Last weekend I celebrated my birthday. We won’t discuss how old I turned but suffice it to say it was a milestone and a reminder that taking better care of my health needs to become a bigger priority.

So, I am officially on a mission of better health.

Now is the time for more exercise, eating better, drinking more water, and taking better care of my skin.

I’m not gonna lie — I’m a little overwhelmed just typing all that. So, let’s take one at a time. First on the priority list is drinking more water.

I am, admittedly, chronically dehydrated. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t, quite frankly. Please don’t yell at me; I know this is bad. I am a coffee drinker. I generally don’t have caffeine after like 3 p.m., but I’m not drinking nearly enough water. I need to fix that. It’s not even that I’m drinking soda or anything like that; I just tend not to drink anything.

I’m not trying to set a crazy goal; at this point, I’m just aiming for more. I’m a big fan of seltzer water, so even just a couple more of those per day will help.

Next on the list is to start exercising more. Yoga is the workout of choice. Yoga is great for multiple reasons. Not only does it aid in weight loss, strength, and flexibility — all of which are key for staying healthy, but it also helps to keep you focused mentally and helps reduce stress.

Also, last year — pre-pandemic — I had signed up to do an 8-mile run in Vermont with my boys (they are doing a marathon). That was rescheduled for this May, so I should probably think about doing something to mildly prepare for that.

As for skincare, I’m relatively lucky. Thanks to good genetics, I have pretty good skin. Therefore taking better care of it should be fairly simple. Better moisturizers, sunscreen, and remember to take my makeup off at night should cover the basics. Regular masks and scrubs are just bonuses. Really it’s remembering to take my makeup off at night that is the tricky part. I’ve never been good at that.

You’ll notice I haven’t talked about the eating better thing yet.

Yeah…this one is going to be the most difficult.

I know in the past I have written about my penchant for food only a 12-year-old could love. That makes eating healthy a bit of a challenge. Also, I’m Italian, so my biggest hurdle will always be my love of carbs. But I’ve actually found a fairly good balance recently that involves staying away from carbs during the week and then giving myself more leeway and leniency on the weekends. I don’t believe in cutting any one food group out of your diet completely unless a doctor has recommended it. It tends to lead to cravings and bingeing, and you end up doing more damage than if you had just limited your portions or practiced moderation in the first place.

So there is my game plan for a healthier year. Looking good in a swimsuit is great, but I really want to do what I can to live a happier, healthier life. I want to be able to keep up with my family and be around to celebrate all the milestones with them!