Simple New Year Resolutions that will help you stay healthy and happy

Winter can be a real depressing time when it comes to our bodies and health. We are either full of sniffling colds or coughing our way through our days, while spending our time wrapped up in thick jumpers and comfortable clothes just to keep warm, and let’s not forget all of the comfort food we tend to consume when the weather isn’t too great outside. But as the spring will soon be here, we can start to see some of the changes in our days. The mornings are getting lighter and the evenings less dark. January kicks starts a new health regime while we try and refrain from drinking too much and eating as much kale as possible. It also means that longer and warmer days are coming.

Who else longs for the heat on their skin and a chance to wear just one layer of clothing? Many of us will be thinking and asking ourselves the same question. But the truth be told there should be a fair bit of preparation needed to get ourselves ready for the summer months ahead, both physically and mentally. With that in mind, here are some of the resolutions that you can set now that will benefit you throughout the year.

Time for a detox
As we enter into January, you may be thinking about some of the best ways to kick-start your healthy regime. A resolution of being more healthy might be at the forefront of your mind. So it may be the perfect time for you to increase your water intake ready for the summer ahead. Water is nature’s natural detox, and it naturally flushes out your body of all the bad toxins that can build up. There are also some other benefits of drinking more water throughout the day. Things like improved skin tone and condition, improved mood and better quality of sleep at night. It can be a real miracle worker and certainly a habit that will help you throughout the year. After all, with hotter weather approaching you may need to ensure you stay hydrated.

Keep that healthy eating diet going
Who says it is just January that you need to be healthy for? Why not try and take some of the diet changes through to the summer? This could be a great way to maintain your weight and feel better in your own skin. Our energy levels and how we look can have much to do with what we eat and what our diets are like. You may have already decided to ditch the alcohol and enjoy a dry January, but when the beginning of February approaches try not to overindulge because you feel like you have missed out. Why not try and only drink an alcoholic drink at a social event instead of at home? If you have cut out the take-out food or junk then why does it need to stop now? Save those items for a treat rather than adding them back into your everyday diet. Small changes can have a huge impact on how you look and feel. January can feel like the only month to embrace these changes, but enable them to have a longer-lasting impact rather than just be a fleeting memory.

Give yourself that summer glow
Not all of us are fortunate enough to jet off on holiday before the spring or summer arrives, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get that sun-kissed glow. Applying a bit of self-tan or gradual tanner can give you that healthy glow without the need for hours of sunbathing. It can also really boost your mood as you can tend to look more healthy and ready for the day ahead. This can be done now and can help you not only look healthier when you catch yourself in the iron but also mentally feel it. It can often be the small changes such as this that can have the biggest impact. Plus the daily moisture to your body can be a godsend in the winter months, as the cold air can be very drying. Especially as you tend to wear more layers.

Take control of things you have been putting off
There will always be things on your ‘to-do’ list that you will have been putting off. It might be that you have a treatment at the dentist that you just don’t want to go through, such as getting braces, or the dreaded annual doctor visit that involves blood tests. But these are things that reap long-term benefits, and putting them off will only make things worse.

Choose to be more active
January often means that many people have big intentions to exercise more regularly, but in some cases, January can often be the worst month to do it. It is cold outside, dark and grey early in the morning or in the evenings, and gyms are often not the most inspiring places to be. Having said that, it doesn’t mean that exercise shouldn’t be a goal to set. Instead, choose to be more active. Walk more frequently, set yourself a target or steps per day, and enable yourself to continue with the changes as the year progresses. You will find that you get fitter and healthier and are more likely to stick to the changes than any grueling exercise regime you promise yourself you will do.

Ditch the black
Now would be the ideal time to add some color back to your wardrobe. While black is an awesome fashionable color, sometimes you can just feel brighter and happier if you add a bit more color to your fashion choices. Even if it’s as simple as wearing a bright-colored lipstick. Small changes can make a huge difference and certainly put us in the mood for warmer days.

Let’s hope these tips help you get yourself ready for the brighter spring and summer months ahead!