New Year's resolutions are hard to follow through on. Life is hectic, and making a change can be a daunting task. However, if you set the right goals, you'll find it's easier to meet your aims than you thought. Here are some health-related resolutions you should make this year that you'll be able to follow:

Stop the fad diets

Nobody likes dieting, so don't make it one of your New Year's resolutions. Trying to restrict yourself to certain types of food is difficult and doesn't usually give you the results you want. In fact, according to a 2015 study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal, low-fat diets are not any more effective at achieving long-term weight loss than other types of dietary interventions. If you want to lose weight, then the key is simply modifying your lifestyle. For example, make an effort to moderate your eating and make more healthy choices when deciding what to eat. You'll be surprised by how much a simple change like this can improve your health.

Exercise more

When you decide to exercise more as your New Year's resolution, be specific. Choose a type of workout you'll do and for how long. For instance you might say "I'm going to do 30 minutes of cardio Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week." Setting this type of resolution will not only give you a regular goal to work toward, but it allows you to measure your success. As you choose how you'll exercise, make sure you pick something you actually like doing. It won't feel like as much of an obligation and you'll enjoy it more. It also doesn't need to be difficult - walking 30 minutes a day is a low-impact and easy way to get plenty of exercise.

 

Eat healthier

Healthier eating usually starts at the grocery store. If you want to cook more balanced meals, then start making a shopping plan. This means creating a list and sticking to it. Think ahead a little bit by coming up with meals you'd like to make for the week. In addition, make sure you get the groceries after you've eaten so you're not as tempted to splurge on unhealthy snacks and desserts.

Get checkups

An easy way to make your new year healthier is to get a checkup. If it's been a while since your last doctor's appointment, schedule one within the next month. It's smart to regularly check up on your health to make sure everything is functioning properly. In addition, you should review what your medical health insurance covers in case anything comes up during your appointment.

Set a regular sleep schedule

Sleep is vital to a healthy body and mind. According to the Mayo Clinic, it's recommended that adults get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. If you fell into the bad habit of irregular sleep cycles this last year, rectify the problem by making a resolution to set a regular sleep schedule. If you want to start going to bed earlier, gradually adjust yourself to your new bedtime by going to bed an hour earlier each night until you hit your goal. Your body will thank you for the rest, and you'll feel more alert during the day.