Keeping Those Resolution
Another year has flown by and here you are at the beginning of the next year. Resolutions. Everyone makes them, but they’re not always the easiest thing to keep. By the end of January it’s a well-known fact that most quick-out-of-the-gates New Year resolutions have started to lose a lot of momentum, some even coming to a grinding halt. You’ve chosen your resolutions and now is the time we need to work on keeping them! Here are five tips to use to stay on track with your New Year’s Resolutions.
- Write down your resolution – Writing down your resolutions and keeping them in front of you, seeing them every day is important. If it’s read daily it eliminates the “I forgot about it” excuse. Seeing it every day and having it written raises the level of accountability.
- Define the purpose of your resolution – We usually make resolutions because we recognize something in our lives needs to change. This means that many of our resolutions are not changes that can be made in a short time span of one year, but instead a life-long alteration. Write down the purpose of your resolution. For example, instead of writing down ” I want to lose weight,” include the reasons why “I want to get off my medications”. Keeping the purpose in front of you will help fuel your drive.
- Reward yourself – Anytime you have a long term goal, rewards are important in keeping you motivated. Reward the steps towards your goal you achieve. And look at a reward as an encouragement. Hang a smaller size in your closet – it will help you keep up that exercise routine.
- Tell others – Share with others the resolutions you’ve made for the year. As your friends and family ask you about your progress, the accountability will help you stay motivated so you can give a good report.
- Get some sleep – You may be wondering what sleep has to do with staying motivated. Believe it or not, your lack of sleep may be why your motivation is waning. Getting enough sleep will help give you the energy you need to stay focused on all you have to do throughout the day. This can make the difference between going to the gym and sacking out on the couch.
As you set your goals, keep in mind some of the reasons that resolutions often fail and consider the potential roadblocks to achieving you goals. Facing these roadblocks up front will prepare you to overcome them. Log your progress along the way. This log can help you through tougher times along the way when you may feel like giving up. It is encouraging to see how far you have come already and motivate you to keep going. Even baby steps will get you a little bit closer to your goal. And last, but not least, remain flexible and willing to adjust your plan if necessary. Sometimes you may need to take a detour along the way so it is very helpful to be flexible. Don’t get discouraged and let this throw you completely off course. Stay committed and keep going. Good luck. Here’s to a very happy and successful New Year!
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Beat the Winter Blues with Exercise
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) also known as winter depression, winter blues or seasonal depression is a mood disorder that affects many during the dark, cold winter months. People experience mood changes during the winter that find them sleeping more, having little energy and may also leave them feeling depressed. Adding a good dose of daily exercise can help beat these mood changes.
Stay Consistent
You can only benefit by exercise by staying consistent. Allow yourself time each day to do some kind of physical activity. Visit your gym for a workout and on off days, head out for a walk with the family. If your time schedule is tight, break it up into segments of ten minutes for example. Consistency makes you more productive. The more productive you are, the more you will accomplish.
Strength Train
Strength training has many benefits for you. It will help with looking good and adding to your self esteem. If you tend to gain weight this time of year, the increased muscle mass will help aid those unwanted pounds by boosting your metabolism. You will also have an increase in energy so you will not feel so lethargic all the time and be tempted to sleep so much. If you tend to get sick this time of year, strength training will help boost your immune system.
Do Your Cardio
Cardiovascular exercise holds many benefits for you. It is great for relieving stress. You can run or walk off pent up frustrations, disappointments and anger. You will have more clarity after a bout of aerobic exercise. Cardio exercise increases your metabolism. It will help you control the body weight normally gained this time of year. Your heart will become stronger. You can lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart attack risks through regular aerobic exercise.
Add in Friends
Find a fitness buddy. Friends or family can help motivate you and keep you going. If you don’t have someone to join you, attend a group exercise class. Group exercise classes are a great place to make new friends, learn new exercises, and relieve stress. Being social can also help with the feeling of depression.
The benefits of exercise last longer than quick-fixes such as comfort-eating, smoking, or drinking coffee/tea, all of which may contribute to the problem. While exercising you body produces endorphins or feel-good chemicals which will make you feel instantly better and happier. Don’t let the winter blues get you down. Get out there and fight them with daily exercise! You’ll end up benefitting in many other ways.
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Staying Young
People exercise for many different reasons. Some want to lose weight, reach a fitness goal or because their Doctor said they should, but did you know that exercise is one of the best ways to stay young? Feeling and looking young is an attitude and part of that is feeling healthy and having minimal stress. Exercise can help with both of these states of mind. Exercise will also help you to look younger which can improve your confidence. What exercises should you do to stay young? Here are a few examples.
