It’s almost that time! As fast as the silly season comes around, it leaves just as quick. Often at the end of it all, we find ourselves knee deep in empty wine bottles and chocolate wrappers, wondering how we managed to put on 2 kilos in one week?!
Don’t despair though, because New Years is just around the corner and with January One comes a whole new year (and new you).
Your resolutions don’t have to be as drastic as you think though. In fact, the less dramatic the better. When setting goals and intentions for next year, make sure you think about sustainability over time and be specific. There is no point in proclaiming “I want to lose weight”, without specifying how, how much, by when, otherwise you’re setting yourself up for failure and disappointment.
Set yourself up for success with our five resolution recommendations and make 2019 your healthiest year yet…
1.Eat more (WHOLE, real foods)
Resolve to fit in more probiotic foods, like miso, apple cider vinegar, and sauerkraut to improve your mood and cut cravings.
Add in fresh vegetables at every opportunity, especially with your kids.
If you do want to cut out guilty pleasures, don’t get rid of them completely. Instead of having red meat every week, say, ‘I’ll have red meat once a month’, for example.
Enjoying your cravings once in a while will make staying on track the rest of the time less gruelling.
2. Go to sleep a bit earlier
If vowing to get eight hours of sleep every night is totally unrealistic, tell yourself you’ll go to bed 15 minutes earlier than your usual bedtime. Keep shifting that number earlier and earlier, rather than vowing, ‘I usually go to bed at midnight, now I’m going to bed at 10’.
Everyone has time to go to bed 15 minutes earlier. If you keep doing it, eventually you will be going to sleep an hour and a half earlier!
3. Clean your mind daily
Clutterbugs, this one’s for you. Instead of telling yourself you’ll be more organised this year (as you’ve vowed last year and many years before that), try meditating once a day.
When you’re stressed, hurried, anxious, or depressed, you don’t want to keep their place tidy, and just a little bit of mindfulness will help centre you.
Science has even proven the extent of these benefits. In a study of 3,515 adults published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers found 30 minutes of meditation every day improved symptoms of depression and anxiety in participants after eight weeks.
4. Define every day
Pick a new word to live by each month—we’re not talking about the new words recently added to the dictionary, but positive ones like “friendly” or “wholesome”—and apply it to your daily actions.
Introduce yourself to that new neighbour, or swap your favourite fast food joint for a juice bar once a week.
So many people move through the year without a clear purpose, doing this exercise will help you take actions that feel aligned with your health and happiness. Post your word somewhere you can see it or set it as your email password as a reminder.
5. Take more steps
Really, take more steps. Instead of just worrying about working out during the week, turn your focus to accumulating more steps during your day-to-day activities. Even 500 extra steps for five days will lead to significant health changes.
You can also schedule breaks during the day to stroll around the block or walk to your coworkers’ desks instead of emailing. This way, you’re focusing on overall wellness with a goal to achieve a healthier lifestyle, instead of perhaps one to lose weight. With wellness, weight loss can happen naturally.
Need help with setting and working out a plan for your 2019 health and wellness goals?
Book an appointment with Mel in the New Year and get started on the right foot.