less complications as a result of the procedure. If a patient does have cancer, as it stands currently he will still need to go through the biopsy in order for insurance to pay for treatment, but it’s a step in the right direction as an MRI image will tell us if the biopsy is even necessary.

We find that the minute men hear the term prostate cancer, most if not all tend to immediately panic and think about the most horrific things they might have to endure. It is really terrifying to think that you may have cancer, but there’s also a lot of misleading information out there tends to have a negative effect on how men perceive the situation they are in and what they can do about it. The experts on our team felt that the current standard by which prostate cancer detection is performed left a lot to be desired, and we took it upon ourselves to find what we believe is a better way to go about it. We want to be an advocate for men; we want them to know their options and to dispel the myths that are out there.

If you’re a guy over 50 who’s resolving to take the reins and be in control of your health care, this should be on your list. For those who are younger, keep this in the back of your mind and make it a part of the discussion with your primary care provider if nothing else. You have the right to say what you are going to do with your body. The procedure is simple, comfortable, with no needles or probes in the rectum, fast, and most importantly, accurate and affordable. At a cost of $595 to the client, including the radiologist report to their doctor within 3 business days, this is less than the typical out-of-pocket co-pay for insurance-paid MRI. To make an appointment or learn more, please call us at (402) 934-1999.”

Moving on to other goals in the broader sense, as far as categories go, a big one that’s also pretty common has to do with the place we call home. New Year’s resolutions in this area might include first-time home ownership, upgrading or downsizing, or tackling home improvement projects.

One thing in particular that delivers the best of both worlds, addressing both health goals and home goals, is actually something that’s also commonly overlooked – think water.

Many of us have heard of the gallon challenge before. Or, at the very least, they are aware of the recommended daily intake of water to be at their healthiest.

“The cleaner the water you drink, the better,” advises Eric Schnakenberg, Director of Business Development for Aqua Systems of Nebraska. “Staying hydrated is critical to staying healthy, as it is what allows your body to function properly, so you want to make sure you’re drinking enough water every day. If you aren’t now, that’s a great resolution to set for the coming year. You’ll be putting a lot of H2O in your body. The quality of that water matters.

As most of us spend the majority of our time at home and work, you’ll ideally want to have access to clean drinking water at both locations. Our systems make great additions to the home or workplace. They’re easy to install, require very minimal to no maintenance, and are very affordable. In fact, many of our commercial clients, as employers who see the benefits of a healthy workforce, have added purified water as a part of their wellness programs and offerings. Workplaces with wellness offerings have become much more attractive to current and potential employees. Something as simple as a water filtration system, or even an ice dispenser, can make a much bigger impact on your organization, improving retention as well as recruiting efforts as these are the types of things that are helping to attract the best and brightest employees. Hydration is only one piece of health, so past that, focus on making the best choices possible because everything works together.

Speaking of which, our main focus here at Aqua Systems is water quality. Not just for consumption, but working water as well. If part of your resolution for your home has to do with purchasing new appliances, and more specifically ones that use water, you’ll also want to look into investing in a water softener, which will actually provide a return too. A water softener will prevent the buildup of hard water in your appliances, which shortens their life expectancy. It not only protects them, keeping them functioning optimally and ensuring longevity but also cuts down on the amount of soap or detergent used. As yet another popular new year’s resolution is financially-related, whether it’s sticking to a budget or putting more money away in savings and so on, if you’re resolving to be smarter with your spending, you’ll be nailing that one too.

All things considered, no matter the resolution, keep in mind that what gets measured gets managed. Don’t just set goals and hope for the best. Measuring your progress is an important part of the process. Stay focused and track your results so that you can really take pride in your accomplishments, and not just when you look back on everything at the end of the journey.”

You might also set your sights on self-improvement or personal growth, whether that entails furthering your education, changing career paths, taking on a new hobby or project at your job, trying out lessons or activities—there are so many possibilities!

“We love to see people take up woodworking,” says Gerry Phelan, owner of Midwest Woodworkers. “It offers the satisfaction of making something with your hands and a limitless creative outlet. Plus, you can make practical or decorative items you can use or pass on to others. Resolving to learn a new skill or reviving a long-dormant hobby is an excellent way to start the New Year!

To encourage more people to get involved, we offer classes specifically aimed at helping new woodworkers get started. Classes cover everything from cabinet making to pen turning, carving and everything in between. Our classes are small, 3-5 people at most and are very ‘hands-on.’ We start with safety and make sure everyone understands the equipment and the techniques. Most classes involve making a project you can take home with you. Not only do you go home with a project, you also develop life skills that you can use forever. We have had several individuals tell us they took our cabinet class and then built all-new cabinets for their home.”

He further advises, “When you are making resolutions, be sure to focus more than just self-denial. Instead choose self-improvement.  Choosing to take up a new hobby or learning a new skill provides personal satisfaction, expands your horizons, and provides a limitless creative outlet.

Moreover, whatever you choose to pursue, whether you are experienced or just beginning, resolve to be safe in 2017! I’ve been a woodworker for thirty years and fortunately I‘m still counting to ten on my fingers. I’ve never had a serious injury, but it’s not because I’m lucky. It’s because I have a healthy respect for my tools and I pay attention to safety.

By definition, New Year’s resolutions are a promise to do something in the future. Too often those promises are broken because we don’t take the first step before our resolve fades away. Don’t let your resolutions get away – take the first step right away. Make a commitment. Give us a call and sign up for a class. Jump into your new hobby so you can enjoy it all year.”

No matter what it is that you set out to do in the coming year, we wish you all success in your endeavors. However, if you’re working with the local experts, you won’t need to wish because you’ll be busy making it happen! Regardless, good luck and may you be at your very best in 2017!