Get Ahead with Your Healthy Living New Year Resolutions

Given that many people set themselves New Year resolutions relating to their health and wellbeing, we thought we'd help everyone get one step ahead by thinking about some simple steps to take for the next couple of weeks to help get you through the festive season feeling great and set you up for a healthy 2015.

Here's a short report from a recent workshop participant that might motivate you to focus on the little things you can do, starting today, that will lead to dramatic wellness benefits...

‘The good news is…I am much more aware of hydration and have cut down on the amount of sugary cordials and squash I have in my water.  I carry water with me whenever I am out.

I am eating breakfast from your list every day and have migrated my snacks and dinners to be off the list 80% of the time too.

I’m doing the sleep calculation and finding that 7.5 hours is indeed better than 8 hours. Well, actually for me it is about 7 hrs 40 mins so I just set my alarm for 7 hrs and 45 mins time and wake up before it most days. Hooray.

I’m also incorporating HIITS (through circuits, hills or sprint intervals) into my workouts 2-3 times per week.

The sum total impact of these changes is that my energy in general, and especially for running, is massively improved and I have had fewer headaches.  

I have definitely reaped rewards from some small changes.  Thanks for your input and help, it has helped a whole lot.’

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Christmas Survival Guide

It's that time of year when the combination of work deadlines, social events and family commitments can leave you feeling exhausted.

The danger is that when you finally get to Christmas, the worst case is that you become ill, or maybe that you just end up too tired to enjoy your well-earned break.

So here's how to get through the festive season feeling healthy and with enough energy to enjoy the break:

Select a few nights to catch up on some sleep
Whether you book a couple of early nights or reserve yourself some extra time in bed in the morning, a few additional hours here and there could make all the difference.

Allow yourself some quality wind-down time
You need to plan your time off work to allow some space for slowing down and recharging your batteries.  Hurtling from a busy schedule in the office to a chaotic family christmas will leave you returning to work for a break rather than feeling rested and ready for action in 2014.

Get some fresh air
Too much time indoors will leave you feeling sluggish, particularly when days are short, so aim to get outside, ideally in some daylight, no matter how cold it might be.

Set some boundaries for alcohol
It's great to have a few drinks at Christmas but it's also easy to tip the balance from the right amount to help you enjoy yourself, and into the territory where the amount of alcohol you're consuming is reducing the quality of your sleep, leaving you dehydrated and adding unnecessary calories.

A little bit of everything does you good
It's fine to deviate from your regular food routine at Christmas but aim to maintain the quantity of food and portion sizes that suit you and your weight management objectives, and that help you ensure you have consistent energy levels.  Try a little bit of everything, eat slowly and save some for leftovers.

Plan ahead
With just under a week to go, you still have time to make Christmas work for you.  Grab a few minutes today to give some thought to these tips and your festive season will be as enjoyable as you deserve it to be.

Image by paparutzi Flickr

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