How to stick to your New Year's Health-olutions!

   There's something fresh and fun about starting a new year. We get excited about setting goals and dreaming that this year will be different. We start off well and impress ourselves by eating kale and going to the gym. But then somewhere in the middle of January we trickle off and before we know it we're eating out every night and skipping the gym for social gatherings on weekends. We then feel defeated and as though we've failed, when that's simply not the case. When we set goals to be healthier, we can't expect that we will change everything overnight. If you find yourself struggling to keep your new years health-olutions, read below for a few pointers on how to make this your healthiest one yet. 

   

Start Off Slowly:

   Make small changes over time. By doing so you will feel like this lifestyle change is something you can handle and the small changes will add up and lead to your new healthier lifestyle. 

• Swap the sugar in your coffee for Cinnamon or Manuka Honey to reap extra health benefits. 
• Switch your fast, sugar laden breakfast foods for overnight oats. Plus, the fibre from the oats will keep you feeling energetic throughout the day!
• Drink a glass of water before anything else in the morning, extra points if it's warm water with lemon!
• Swap your morning coffee for Mushroom Coffee to gain the health benefits from these fungi's. ;)
• Take part in Meatless Monday's and on some other days of the week, switch  meat for seafood to consume healthy fats. 
• Find an exercise regimen you enjoy and start off with 30 minutes twice a week and increase the amount of times gradually. 

By making these small adjustments daily, you will notice that in time your nutritional and exercise habits will have changed and you won't feel overwhelmed or deprived by making such a radical switch all at once. 

Set Yourself Up For Success:

This one is very important in reaching your health goals. You must become aware of your excuses and triggers so you can set yourself up for success, not failure.

• Set a day to do the grocery shopping and don't go when you're hungry!
• Have easy ways to get your nutrients. Ensure you're stocked up on green juice, antioxidants and protein to help curb your hunger cravings.
• Find healthy alternatives to your favourite treats and sweets.
• Join a gym or studio that's en route to work or home so you don't have an excuse that it's out of the way. Or, better yet, workout from home so you have no reason not to do it.
• Bring your own snacks to social gatherings or movie nights.
• Ensure you're getting adequate sleep and nutrients so you don't feel fatigued. When we're tired we crave greasy, sugary foods and our discipline for self control weakened. If you have trouble falling asleep or getting adequate sleep, try a Magnesium drink before bed.

Make Healthy Living Part of Your Routine:  

  We stick to things that naturally fit into our day. Think of the things you do everyday. All of these things happen without us really thinking about them. Healthy habits should fit into your life this way too. In order to not feel overwhelmed by healthy habits, schedule them in so they can become a natural part of your day. 

• If you're a morning person, wake up and start your day 30 minutes earlier and get your expertise done first thing. 
• If you're a night person, schedule your exercise to be done on the way home from work or as soon as you get home before eating dinner. 
• Schedule an afternoon each week for meal prep and get the family involved. 

Just like anything else that has become a routine, this will feel natural and fall into place. 

So, if you're someone who's found themselves struggling to keep their health-olutions in tact, give these tips a try, your health will thank you for it.