What Are Your Health Goals? 5 Tips From the Experts

Setting health goals can feel overwhelming, especially with so much advice out there. But sometimes, the most meaningful changes come from small, sustainable habits — like drinking more water, moving your body in ways that feel good, or adding a few extra vegetables to your plate. Whether you’re focused on sleeping better, having more energy, or simply feeling more balanced throughout the day, building daily routines around your wellness priorities can make all the difference.

To help you get started, we turned to health coaches, nutritionists, and wellness experts featured on the Thrive Market blog. Their tips are rooted in real-life experience, and offer approachable strategies for everything from gut health to mental clarity. No quick fixes; just thoughtful, empowering guidance to help you feel your best, one step at a time.

Health Goal #1: Better Sleep

If your goal is to wake up feeling rested, nutrition may play a bigger role than you think. Certain eating patterns may help support better sleep by reducing inflammation and providing key nutrients that regulate your body’s natural rhythms.

“A mostly whole food, anti-inflammatory diet best optimizes sleep,” says registered dietitian and nutritionist Cynthia Sass. “The Mediterranean diet in particular has been shown to support healthy sleep, which makes sense as this eating pattern is rich in veggies, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish and limits red meat, dairy foods, and added sugars. Any eating style with a similar makeup would likely provide comparable benefits.”

In addition to what you eat, how and when you eat may also influence your sleep. Experts recommend finishing meals at least a few hours before bedtime, avoiding caffeine after noon, and sticking to a calming evening routine.

Try This: Incorporate more fiber-rich vegetables, legumes, and healthy fats into your dinners, and limit added sugars or heavy meals close to bedtime.

Health Goal #2: Improved Hydration

Staying well hydrated may support nearly every system in the body, but it plays a particularly important role in digestive health. From regulating bowel movements to supporting nutrient absorption, adequate fluid intake helps your digestive system function smoothly.

“In digestion, adequate hydration helps to normalize gut motility and gastric emptying. It also acts as a lubricant and comprises the bulk of mucus, which lines much of the digestive tract,” says Parsley Health nutritionist Erica Zellner. “Being well hydrated helps normalize stool transit time and emptying of the stomach. Increasing fluid intake can often help solve many digestive complaints, especially constipation.”

Beyond digestion, proper hydration supports energy, mood, and cognitive performance. Try keeping a reusable water bottle nearby as a visual reminder to sip throughout the day, and consider adding a pinch of sea salt or an electrolyte mix to your water to support absorption.

Try This: Aim to drink consistently throughout the day rather than all at once, and add hydrating foods like cucumbers, berries, and leafy greens to your meals.

Health Goal #3: More Movement

Movement isn’t just about burning calories — it’s about feeling good in your body, staying mobile, and finding joy in physical activity. Whether it’s a walk around the block or a full-body workout, regular movement supports cardiovascular health, mental clarity, and longevity.

“I ask myself, How do I want to stay active, stay mobile, enjoy life, and have fun? And so I pick some activities that for me are fun, but are still demanding,” says Mark Sisson, Primal Kitchen founder and former distance runner. “I love standup paddle boarding. I pick a pace. I’m in a zone. It’s meditative for me. It’s interesting. It’s so different from running because running, I was always out of breath, pushing the envelope. That’s one of my fun pursuits.”

Choosing an activity that you truly enjoy can help build consistency and create a more positive relationship with exercise. Whether it’s paddle boarding, dancing, hiking, or yoga, the key is to move in a way that supports your body and your mindset.

Try This: Explore new ways to move that feel energizing, not exhausting. Focus on activities that combine movement with fun, mindfulness, or time outdoors.

Health Goal #4: Limiting Sugar

While an occasional treat can absolutely have a place in a balanced lifestyle, consistently high sugar intake can lead to energy crashes, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating. One of the most effective ways to support more stable energy and mood throughout the day is to reduce added sugars and balance meals with healthy fats and fiber.

“In life, we would love to find balance, but it’s really hard with all the stress and other things going on,” says holistic health practitioner Lily Harris. “[To] balance your blood sugar, try to reduce the amount of fruit [and sugary foods] and round things out with vegetables and healthy fats. Some of my favorite healthy fats are unsweetened cashew butter, organic coconut butter, and organic almond butter.”

Focusing on whole foods and adding more healthy fats can help reduce sugar cravings and promote more consistent energy throughout the day.

Try This: Start your day with a savory breakfast rich in protein and healthy fats, and keep balanced snacks (like nut butter with sliced veggies) on hand to help avoid mid-afternoon sugar crashes.

Health Goal #5: Making Mental Health a Priority

Just like nutrition and movement, mental health deserves space in your wellness routine. One powerful way to support your emotional well-being is by setting and maintaining healthy boundaries — especially when life feels overwhelming.

“I hear a lot of misconceptions that boundaries are about telling other people what to do or controlling other people, or that they’re somehow mean or selfish, and that couldn’t be farther from the truth,” says author and Whole30 co-founder Melissa Urban. “I just define boundaries as limits that you set around how you allow other people to engage with you. So it’s not about telling other people what to do, it’s about telling other people what you will do in order to keep yourself safe and healthy.”

Creating boundaries can help protect your time, energy, and emotional space, all of which are essential for reducing stress and cultivating resilience.

Try This: Practice saying no to commitments that drain you, and check in with yourself regularly to assess how your relationships and routines are affecting your well-being.