If you want to stay committed to your resolutions to become happier and healthier in 2014, it helps to stay connected, informed and inspired! Hopefully this list of 14 favorite books, blogs and channels can help you do this. Whether you’re an avid blog reader, self-help book-lover or YouTube workout junky–or all three–there’s something for everyone!
Books
1. Smart Change: Five Tools to Create New and Sustainable Habits in Yourself and Others: Art Markman is an expert in psychology, particularly surrounding human behavior. His most recent book, which just came out this month, explores the psychological mechanisms that form and maintain habits in individuals and groups–and offers actionable advice for changing yours for the better.
2. Food Rules: In this collection of simple, memorable rules, Michael Pollan reminds us that eating doesn’t have to be so complicated. In fact, he says everything he’s learned about food and health can be summed up in seven words: “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” Consider this your new healthy eating handbook for 2014.
3. Runner’s World Cookbook: 150 Ultimate Recipes for Fueling Up and Slimming Down–While Enjoying Every Bite: Runners or not, we all need to eat well in order to perform our best. This collection of 150, nutrient-packed recipes will keep both the avid athlete and average joe fully fueled and well nourished. What do we love most? The simple but insightful nutrition tips and that there’s something for everyone: the 30-minute meal-lover, gluten-free foodie, Meatless Monday flexitarian and more.
4. The Willpower Instinct: Written by Kelly McGonigal, a well-known Stanford University psychologist, The Willpower Instinct gives a fresh perspective on the science of self-control and how it can be harnessed to improve our health, happiness, and productivity. If you want to better understand human behavior, gain insight into personal challenges and learn some of the most practical strategies for greater success, check it out!
5. Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us: This #1 NYT best seller, written by a Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative reporter at The New York Times, tells the tale of the rise of the processed food industry and uncovers its link to the obesity epidemic we now face. In his book, Michael Moss reveals how companies use salt, sugar, and fat to addict us–but also gives some thought-provoking ideas for pushing back.
Blogs
6. The Happiness Project: This popular blog, written by Gretchen Rubin, explores one woman’s daily adventures in the pursuit of happiness and habits. She’s earned a reputation for being a “happiness bully,” which has likely made her one of the most thought-provoking and influential writers on happiness. Her conclusions are sometimes counter-intuitive—for example, Gretchen admitted that true simplicity is far from simple to attain–but her honest insight seems to resonate with readers of all backgrounds.
7. MarkBittman.com: We know what you’re thinking. Mark Bittman is a respectable food and health journalist–a New York Times icon, not a blogger. But if you’ve ever visited his personal website,you’ll find it reads much like a blog, with excerpts of his most recent articles spanning a wide range of food-related topics. Get lost in his delicious recipes, explore his latest thoughts on food politics, and even learn some useful cooking tips. You may even learn a bit about how going Vegan Before 6PM has enabled him to drastically improve his health— without having to rely on surgery or medication.
8. NY Times Well Blog: With an all-star staff of health and fitness writers, the NY Times Well Blog is one of our favorite sources for thought-provoking articles, keeping us up-to-date on the latest medical science involving nutrition, fitness, family and health.
9. Food52: Food52 appeals to every type of cook, from the busy parents of picky eaters to gourmet gluten-free foodie. Some of our favorite Food52 series include: My Broke Kitchen, Dinner vs. Child and Not a Sad Desk Lunch. If you need some fresh culinary inspiration, be sure to check them out.
10. Well + Good: Well + Good first began as wellness blog written by New Yorkers for New Yorkers. But while spotlighting the huge urban yoga communities in NYC and exploring green markets all around the city, Well + Good grew into much more of a wellness wireless service–and is now loved by health-obsessed readers from Soho all the way to San Francisco.
Channels
11. Fitfluential: FitFluential is a growing community of fitness fanatics with the best-of-the-best healthy lifestyle ambassadors. The Fitfluential YouTube channel is one of our favorite sources for health and wellness videos from their health-inspiring leaders. A couple recent ones we love: perfecting the plank and tips for getting over that weight loss plateau.
12. upwave: upwave is a multi-platform entertainment brand focused on everything involving health and wellness: fitness, nutrition, stress management, sleep, relationships and more. They’re producing awesome digital content, mobile apps even cable television programs. Their newest show, Cook Your Ass Off, puts a healthy twist on the beloved tv cooking competition and features recipes already saved in the MyFitnessPal food database!
13. BeFiT: For you at-home workout junkies, the BeFiT channel offers new workouts every single weekday from top fitness trainers like Jillian Michaels, Denise Austin, Scott Herman and more. With free workouts at your fingertips, there’s a lot less to get in your way from a workout!
14. Everyday Health: Everyday health is a well-rounded channel with all types of interesting, and informative health-related videos. Subscribe for tips on everything from healthier eating, to preventing colds and understanding what your blood pressure numbers mean.
What are some of your favorite books, blogs and healthy living channels to follow this year? Share them with us on Facebook or in the comments below!