Sticking to your NY Resolutions

Sticking to your NY Resolutions

We all know how difficult it is to stick to our resolution particularly if we’ve set ourselves some tough goals.  As a matter of fact, only 8% of people do actually keep their resolutions for the year. The secret to giving yourself your best shot at success is setting a goal that’s doable and putting a long-term plan in place to maintain it!  Furthermore, don’t set yourself several goals, stick to one or two goals and make them work.

It’s important to be supported by your nearest and dearest, so be sure to enlist their help.  Share your plans so that they don’t inadvertently sabotage your goals by ordering takeaways or arranging nights out.. and hopefully help you to achieve your goals.

The key to sticking to your New Year’s resolutions is to turn your goals into a habit! Start with small, achievable goals that make you feel motivated, and don’t give up if you miss one day, we’re only human after all. Giving yourself the ability to meet your goal in small steps can be very helpful to avoid disappointment. Make sure your goals are measurable, so you can keep track of your progress. A little bedside or kitchen diary is helpful.  I’ve also found journaling your goals and progress to be excellent self-help, whilst there may be days when you have nothing to note….. the fact that you can look back at your progress or even hurdles is an excellent way to self-motivate.

If you fail to plan then you plan to fail, so be sure to give yourself time to accommodate your new routine, lack of time is always the biggest reason cited to falling off the bandwagon.

Be kind to yourself, give yourself a break, and remember, January is the hardest month to be so disciplined!  It’s still dark till 7.45 am, the temperature is usually in the low single digits… and if one of your goals is for morning exercise ….. then appreciate that there will be good days and then the days when all the best intentions didn’t work out.  Give yourself a good talking to when necessary, it’s not the first sign of madness, in fact – it’s the first sign of kindness.

Lastly, try to remain positive! Making changes in your life is not easy, but focusing on the negative aspects can only discourage you. If you are feeling down try to constantly remind yourself of the benefits and impacts it will have on your quality of life. Think positive, and make it happen!

As you all know, a healthy and fulfilled lifestyle is close to my heart, so here are a few tips to help you improve your overall health:

• Eat a healthy diet, stay hydrated – of course, this is a must. we are thirsty more often than hungry.  Drink hot water infusions to keep you warm in January. Fats consumed should be less than 30% of your total energy intake
• Avoid smoke and alcohol – we all know how damaging these two factors can be. If you are a smoker, make sure that 2022 will be the right year to quit altogether (vape cigarettes as well!). Reduce your alcohol consumption…a glass of wine with a nice meal is still allowed, however, alcohol is very calorific, so cutting back on your weekly consumption could be a quick way to drop a few pounds.
• Practice mindfulness – meditation that promotes mindfulness can help people relax, manage chronic stress and even reduce reliance on pain medication. There are plenty of free guided videos on YouTube and meditation apps to get you started.
• Get plenty of sleep – We have all it heard before, rest is best!  Adults need 7-8 hours of sleep per night…because it’s true! If you’re chronically sleep-deprived, it can affect your immune function, disease resistance, sensitivity to pain, mood, and brain function.
• Wake up early – studies have proved that early risers have a better concentration, less stress, improved mood…and more time for breakfast! If you are not an early bird, physically move your alarm away from your bed…by the time you’ll get up to turn it off, you’ll be out of the duvet
• Be active – both with your body and your mind. You don’t need to engage in any extreme physical activity to be healthy, a 30 minutes walk a day, is enough to keep your metabolism engaged. And being mentally active is just as important, at every age. Enjoy a daily puzzle or the crossword, read more books and use your mind instead of the calculator!

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Kumud Gandhi

Kumud Gandhi is a Nutritional Food Scientist bestselling Author, Broadcaster, and Keynote Speaker on the subject of nutritional health for productivity & performance in the workplace.  In 2010 Kumud founded ‘The Cooking Academy’ a cookery school that focusses on cooking for nutritional health and wellbeing.  Kumud regularly presents to international audiences on a variety of topics such as ‘Eating for Immunity and a Lifetime of Wellness’. She is an expert in the field of Wellness in the Workplace and works with organizations to create transformational change in employee health & well-being through nutrition and health coaching.