It’s a brand New Year! Happy 2020. The beginning of a DECADE. Leave the 2010’s behind and let’s start fresh. Now is the time to let go of everything that was weighing you down from the last decade, hit the reset button, and make the next year or 10, count.
I usually hate the whole “new year, new me” people. Actually… I still do. I don’t believe that it should take the changing of a year, month, or week to decide to change your life around – if you want to change, just do it. However, I know that some people take the opportunity of the New Year to make some changes and resolutions, which is good, but I think where people make the mistake is that they go about reaching their goals in the wrong way which leads them to give up.
The best way, I find, to get started on something new, or something that is daunting for you, is to start small. I’ve put together a list of small daily actions that you can add to your life that will help set you up for success when it comes to getting healthy.
Exercise
I know this is an obvious one. Every doctor on the planet will tell you that exercising will improve your life. So why aren’t you incorporating exercise into your daily/almost daily routine?
I’m sure that by now you know that many benefits of exercise – better sleep, stronger muscles and bones, improved mental health, decreased chance of disease – what’s holding you back?
I find that the biggest turn off with exercise is that many think it’s a one size fits all type deal. The only acceptable forms of daily exercise are weight lifting and running – FALSE! Exercise can be anything that increases your heart rate for an extended period of time: hiking, bike rides, zumba classes, swimming, at home workout DVDs, sex?
I’m kidding on that last one, you’d have to be having a lot of sex for you to see any type of benefit from that, LOL! My point is, is that you don’t have to make exercise hard, unenjoyable, or something that takes up half your day. Exercise can be fun once you find something you enjoy – and the impact it will have on your life if you do it daily will far outweigh the 30min-1hr of sweatiness that you have to participate in!
Wash your face
Are you sick of me yet? This whole blog post is going to be me telling you to do all the things that you know you should be doing every day but you’re not. Please let this be your reminder to look after yourself and pamper yourself so that you can feel good about yourself!!
Wash your face when you wake up to get all the grubbiness of sleep off your face. I use cold water and a small amount of cleanser to a) wake me tf up – ice cold water on your face as soon as you get up is a nice shock to the system, and b) the small amount of cleanser just to really get into my pores because water won’t get that deep!
Wash your face after you workout. Gyms are cesspools of germs. Loads of bulky men splashing their sweat everywhere, ew. And try as you might, but chances are you’ll touch your face during your workout, which means you’re transferring their sweat onto your face. Not only that, but your own sweat will also be on your face and getting into your pores. Wash wash wash! If you can’t properly wash it right away, take some face wipes with you to at least get the top layer of grime off.
Floss
Who am I, your dentist?
Flossing helps remove the buildup of plaque, which can lead to tartar, which can lead to you LOSING YOUR TEETH. Flossing daily gets rid of nasty old food stuck in your teeth which = stank breath that noone wants to smell.
Have I mentioned disease yet? Aside from the obvious gum disease that could result from lack of flossing, there have also been studies conducted that suggest a lack of flossing can lead to other diseases within the body such as heart disease.
It takes about a minute, once a day.
Get at least 7-9 hours of sleep per night
Having a consistent sleeping routine does wonders for your health, both mentally and physically. Getting enough sleep means that your body has a chance to repair itself, recharge from the day, and get ready for whatever the new day is going to throw at it.
Did you know that poor sleeping habits are linked to obesity? Think about it. You don’t sleep enough, so you get up every day tired and lethargic. You have a coffee, you put cream and sugar in it. You get breakfast on the go because you’re too tired to make anything for yourself – breakfast on the go, or many foods on the go aren’t that healthy for you. You grab another coffee because you’re still tired. You’re in a slump at lunch because you had a shitty breakfast so you go for something super calorie dense and full of sugar in an effort to perk yourself up. Dinner? Forget cooking, you’re too tired – take out it is!
That’s slightly dramatic but can you see where I’m going with it?
Aside from that, your productivity levels are going to decrease if you’re tired. Your motivation to do anything is going to go down due to exhaustion. Your body starts to shut down because it isn’t getting enough time every night to recuperate.
Listen, even if it means going to bed an hour earlier than you’re used too in order to get those 8 hours in, it’ll be worth it. The video game you’re playing or the book you’re reading can wait for another day. If it’s trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep you’re having, consider talking to a doctor about it.
Stay hydrated
An obvious one but I find people almost act as if being dehydrated is a personality trait?? “I hate the taste of water” “ha I haven’t drank anything today” “my pee is YELLOW”
You shouldn’t be proud of being dehydrated… your body needs water to perform properly, to help regulate its temperature, and to decrease cramping in your muscles.
Here’s a list of some of my older blog posts on how to kick start your New Years the right way:
- Staying on track with your diet
- Fitness myths you need to know about
- How to ease yourself into a healthier lifestyle
- Top 5 motivation killers and how to combat them
- Plan your fitness routine – A guide for newbies
- Tips for handling cravings
Until next time
xx