One of the best ways to stay young is to protect yourself from disease. This includes obesity and heart disease. Cardiovascular exercises are crucial to fighting these diseases that will not only make you feel older but will make you look older as well. Depending on your level of fitness there are different options for cardiovascular exercises including running, jogging, walking, aerobic classes or swimming. Find something you enjoy doing and try to do it three times a week.
Another disease to consider, particularly in women is osteoporosis. As women age and their hormones change their bones can become weak and lose density. Osteoporosis will affect your physical age in many ways. It affects your mobility and can leave you looking weak and frail. Surprisingly, strength training is the best way to combat osteoporosis. Start with light weights if you’ve never done strength work before and I recommend working with a trainer who can teach you proper form to avoid injury.
Stretching and working on flexibility will also help you feel and look younger. When our muscles and joints are weak or tight we walk more laboured and find it difficult to bend and reach. Yoga or other forms of stretching are great ways to improve your mobility. Start with a beginners class and let the instructor know of any injuries or weaknesses that may hinder your exercise.
It’s important to remember that whatever your age if you are starting a new exercise program you should always consult your Doctor or a fitness professional prior to starting. A trainer will work with you to develop the most suitable program for you and your goals and will also ensure that you don’t injure yourself. Trainers are also great at motivating you and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you can accomplish.
To stay young use diet and exercise to keep your physical age lower than your chronological age. Exercise will help with your posture, muscle and bone density, flexibility and will fight off disease. Linked with the right diet you’ll be feeling and looking much younger than the number of candles on your Birthday cake.
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Healthy Baking
The best part of the holidays is indulging in the yummy baked goods. However, they don’t all have to be unhealthy. Believe it or not, there are actually some good choices out there that won’t you leave you feeling guilty for having a little too much.Granted most of them are full of refined flour and sugar, so you still must eat them in moderation, healthier choice or not. However, if you are doing the baking, making the right ingredient choices will also help in making healthier baked goods.
Here are the Top 5 healthiest baked treats you can choose from:
- Biscotti is one of the best choices that you can ever make. Each slice is only 100 calories and the nuts that are added, usually almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts, add protein, monounsaturated fats, and fibre to your diet which keep you in good shape. A daily serving is about 4-6 nuts, so a slice or won’t do that much damage to your diet. Stay away from the biscotti with chocolate or caramel chips, though. These are simply extra calories and extra sugar. Opt for ones stuffed with dried fruits instead.
- A favourite with oranges, cranberries and apples, these make for delicious cakes and muffins. So if you’re offered a slice of cranberry-orange cake, say yes. But this doesn’t mean you can have cakes with white chocolate chips in them.
- Although the classic fruitcake weighs in at about 80-100 calories a slice, most people may opt for a nut-free slice of carrot cake instead. They’re both low in fat and have lots of fibre . It’s the icing that is the unhealthiest part of the carrot cake, so use low fat icing and don’t put too much on.
- Choose a square or a regular-sized muffin of chocolate-chip banana bread. With a sprinkling of chopped walnuts, they’re high in fibre and monounsaturated fats. Plus, semi-sweet chocolate chips are also a better option.
- Cookies are generally thought of as an unhealthy sinful treat, but sometimes you just have to have them. Your best bet would be oatmeal cookies with added dried fruit and chopped nuts.
Choose the right ingredients when making your baked goods.
Bittersweet chocolate, dark chocolate and raw cocoa have less sugar, plus the high percentage of flavonoids make it an anti-oxidant. They also contain resveratrol, which is an antimicrobial that is believed to lower blood-sugar, enhance physical performance and potentially prolong life.
Use bran instead of refined white flour to make healthier cakes and muffins. You can also try options of oat flour, whole wheat flour, almond flour, hazelnut flour or coconut flour. Oat, almond and coconut flours are great options as they are also gluten-free. They’re all also high in fibre which helps to keep you full and satisfied for longer periods of time.
Replace refined white sugar with other options such as coconut sugar, raw sugar, agave nectar, maple syrup, honey or fruit puree. All healthier options to limit your sugar intake.
Dried fruit, seeds and nuts are healthy baking additives. They are rich in minerals, vitamins, healthy fats and linked to promoting good digestive, bone and oral health. Dried fruit adds natural sugars and can give a little moisture and texture to your favourite recipe as well.
There is no need to deprive yourself of baked goods just to stay healthy. Just like everything, moderation is the key as well as choosing the baked goods made with the right ingredients.
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