By Gina Burn -Naturopath
Ahh the holidays, that very special time to relax with family and friends over joyful times with wonderful food treats…. then come those New Year’s Resolutions. These New Years resolutions are often met with the best of our intentions, sometimes only to find that they may fizzle out weeks or months into the year, as we return to our busy schedules.
Taking smaller more achievable steps towards our health, fitness or new year’s goals tend to be more sustainable, as these goals then become part of our daily routines. Trying to fit too many new tasks into an already busy mind/schedule just overwhelms our nervous system. See if any of the following tips may resonate with you.
1. Self Care
Long term changes are born from a sense of self-care and self-worth. Being kind to ourselves by eating wholesome nourishing foods in a mindful way, prioritise sleep, taking deep belly breaths throughout the day and receiving morning sunlight for that serotonin lift. This allows our nervous system to feel more at peace, as we tend to make better choices here and has a flow on influence to those around us. Treating ourselves with compassion on all levels.
2. Eat for Nourishment
Allow meals to be colourful, fibre rich from vegetables and include a prote in (i.e. fish, eggs, legumes) with an omega 3 fat like avocado or hemp seeds. Yo-Yo diets often creates a feeling of deprivation and may not result in long-term benefits. When nourishment becomes our focus, we naturally start thinking “what I can have” instead of “what I can’t have”. It’s about crowding out the naughty sugar and fatty foods to allow for the real wholesome foods to be fully appreciated. See if you can bring in purple cabbage for that antioxidant hit to your body.
3. Rest and Energy
Are you able to achieve 7-9 hrs rest each night to restore your body fully? Sleep is when we burn fat, restore our hormones, and repair any injuries in the body. Women do need that extra hour of sleep due to the extra hormonal pressures. Resting can also be achieved with a 20 min daily lay down meditation such as Yoga Nidra. What stops us from fully resting can often be too much mental stress aggravated by excess caffeine and sugars/ alcohol. This loads the liver, and we just feel out of balance. Caffeine can raise our stress hormones and make the body feel like it’s in fight or flight mode, leaving us feeling wired and tired. Consider reducing or having a break from caffeine.
4. Move your body
Move your body in the way you enjoy so it becomes a regular and achievable pattern. Such as dancing, swimming, surfing, paddle boarding, yoga, walking, or lifting weights. Regular movement increases natural killer cells to boost immunity and happy hormones to improve mood. Movement lowers the risk of osteoporosis, cancers and improves sugar metabolism to balance our energy levels. Having more energy just makes life so much easier.
5. Alcohol reduction
Reducing alcohol consumption is one of the healthiest goals you can do for your body. Your liver and brain will thank you for it. Even moderate consumption of alcohol has been linked to an increased risk of numerous cancers. Most people do feel better without alcohol. Replace alcoholic drinks with sparkling water, with fresh lemon and lime or a dash of cranberry juice. Reducing your alcohol intake also does not have to mean removing it altogether. Do what feels comfortable for you. The Australian Government have set the limit to 1 standard drink for a woman and 2 for a man per day.
Consider picking 1 item from the list above and give it all you have to make lasting changes to your body and mind. You are worth it!
