More than half the American people have resolved to start watching their calorie intake before the warmer months arrive. Some have resolved to be more organized and toss their junk. Some have determined to learn something new in the coming year. You would think that the last thing to help promote a healthy and streamlined new you is to watch Netflix, but I would challenge that idea. There are actually a ton of options on Netflix that will inspire you to eat better, move your butt, make your home (or dorm) more habitable and educate you on topics you know very little about.

So now that everyone has eaten too much in the last few weeks and is hoping to drop some pounds, check out some streaming exercise routines. Some of them are with subscriptions (they aren’t expensive), but there are some free options, too. There are workouts for every age and level, even for kids, and Netflix has everything from yoga to kickboxing. There are also many shows and movies that will inspire physical change. The Biggest Loser is great. Watching these people work to become half their size and face the emotional challenges that got them to that point in the first place is awe-inspiring. For more of a wake-up call, Super-Size Me is a controversial documentary that follows the filmmaker as he eats nothing but fast food for a month and the toll it takes on his body. On the flip side, Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead is a documentary that follows someone who takes on strict diet in order to lose some much-needed weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

One of the best things about Netflix is HGTV programs. If you want to change the look of your home or just want a better way to organize everything you collected last year, there are tons of shows to provide some inspiration. Shows like Rehab Addict or Flip or Flop show you how something can be made out of nothing. I mean really, if these people can take these busted up places and make them beautiful again, you can certainly organize your shoe pile. Small Space, Big Style is a newer addition to Netflix that will help you take a small room and make it efficient and pretty.

To learn something new, the possibilities are endless. Cooking shows like Chopped, Good Eats and The Pioneer Woman will undoubtedly give you some ideas to turn your boring dinner into something drool-worthy. There is a show called Signing Time, which is targeted to kids, but if you want to learn sign language, it would be a good start for anyone. Want to learn a little Spanish or French? Throw up some subtitles in those languages when watching your favorite movie. Money for Nothing is a documentary about investing in the stock market and Freakonomics is perfect for anyone who is thinking about buying a house.

If you aren’t concerned about the pounds, don’t care to educate yourself, have no interest in cleaning and just want to watch some movies that have to do with New Year’s, there is something for you, too. When Harry Met Sally, Ghostbusters II and Bridget Jones Diary all happen around the holiday. There is even a mushy movie aptly titled New Year’s Eve with Ashton Kutcher and Lea Michelle.

Happy New Year!

By Jennifer Russo