Why January Doesn't Need To Be Extreme!

I love this time of year. So many people have big ambitions to become healthier in 2016 and I truly hope they achieve those ambitions.

If you have made a commitment to yourself to become healthier in 2016 I’ve put together some ideas to help make January less stressful.

• Are you still thinking about the amount you ate/drank over Christmas and the start of the New Year? Stop Now! Most people did and THAT’S OKAY! If you had a great time, smile and relax, you have plenty of time to change your body. Time with your family and friends is very important and should be savoured. Even those of us addicted to exercise indulged and are a little heavier now. Join me and think fondly of that time and commit to getting back to healthy eating and regular exercise.

• What’s Your Why? Why is 2016 going to be different? What do you have to lose if you don’t achieve your goals this year? My most successful clients have a very deep rooted understanding of why these changes must happen. When you fully understand why it’s much easier to adhere to the changes you have made.

• If you don’t envisage yourself eating they way you are today for the entire year it’s a diet!

• For every diet there is usually an equal (or in most cases) worse binge

• The best diet for you is the one you can adhere to until you achieve your goal

• Avoid skipping meals, it plays havoc with your metabolism and usually leads to overeating later in the day

• Make your health goals your new hobby, put time and effort into it. Read articles on the internet, follow your health inspiration idols on social media. 

• You do not have to exercise excessively to be healthy. Start slowly, allow your body to adapt gradually, be kind to it! Remember, you are going to be doing this for the rest of the year :) 

• Be Patient! I say this all the time to my clients. With a huge dose of patience you will achieve all you want in a perfectly healthy and sustainable way. Ditch the short term mentality.

• Avoid restricting everything in January. A little of what you fancy does you good :)  Learning how to enjoy your favourite foods or drinks is an important part of your new healthy life. Try limiting alcohol to weekends only or when you are socialising. Try eating your favourite (less healthy) foods only once or twice a week instead of every day. Moderation is key

• Choose exercise you love or at least like! Go to a class or join a club if you struggle with motivation. There is nothing quite like seeing kindred spirits around you as you get hot and sweaty! If you find yourself saying you “hate” what you are doing, do something else, there is always an alternative if you look for it

• Carbohydrate is not your enemy. If anything is it’s those portion sizes or maybe sugar! Your brain needs it, your gut needs it and we generally feel a whole lot happier with it in our diet. All Carbohydrates are not created equal however! So limit the white refined type and fill up on brown rice, grains like quinoa, sweet potato and of course tons of veggies! There is nothing wrong with a slice of good quality bread, just try not to make it the staple of your diet. 

• Have protein at every meal where possible. Protein is the most satiating of all the nutrients (try eating a whole tin of tuna!) It’s important for the recovery and repair of your body.Think Eggs/Yogurt/Oats for breakfast, Chicken/Fish/Small amount of cheese/lean meat for lunch and for dinner similar or minced beef/turkey made into chilli or lasagne

• Fill up on veggies. Go wild with them, pile them high! I don’t mean starch like potatoes, I’m talking broccoli, mange tout, beetroot, tomatoes, cauliflower, peas, peppers, onions, choose veg you love and season it well. Add a little spice to it if it helps you to eat more of them. Limit fruit to the recommended 2 portions per day. Your 5 a day should have 3 portions of veggies and 2 from fruit

• How much exercise you start with really depends on how much you have done in the last few months. As a minimum I encourage my clients to make time to be active three times a week. The government guidance is for adults to do 2.5 hours exercise each week. The sessions don’t have to be an hour each, shorter more intense workouts are just as effective if you are working hard!

• Stress is a major hazard to your health and fitness goals. We all have stress and it’s not realistic for most people to completely eradicate it from our lives. It is however possible to get it to a level where it is manageable. If you feel anxious or very stressed most of the time then I would recommend taking some time to think about how you can detox some of the stress from you life. Speak to friends of family for help and advice. Life can feel immensely enjoyable with less stress.

• Find someone you can share your goals and dreams with. Saying out loud what you desire is a very powerful way to help you realise those goals. Tell your partner, ask them to help you or support you in ways that will make life easier while you are making these changes. Tell friends and family you want to live a healthier life; it’s not a diet, it’s a change forever.

• New habits take time to form, in my experience it takes multiple months not days for a new habit to form. Again that word “patience”. Visualise where you will be in December 2016 not February 2016!

• It’s okay to slip up occassionally. You are human, you will make mistakes (everyone does!) the key is not to give up hope or go to extremes. Take a deep breath and go back to your plan of healthy eating and exercising regularly.

• It is possible to achieve your health goals in 2016 and have fun, I promise! Take your time, find suppoert and be kind to your health.