With every new year comes the ambitions to better yourself. But regardless of the good intentions, gym memberships tend to quickly go unused, diets end up ignored and other goals get postponed to the next new year.
However, there are ways to avoid setting yourself — and your New Year’s resolutions — up for failure. In Atlanta, there are many unique and fun places to help you stay on track. Here are some places to assist with four of the most common resolutions.
Eat healthier
The adage about abs being made in the kitchen holds true, so for those looking to lose weight and keep it off, what you eat is essential. There are many restaurants and services around Atlanta can help aid your culinary quest.
Many Atlanta fast-casual restaurants mix convenience, affordable prices and healthy ingredients, which should satisfy most people’s taste buds. Fresh to Order has eight metro Atlanta locations and offers plenty of sandwich, salads and wraps to keep lunch interesting. Poke, a Hawaiian dish featuring raw fish, has also become trendy recently, and Poke City has locations in Atlanta, Dunwoody and Johns Creek.
For those who prefer eating at home, Atlanta Meal Prep offers various options, such as paleo, gluten-free, high-protein and vegetarian. Order the number of meals you want, and they’ll be delivered in a microwavable container with heating instructions. Prices start at $105 for five lunches and dinners with free delivery inside the perimeter and $20 delivery outside the perimeter.
Exercise more
It’s not hard to sign up for a gym membership — many gyms offer monthly prices under $10. What is hard is going to the gym consistently.
The easiest form of motivation is to pay someone to do that for you. The Exercise Coach in Sandy Springs provides one-on-one personal training sessions that are customized to help your goals and can be built for all fitness levels.
If yoga is more of your thing, Atlanta SUP Yoga in Roswell provides a variety of classes, including paddleboard yoga for outdoor types. For those in the Perimeter, FORM {yoga} in Decatur themes its classes after popular songs, such as “Hips Don’t Lie,” and it’s not hard to guess what the class entails.
Save more money
Everyone wants to keep more of their hard-earned cash.
Eating out consistently is a quick way to see how quickly a bunch of small transactions add up to a hefty bill. The solution isn’t to always avoid eating out; it’s to plan ahead. If tacos are your thing, several places offer cheap taco Tuesdays. Prickly Pear Taqueria, Uncle Julio’s Mexican and Takorea all offer $2 tacos with locations spanning from Midtown to Dunwoody.
If you enjoy fresh produce, a cheap and local way to shop is to visit one of the many outdoor farmers markets. Freedom Farmers Market on John Lewis Freedom Parkway is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Your DeKalb Farmers Market in Decatur is also open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Read more
With all the distractions in our homes, finding time to curl up with a good book can be hard. Across Atlanta, there are many places that can provide a tranquil environment perfect for reading.
There's no shortage of public libraries, considering Georgia has 61 public library systems across the state. To find the nearest one to you, visit georgialibraries.org.
There’s also no shortage of cozy coffee shops. Located walking distance from Candler Park, Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party offers free Wi-Fi, a homey atmosphere and plenty of hot beverage options. If you’re looking for a place to help find your next book, Atlanta’s independent A Cappella Books is a great place to start. Since 1989, it’s been located near Inman Park and Little Five Points.
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