Want a healthier New Year?
We all want a healthier new year, don’t we? The holiday season is here and for many of us that means a few extra cocktails, a few more lazy nights on the sofa watching telly, and a few too many boxes of Celebrations or Roses.
To help you get into the mindset of achieving a healthier lifestyle and avoid the winter blues that go hand-in-hand with the ‘I wish I had not eaten everything’ blues, in addition to the cold weather hibernation, and that unwelcome “winter coat”, why not do a little planning to help you set the wheels in motion for a healthier start to 2016? And by planning, we mean buy a wall planner … like this one at Present and Correct … isn’t it lovely?
First things first … this is week-five at Mindful Movements – so make sure you phone, text or email us at the studio to sign up for your first five-week session of 2016 at the studio. This in itself will help you feel positive about how your new year will begin, as we are back to working those muscles on January 4th 2016!
Keep in mind it IS possible to avoid holiday weight gain, and the natural workout slump almost all of us will experience over the Christmas holidays, so here are a few tips for a healthier new year. Please note – when this slump does occur, don’t beat yourself up – just go for a walk.
Fashion first
We are a big believer in looking the part. There is a huge movement in ‘athleisure’ wear. Office employees are trying to find a way to dress ‘less corporate and more comfort’ without sacrificing style. The notion that if you are dressed in your yoga pants you will be more inclined to take the stairs and a brisk walk on your lunch break makes perfect sense to us.
Here are a few of our favourite sites for you to get started with:
Get more sleep
Adults need eight hours a day. That is all.
No, seriously, getting a good nights sleep is crucial to maintaining a healthy mind and body. If you are struggling with sleepless nights then you need to pay a visit to the folks over at The Resting Tree for a little guidance on fixing this.
Do not starve yourself
Expect to see a flurry of all the latest fad diets hit the internet over the next few weeks. Let’s face it, almost everyone we know at one point or another in their lives will have made a New Years resolution to lose weight. In order to successfully accomplish this, you need to exercise a little more and eat plenty of the right kinds of food. This leads us to the next point.
Love your kitchen
If you are wondering what we mean by the ‘right kind of foods’ it is simple. Read the labels. If it has more than five ingredients and you can’t pronounce them, put it back on the shelf. A healthier balance of fruit, fresh veggies, beans and nuts …..
and delicious fresh fish…along with the occasional hunk of meaty protein like beef, pork or chicken. Invest in cooking lessons if you have to and learn how to make the five mother sauces or bake a loaf of lovely bread. We know this is always going to be a challenge for parents, but big decisions about what to eat must be made by you at the supermarket.
Unplug
We all need to do this – us, our partners and our kids. Make a new house rule today that starting January 1st 2016 – you are going to cook, eat and clean up together as a family at least three or four nights per week; then stick to it. This is an attainable resolution for most of us.
Embrace generosity
We all have people in our lives who offer to help us out at one point or another. Next time someone offers to babysit the kids, or help you with a pile of ironing, or cook supper for you – say yes. Asking for a little help is not a sign of weakness – it is a sign of strength. Letting your loves ones know you have reached the point where your plate is full and you need a hand, well there is no shame in that!
If you want to run, hire a running coach!
‘Start running’ and ‘run more’ is one of the most popular resolutions made each year, and also one of the ones that is abandoned quickly. If you feel strongly that this is the year for you, hire a running coach! If it was swimming you would take lessons, right? Running is not the easiest habit to develop, as there is a lot of mental training associated with the sport, but once you are hooked … well you are hooked.
Drink more Tea
You know how we feel about Tea here at the studio! The thing is, tea contains loads of antioxidants, reduces your risk of heart attack or stroke, boosts your immune system, can help protect against cancer, and increases your metabolism. What’s not to love? Incase you have not already sent out your Christmas list .. here’s something to add … Dear Santa…..
Right – Sunday evening slumber beckons and Week Five awaits us.
See you at the studio!
Sara x