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"The New Year is associated with numerals: date changes, midnight countdowns, and, with health resolutions, numbers on the scale. Starting the year with a healthy mindset is great, but there are other ways, besides obsessing over the numbers on a scale, to boost your wellbeing. Emily Cook Harris, Certified Personal Trainer and Health Fitness Specialist and owner of Empowered by Em, is a New York City-based trainer who encourages her clients to look beyond the scale for long-term success. &amp;quot;If we want to change our health, we must focus on the daily actions and not the outcome,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;The number on the scale doesn&amp;#039;t reflect how strong you are!&amp;quot; Here are her recommendations for being happy and healthy in 2014 without focusing on body weight. Make Smart Daily Choices It&amp;#039;s the small things that matter. Keep a journal and record your victories\u2014whether you went to gym three times a week instead of one, or if you ate a nutritious, yummy meal. This helps establish lasting goals. Set Fitness Goals Focus on physical milestones to prove what your body can do. Walk or run a race, whether it&amp;#039;s a 5K or a half marathon, or aim to set a new personal record for a number of pushups or squats.  Get More Sleep Harris suggests a minimum of seven hours a night. The more rested we are, the less hungry, tired, and unfocused we become. Practice stretching before you go to bed, and take the time to wind down: Dim the lights and unplug electronics to help your body prepare for sleep.  Eat (and drink) Better To boost the nutrition factor of your meals, add one additional serving of fruits or vegetables to your lunch daily. And ditch sugary beverages, which contribute to weight gain; replace those drinks with water. Practice Positive Thinking There is so much about you that is beautiful and wonderful! Instead of focusing on something you may be dissatisfied with, take a moment each morning to embrace what you love about yourself, whether it&amp;#039;s your smile or the fact you can keep up with your active toddler. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/a48181/new-years-resolutions-health-goals-that-dont-involve-the-number-on-the-scale/>