“I’m going to start back at the gym again.”
“I’m going to eat healthier.”
“I’m going to work less and relax more.”
Sound familiar?..
I mean, even if we didn't say it out loud, I know I've THOUGHT about all of the above once or twice! Every year, most of us try to make some New Year’s resolutions, most with the intention to impact our lives positively in some way or another and most of the time its to do with health and exercise.
Each year we make a list of things we really want to start, change, or stop doing in our lives. We think it through and set our goals, we then get all pumped up to actually stick to the things on our list this year (unlike last year). But after the The Christmas Break... 2 weeks of inactivity, joined with increased alcohol intake (for many of us) and the masses of food we inhaled (pretty much all of us), we start our January resolutions with a bang (fireworks pun intended). After all the stress we put on our bodies in such a short space of time there is no wonder why so many of us give up shortly after with a sigh! The buzz has worn off and you find yourself slipping, and that list is looking like it is going the same way the previous years did– it flopped! These goals will often lead to amazing physical and mental changes if we see them through. Unfortunately, many of us don’t anticipate the toll that an increase in exercise and change of lifestyle can have on our bodies so the trick is to start off light.
So I have found 5 Resolutions that we can all try to keep.
DRINK MORE WATER If you want healthier hair, healthier skin and a healthy body put down that soft drink, cut down on coffee and pick up a glass of water!.. Without water life would not exist - all living things rely on water and without water, i'm sorry, but we would die and quite quickly. Humans can survive without food for up to a month, but without drinking water survival is limited to a matter of days. Water is one of the most underrated resources on earth. The benefits of drinking water are endless and here are just a few – Increased energy, Aids weight loss, Flushes out toxins, Improves skin and hair condition and it keeps your joints strong and healthy. Top Tip! IF you find it difficult to keep track, there are lots of Apps that help you track your daily water intake and what I do is drink from a 2L bottle a day and check in every couple hours to see how much I have left, my aim is that by the end of the day that bottle will be empty. IF you do not like the taste of plain water why not add some fruit to it? You can add Lemons, Limes and even Berries, Fresh Mint and Cucumber too!
GET MORE SLEEP It seems obvious that getting a good night sleep is beneficial although many of us aren’t going to bed at a reasonable hour! Lack of sleep impairs your levels of reasoning, productivity and problem solving skills let alone the effect is has on our mood – Let's look at some ways we can make sure we get more sleep: Top Tip! Start a relaxing bedtime ritual. A relaxing activity right before bed, away from bright lights and our phones stops us from doing activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety. Get of your phone turn off the TV and read a book or listen to some relaxing music this will have a big impact on the quality of sleep we get each night. Also, Exercise daily, Even light exercise is better than no activity, exercise at any time of day and this will release all that built up energy we hold in our bodies as well as those feel good chemicals which will help us get to sleep.
MAKE A REGULAR MASSAGE APPOINTMENT Taking care of yourself is important if we aren't feeling happy and healthy then how are we supposed to take care of ourselves and everyone else around us. As well as the basic stuff like reading a book, practicing meditation or going for a walk around the block. I recommend treating yourself to a relaxing and therapeutic massage. Massage won't just relax you it also has many other health benefits
including reduced anxiety and depression, heightened mental awareness, reduced muscle tension, improved skin tone, improved circulation and the list goes on. Top tip! Make massage part of your monthly routine, book an appointment for a massage as a post-workout reward. Not only will the appointment promote flexibility, endurance, and post-workout healing, it will motivate you to exercise in order to receive your massage as a reward for all your hard work. It's much easier to keep to this resolution if you book in advance, It will be something to look forward to if you have had a hard week!
MEAL PREP
We all know the most of the time, eating a home cooked meal is much healthier for us than the stereo-typical take-away, so we try to cook as much as possible, but this takes time and can been inconvenient after we have had a long day at work or just in general. We have all had those days, where everything has run late, it's now 8pm and you haven't even thought about what to cook for dinner, so instead we treat ourselves to a cheeky take-away that takes a minute to order and usually only 30mins to get to your door step! Then one cheeky take-away a weeks leads to two then two turns into three then next minute you see the pile of pizza boxes in the recycling bin and think "OH DEAR, WHAT HAVE YOU STARTED" Which is why meal prep comes in very handy! Alot of meals these days we can keep refrigerated for a good 3 days and most in the freezer for weeks if not months maintaining its freshness and nutrients, So what a lot of people do is meal prep and it really makes a difference not only with they're health but bank balance too. Top Tip! All you need to do is cook 2 times a week, Depending on how organised you want to get, i'd say start by keeping it simple. Make enough food for say 3 or 4 meals, then keep in the fridge or freezer so when you get home and you haven't thought of what's for dinner, you think ''OH YEAH, I still have that vegetarian lasagna'' BAM take-away avoided!
EXERCISE BUT GRADUALLY Re-introduce exercise gradually and make sure to listen your body. You live in your body every day, so nobody will knows when it is under stress as well as you will. This can be anything from walking to the train station instead of driving, going to local classes 2-3 times a week, or go all out and get a gym membership and get into lifting weights. Top Tip! It’s important to set time aside after each workout to cool-down and stretch and keep hydrated by sipping on water during exercise. And remember it's never too late to start!
There is just one more that I feel needs no explanation which is to SMILE AND LAUGH MORE. It doesn't cost anything and It's also something anyone of any age can do, It's human nature!. Lets make 2018 the year we stick to our resolutions, reach our goals and smile and laugh more!
Call me today to book in your regular massage appointments 077304 77505