The New Year brings with it a New Healthier You

What is it about New Years’ Eve that makes people want to make better wellness changes? You’ve probably found that when it comes to New Years’ Day, the weight loss aims go out the window with last night’s empty bottles. You might find that you manage to look after your wellbeing until at least mid-January, and have no problems eating right, exercising regularly, and resisting temptation. Out of nowhere, however, it gets a little bit more difficult and before you know it, you’re back to your old habits by Valentines’ Day. What you need is a helping hand.

First of all, get through week one of your New Year diet by making sure you eat breakfast every day. During the first few days of a diet, it’s normal to feel hungry all of the time because your body is adjusting to the lower intake of calories. Your body also produces more appetite-increasing hormones to make you eat more, which you also need to guard yourself against. Do this by not skimping on breakfast, but have one that’s high in calories to help you feel full for longer.

If you’ve made it to the 7^th of January, you might find you’re experiencing mood swings and becoming more uptight and edgy than usual. This is because you’re eating less calories, and if you do nothing about these feelings they can develop into tension and stress, which will send you right back to your old eating habits. Don’t struggle through by yourself but seek support from your friends and loved ones.

If by February you’re still going strong then remember to, though this may seem odd, ignore what the scale says. Your weight may not seem like it’s dropping, but that may only be because you have gained more muscles through exercise. Muscle is denser than fat, though it takes up less space in your body so don’t give up until you have tried on your clothes, as this will show you that your hard work is paying off after all.

Now, if you’ve been especially good and made it to June, congratulations! The last tip you can take at this point is to skip the gym for a week. Again, this may sound odd but experts say your weight loss gradually slows down after a 6-month programme, as your body figures out how to adjust to your workout and starts to burn fewer calories. Change your routine and do different activities altogether for a week and your body will prepare for a fresh round of weight loss.