New Year, New Me? Wondering what New Year resolutions you’ll actually be able to stick to? Nutritionist May Simpkin shares four simple things you can resolve to do right now – and actually keep
You’ve survived the festive excesses; eating your way through endless meals, treats and goodies, washed down with a glass or two of the mandatory tipple; simply ‘because it’s Christmas’.
With the New Year on its way and feeling decidedly more exhausted on your return to normality. Here are four simple ways you can keep on top of your new year’s resolutions this year:
#1 Focus on what you can add to your life
What can you add to your life to improve your choices? More Exercise, more vegetables, more fruits, more nuts/seeds, more sleep, more rest and relaxation, more time to take up new hobbies, more time with the family, more time away from screens etc.
By adopting this more positive approach, you will naturally have less time for previous less healthy lifestyle choices.
Likewise, your plate will fill up with healthier choices, leaving less room for the foods you are trying to avoid.
Try to avoid thinking of this as a diet or fad that you’re embracing with the enthusiasm often reserved just for the start of a New Year.
Instead, by adopting this more positive approach, you are more likely to enjoy your new lifestyle choices and will begin to enjoy the benefits in no time.
There is a much higher chance that these changes become part of a more sustainable new lifestyle.
#2 Get moving and stay active
Fatigue and feeling sluggish make our days hard to get through and you may find yourself caught in a vicious circle; the less active you are, the harder it is to motivate yourself to get up and about and engage in a physical activity.
At the beginning this can certainly be the case but adopting a ‘mind over matter’ mindset will go a long way to initiate the impetus you need to get started.
For example: make a plan to walk or work out at the gym, at a certain time of day for 10, 20, 30 or 45 minutes. Put it in the diary and make it happen, ignoring any commitments or excuses that get in the way or whether it’s cold and miserable outside.
It is highly unlikely you will regret your decision to exercise (even if the weather is awful), you are more likely to regret not doing the exercise you had planned to do but haven’t for whatever reason.
It is also important to factor more activity into your day-to-day schedules; use the stairs rather than the lift or escalator and walk to school or to the shops and in between meetings, these are all ways to ensure you stay active during the day.
#3 Carefully consider your plate
No more haphazard servings. From now on, take the time to carefully consider how your plate is made up. According to BANT guidelines, the Wellness Solution recommends that your plate is made up of:
• One Half Vegetables; these can be made up of leafy greens such as broccoli, spinach, cabbage or cauliflower as well as onions and salads
• One Quarter protein; choose fish, chicken and eggs more regularly with red meats only occasionally. Avoid processed meats. Pulses such as beans, lentils and chickpeas as well as nuts/seeds all provide vegetarian sources of protein and are good to include regularly
• One Quarter complex carbohydrates; these include root vegetables like carrots, squash, sweet potato and parsnips as well as wholegrains such as brown rice, quinoa and oats. Limit refined grains such as pasta and bread.
You can find a printable version of the BANT Wellness Solution here.
If you’re looking to lose weight, then you can adjust this ratio so that you increase the protein and reduce the carbohydrate. There is no need to weigh your foods, it’s simply a case of ensuring these proportions on your plate visually.
#4 Embrace a bedtime routine
Sleep is so important and skimping on sleep can really work against you, causing weight gain and contributing to your lack of energy during the day.
Aim for 6-8 hours of sleep each night. By introducing a regular bedtime routine, you will effectively allow yourself permission to switch off at this time every evening and begin to wind down gradually at the end of the day.
Try the following:
– Have a soak for 20mins in a hot bath, using an aromatherapy oil or Epsom salts; these contain Magnesium, which is the body’s natural relaxant and will help to induce a good nights’ sleep
– Switch off all electronic devices and preferably do not have them at your bedside. If you rely on your phone as an alarm, perhaps consider an old fashioned alarm clock instead.
-Have a warming herbal tea drink like chamomile or ginger tea
– Read a book or light-hearted magazine of interest. Try to avoid anything that will stimulate your thoughts to work issues.
– Aim to keep the same timings every night
Allow around 45 mins, if possible, to focus on these relaxing habits to give yourself the best chance of falling asleep quickly and ensuring good quality of sleep right through until the morning.
May Simpkin is a UK qualified Nutritional Therapist with a Masters Science degree in Personalised Nutrition. She is an experienced clinician, practicing functional medicine from an evidence base, providing the latest research into nutrition.
She is a registered practitioner, bound by the code of ethics in clinical practice and has met the strict criteria required for BANT, the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy and the CNHC, Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council, which is the council recommended by the UK Department of Health for complementary and natural healthcare services.
She is also Chair of the Continual Professional Committee at BANT. In addition, she is registered with AFMCP, The Institute for Functional Medicine – Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice™ and a member of the RSM, The Royal Society of Medicine.
For more information on how to lose weight, nutrient rich repices, and ideas, visit www.maysimpkin.com or Follow May on Instagram: @maysimpkinnutrition or Twitter @MaySimpkin
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