Every person needs a little push every now and then. New Year Resolutions offer excellent opportunities for self-improvement. And what person doesn’t want to function at his best? Here’s a list of 10 Things You Can Live Without for a healthier, more fulfilling 2010.
10. Reality TV.Dude. It’s killing your brain. Just admit it. Cut out as much reality TV as you can in 2010 and you’ll be happier for it in the end. Need something to do? Read a book. Remember those?
9. Self pity.No explanation needed.
8. Celebrity Gossip.How many hours did you spend last year surfing empty, socially irresponsible gossip sites? Think about what Celebrity Gossip contributed to your life 2009 and you’ll quickly realize how much of a sucker you’ve been for drinking the Kool-Aid. Kate Gosselin mania? Is that the best you can do? You’re such a smart, gorgeous man — resolve to fill your brain with information worthy of you in 2010.
7. Facebook.Resolve to spend more time living in the real world, instead of settling for a virtual life of poking, liking, and uncreative commenting. Cutting down on “social networking” means your productivity will increase at work, which means your boss will like you more, which means you’ll be happier and healthier when end of year bonus time comes around. Wasting time online doesn’t really make for a good CV bullet point, you know?
6. Sugars and High Fructose Corn Syrup.Read the label of any processed product you purchase regularly, and cut out anything containing HFCS including Heinz Ketchup, Cool Whip, PowerBars, and Nutri-Grain Granola Bars. Here’s a longer list that will shock you. The jury is still out on whether HFCS is more dangerous than Sugar, but we don’t care. Here’s some advice: consume less of both and you’ll definitely lose weight. Done and done.
5. Factory Farmed Meat.Here’s some advice, read Michael Pollan’s “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and his follow-up “Food Rules.” The overarching theme is simple: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Easy right? Well it turns out that eating locally grown/farmed foods is not only good for you, it is also more humane to the animals and overall better for the environment. Trust us, you don’t need the growth hormones, food coloring, and moral questioning in that farm-fished salmon or $1 cheeseburger. Spend more money on your food now, and save money on doctor visits later.
4. Drunk Dialing/Texting.And you know who you are. Lucky for you there’s an app for that. iPhone offers two services “The Bad Decision Blocker” and “Don’t Dial” that will ban “trouble” contacts before a night of going out. You won’t be able to call the numbers during the time they are blocked, even if you delete the applications. That’s how secure they are. If you don’t’ own an iPhone, just delete that trick’s number. He’ll never now.
3. Bourgeois Coffee Drinks.Spending $4+ on fancy coffee drinks, multiple times a day is not only financially irresponsible, it’s borderline unhealthy. Guess what? Your body doesn’t need to be pumped full of over-priced, socially irresponsible caffeine every 4 hours. Try making your own fair-trade coffee at home or at work and then switch to Green or White tea in the afternoon. Your sleep will improve and your anxiety will decrease. A win-win
2. Bar Hook-Ups. Ask yourself this question. How many times did that guy you picked up at Mr. Black on Saturday night stick around long enough to form a healthy, long-term, fulfilling sexual romantic relationship with you? Exactly. Time to change your dating strategy or else you’ll end up being that lonely old man-child at the bar sipping cheap whisky, complaining about how unfair life is.
1. Smoking.You gotta give it up man. And we count ourselves in on this list. There’s nothing good about smoking. Stop rationalizing your self-destruction and fetishizing the 60’s and quit for good. You teeth will be whiter. Your skin will be firmer. Your lungs will breathe easier. And your sex drive will improve. The benefits of quitting always outweigh the perils of the puff.
