Well, everyone, it’s time. Remember that New Year’s resolution you dreamed up in the midst of your Christmas indulgences? New year, new you? Which, yes, let’s be honest, is a daunting prospect – but if you get off on the right foot, these things are possible. Okay, maybe you’re already regretting that gym pledge. That’s what a happy New Year’s Eve will do to you. Who was it who said 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration? Positivity, my friends, positivity.
Now, there are three simple aspects to good health. Sleep. Diet. Exercise. And who doesn’t like sleep? We know that getting healthy doesn’t need to be difficult. So, here are a bunch of straightforward ways to hang onto that new year’s resolution and do yourself proud. Hopefully without turning into that hennaed aunt who’s permanently in yoga pants.
1. Create a nighttime routine that works
You might be thinking all you need is 8 hours of sleep, any which way, any old how. Unfortunately, the research shows you get your best sleep before midnight. In today’s world of blaring screens and buzzing phones, we’re collectively suffering from an insidious sleep deficit. This is bad for our productivity, bad for our mental health, and bad for the bags under our eyes (unless you’re trying for the mother of 5 under-5s look). I know it can be hard to switch off, never mind leave the party early, but all things considered, the pros of an early night far outweigh the cons.
To help make this happen, create a nighttime routine that works best for you. Make sure you're going to sleep at the same time every night and turn all the light's off an hour before you go to sleep (it works). Meditation techniques before bed and breathing exercises can work as a good de-stressor and help send you off to sleep, try apps like Calm and Headspace to relax. Plus, if you're really struggling, nothing quite beats an ASMR video.
2. No blue light before bed
Basically, as well as being a little devil of distraction, your phone emits something called blue light. Blue light messes with your melatonin, which is what your body produces to help you doze off. This is also true of your laptop, TV, the lot. Some devices have a blue light filter, or you can look into installing one. These change the light to a typical bedside-lamp-yellow and are allegedly better. Of course, you could impose the increasingly popular no-phones-after-8 rule, but I know you’ll hate me for just the suggestion.
However, a little downtime from your phone can also do you wonders. There's speculation that our devices like our mobile phones are linked to anxiety and even depression. And I can't deny that sometimes my phone does give me anxiety, especially when you're alerted to an unexpected work situation when you're ready to doze off. To step away from this, start tracking your screen time with your phone and monitor your results. Day by day try and reduce that time - ask yourself, 'do I really need to be on my phone right now?'
3. Meatless Mondays
Going vegan does have its benefits, and believe it or not, your body does not need meat to survive. It's a common misconception and I suppose it doesn't help that it's so tasty. But in order to treat your body better, why not try to go one day in the week without meat? Meatless Mondays are your time to diversify your diet and try foods that are rich in nutrients. Who knows, you may even make the switch totally?!
If you don't fancy cooking either, then check out these 6 vegan hotspots in Surrey that we love!
4. Eat for energy
Simple carbohydrates (like bread, pasta, pizza, all the good stuff) sadly translate straight into sugars once they’ve entered your bloodstream. The fastest way to jack up your diet is to drop the bread – which might feel like the death of a close relative but bear with me. It’s worth it.
Instead, try to eat for energy. If you're hungry at ten o clock at night, what do you need the energy for? Eating at the right times will also throw your body into a routine and will not only help you sleep better but help your body be healthier. If you're working out make sure to eat high-protein foods that are full of energy to make you feel your best, so for the high-protein foods, you should be eating every day click here.
5. Switch to coconut oil
If you’re going to quit carbs, you do need to replace them with an alternative energy source. If you haven’t heard of coconut oil and all the miraculous health stories that go with it then let me tell you! It has a great energy supply, alongside other fats like ghee and duck fat. Basically, years of traditional dietary advice are being debunked by a low-carb high-fat ethos that’s supported by a large body of research and literature that’s finally clawed its way into the public limelight.
So, it’s time to get your thinking cap on and revamp your cookbook collection (a good start would be Tim Noakes’ The Real Meal Revolution, or maybe Hemsley & Hemsley – if you’re feeling more academic, try Davis’ Wheat Belly, Fallon’s Eat Fat Lose Fat, or Allan & Lutz’s Life Without Bread).
6. Plan your meals
Sticking to a healthy routine can be hard, especially if you're grabbing something for dinner on your way home from work. These types of meals have no thought put behind them and chances are you're already hungry when you make the decision, and that's a big no-no. Never make a meal decision when you're hungry, it will tempt you to divulge!
So instead, try planning out your meals ahead of time and buying groceries in bulk to prepare these meals (this will also save you money). You can buy food planners, but I preferably like to use an app called FoodPlanner, which allows you to browse recipes, connects to your food basket and allows you to schedule in meals. But Mealplan+ is also a good app if you're willing to spend a few pounds.
7. Learn how to cook the right foods
The one thing that can be holding you back from changing your lifestyle could be the fact you don't know what foods to prepare. Sometimes, you don't know how to create a healthy lifestyle because you've never been shown how. And if you have children, then you'll also need to pass on the skills and give them the nutrients they need.
Surrey is amazing for cooking courses. The Abinger Cookery School, in particular, offers a wide variety of courses that will help you become somewhat of a professional in the kitchen. They even have courses that will help you cook for your children, which will give you inspiring ideas on how to dinner a more pleasurable, exciting experience. Book a course here.
8. Practice yoga
It’s more hard work than you’d think, but still a good place to start if you want to bring more movement into your life. Also a winner for back posture, and conducive to injury-preventing flexibility. Not only that, but yoga is a great activity for practising wellness and you'll end up feeling lighter and brighter.
Classes can be pricey, but there are plenty of tutorials online once you get started. It’s also worth looking for any local gyms where sessions are included in the membership (I use the fantastic facilities at the Surrey Sports Park, part of Surrey Uni). But for a list of all the best places to do yoga in Surrey, check out this article here.
9. Rebounding
What is this thing, you ask, that sounds like a badly thought through relationship? A rebounder is actually just an exotic name for a miniature trampoline. Apparently, 20 minutes of bouncing on one of these beauties offer similar benefits to an hour of running. It improves lymphatic circulation, and you can do it in the peace and quiet of your own living room.
However, if you don't fancy bouncing around in your living room then head down to Clapham Common for a Rebounce class, which is 'trampolining with a twist'. One of our writer's Jo Price gave the class a FIVE STAR review!
10. Alternative exercises
If you’re like me and you’ve always felt your upper body strength left something to be desired, then rock climbing will do the trick. Don’t get me wrong – the first few weeks will leave you with burning forearms and sore fingers. But climbing has an advantage over obsessive gymming in that it is not mind-numbingly dull. Climbing is also kind of a buddy sport, so you can rope in a friend (literally). It’s always harder to drop your New Year’s resolution when the fall might kill a friend.
But, if it's not your thing then check out our article on ALL the alternative exercises in Surrey & SW London, which will make getting fit fun here.
