You’re a savvy, health-conscious person. As the new year gets under way, give yourself credit. You already know how to eat nutritiously and get the exercise and sleep you need. The real question is: do you take the time to plan so you can successfully meet these three basic needs?

Planning is paramount. You aren’t going to eat all the fruits, vegetables and whole grains you need without stocking your house and workplace so that healthy snacks and meals are always in easy reach. Getting enough exercise means planning all the ways you can get more movement into your daily routine: taking the stairs more often, taking a 20 minute walk at lunch, taking the class at the gym that you always wanted to take but never fit in your schedule.

Sleeping enough may seem like the simplest of these three areas to improve but may be the one basic need we abuse the most. Can you say you wake up rested most days? Studies show that regularly cheating yourself of two hours of sleep per night can impair your memory, attention span and immune system. Protect and promote your sleep and let your family know this is a high priority for you. Make your plans for the next day early in the evening, get off your computer at least an hour before you go to bed, and create a calming bedtime routine to send yourself quickly off to dreamland.

Think of what you can accomplish in 2010 if you put into practice the habits you already know will go a long way to helping you get the most out of each day. I’d love to hear what you’re doing each day to make it a healthy one!