After consuming countless mouth-watering treats of sin during the holiday season, new year resolutions are one way to recoup and retain shape. Nonetheless, with no accountability, and almost no material to lose, these contemporary New Year promises can as easily be broken, as they are set. In fact, approximately 80% of people end up breaking their New Year resolutions by the first week of February.
With having passed the deadline for most of our so-called ‘New Year Resolutions’ and knowing where most of us stand, the only effective way to keep up a healthy lifestyle would be to activate a dynamic plan basis our swift routines. While we often lose control by putting our guards down, we must recognise the need to maintain a balance between care-free indulgence and the incorporation of healthy habits into our lifestyle. In our quest to start integrating this balance within our schedules, there is just one simple mantra—’To Be Mindful’. Doing so would not only improve long-term health prospects but also reduce the guilt of binging junk food.
To help us better, we spoke to Celebrity Nutritionist Pooja Makhija about this and she shared her 3 golden rules on how people can pamper themselves throughout the year while also staying true to their health and fitness.
1. ‘Exercise’ Is The Trend For All Seasons
Workout
Not finding enough time to go to the gym while juggling through your daily routine is not an uncommon problem. Then there’s also the added stress around health and safety when going to the gym during these pandemic times. However, skipping workouts altogether can be harmful to your health and make you lazy. Instead, one can switch to various other forms of exercise that don’t essentially require us to go to the gym or even use gym equipment. From going on brisk walks in the cool mornings or evenings to trying different home workouts, there are plenty of ways to keep our bodies fit and motivate us to keep going. Just 30-40 minutes of simple exercise activities can make a world of a difference. Take for example yoga, the perfect exercise to give our body the required strength and flexibility while increasing our capacity to cope with our hectic schedules and de-stress in a healthy way.
2. Get Onto The Sugar-Free Road & Avoid ‘Guilt Trips’
Sugar Free
Dessert cravings are a part and parcel of every season. It serves as an appetizer for those with a sweet tooth and adds to a meal well finished. In fact, we end up consuming a bulk of sugar in our daily chai and coffee itself. But losing the ‘sweet weight’ is arguably the toughest—to burn calories from just two teaspoons of sugar, one needs to walk for at least a kilometre. Therefore, the better option is to replace unhealthy ingredients like sugar with healthier alternatives like stevia to enjoy your sweet cravings completely calorie-free and guilt-free.
Low-calorie sweeteners like stevia have become popular in recent years and have been used in foods and beverages for nearly a century after they were identified. Stevia is one of the most extensively used sweeteners and has no detrimental effects on the body, unlike sugar. Stevia is also a versatile ingredient and can be used in cakes, cookies, chocolates, Indian sweets and even your daily chai and coffee. Switching to stevia is the new mantra recommended by health and fitness experts. It’s the easiest and safest way to maintain one’s fitness quotient and stay on track, especially for those who are just starting their fitness journey. When travelling, if you are planning on enjoying a sweet holiday, make sure to include stevia as a part of your travel essentials so you have to compromise on taste or lack of sweetness wherever you are.
3. Hydrate & Chill
Drinking Water
This might seem like an easy thing to do, but it is very easy not to drink enough water every day especially when we get into the cycle of daily routine. This can be problematic because you are more likely to become dehydrated faster, which automatically affects your health & fitness, not just internally but externally as well. The average amount of water intake should be around 8-10 cups a day if you’re doing normal activities. If you exercise or sweat more than usual aim for more than 11-12 cups (at least 2.5 litres) daily. Drinking enough water won’t just help you stay hydrated but also maximize your physical performance and positively affect your energy levels and brain function. Not only that daily hydration helps to flush out toxins from the body and reduces the chances of catching cases of flu and infections.
The bottom line is that you don’t have to make any big life changes like giving up your favourite foods or drinks during the year to stay healthy. If anything, being mindful about what you’re eating and drinking and religiously exercising will help ensure a healthier body and mind throughout the year. Ditch new year resolutions and instead embrace a new year plan that helps you take simple and effective steps toward your fitness goals. Welcome the death of your resolutions with open arms.
