How are your self-imposed health resolutions faring now that February has arrived? Have you maintained them? Or did you slack off around the middle of January?
Many of us make resolutions and vows to ourselves at the beginning of the year to kick bad habits and start good ones. Dieting, beginning a new exercise routine, or possibly quitting smoking or drinking are examples of common resolutions. It’s also never a terrible idea to start some new, healthy habits, but after the first few weeks, it can be extremely difficult to stick with them. So much so that the second Friday in January is now known as “Quitter’s Day” because, according to study, this is when we start to lose interest in our newly formed habits and give up on them.
First of all, congrats for getting it this far if you’ve managed to stick with them up until this point but your drive is now waning. If you decide to proceed, we have some excellent tips to help you stay on course and prevent your efforts from being in vain.
REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THE CIGARETTES One of the most difficult tasks anyone can undertake is giving up a longtime habit like smoking. Going nicotine-free is quite challenging due to its addictive nature. And while it may seem absurd to someone who doesn’t smoke that someone can’t easily stop, smoking itself can have a lot of unfavorable side effects.
It could be time to think about using an disposable vape if you’re finding it increasingly difficult to resist the urge to smoke. A growing body of research indicates that using an e-cigarette to vape is a useful aid for quitting smoking. They don’t produce tar or carbon monoxide, two of the most harmful components in tobacco smoke, nor do they burn tobacco the way traditional cigarettes do.
Smoking serves as a form of comfort or stress reduction for smokers, who may also struggle with abrupt lack of something in their hands in addition to struggling with nicotine addiction. Utilizing an vape pen indicates that they still have something, which will reduce worry and should also aid in reducing cravings.
REMAIN MOVING The cost of gym memberships always soars in January. Really, it makes logic, no? After spending most of December eating and drinking whatever the hell we wanted and barely moving, save for the occasional trek from the TV to the Quality Street tub, we arrive in January to find that, surprise, surprise, our pants are getting tighter and we have almost no energy. So we do what everyone else does and enroll in a discounted gym membership.
New you in the new year. The advertisements offer us that. We see several pictures of gorgeous, toned, joyful people exercising in the gym and we believe, “Yes, I could be like them.” And the beginning is excellent. We get given a training schedule, we put on our new sportswear (a Christmas present, obviously), and we’ve got this. However, after a few weeks, the novelty starts to fade. Every part of you aches, you’re exhausted from skipping morning naps to go to the gym, and you haven’t yet noticed the abs you were promised. You did NOT sign up for this.
For a moment, let’s be honest about this. It takes time to get fit. You can’t anticipate becoming a hero over night. So be kind to yourself and make a few slightly more modest exercise goals. Fitness is a lifestyle, not simply a fast fix. Exercise should be enjoyable, and working out in the gym isn’t at all enjoyable. It’s okay as long as you make the effort to incorporate activity into your day, every day.
CONSCIOUS EATING Oh yes, the new year’s resolution diet. Where we pledge to give up all carbohydrates, sugar, and fat, toss out all takeout menus, and to join Veganuary because, hey, everyone’s doing it, so it’s got to be good. But it’s the same old tale. We do well for two weeks, practically still surviving off the surplus calories from Christmas, but then temptation and cravings start to reappear with a fury.
I’ll offer you some advice: don’t eliminate everything at once. It is unpleasant. In all honesty, January can already be a fairly terrible month without adding to it. With an emphasis on the word “small bit,” I live by the maxim “a little bit of everything does you good.” Give yourself a break and allow yourself to have that biscuit if you want it. If you start depriving yourself of certain foods that you love, your body will start to crave them even more. Unless you have the strongest willpower known to humankind, give yourself a break and allow yourself that biscuit. Maybe you shouldn’t have the entire package!
In order to practice mindful eating, you must slow down, properly chew your food, and pay attention to the flavors and sensations of each mouthful. Make each mealtime a pleasurable ritual and rediscover your passion for all foods by remembering that food should be savored because it is one of life’s simple joys. Food being classified as “good” or “bad” has become so commonplace in our culture that it actually harms our relationship with food and encourages the formation of a needless food hierarchy. Listen to your body; it will tell you what it requires, what makes it feel good, and what supports its proper functioning. This, not any fad diet, will help you stay on track with your new year’s health goals.
Everything is in balance. You made a wise choice if giving up alcohol was one of your New Year’s resolutions for health. Because nobody goes out in January anyway, our livers could all use a break from the abuse we caused them over the holiday season, and we have no money till payday. Well done for choosing an easy one.
Come on, it’s time to stop being so hard on yourself if you want to go out for a drink with your friends. If you’re only cutting back after Christmas and aren’t planning on quitting booze entirely, it’s time to stop being so hard on yourself. Always remember that moderation is the key to success.
But for other people, quitting alcohol is exceedingly challenging. It’s an addiction, and the pandemic has made clearer than ever how many people turn to it as a coping method for stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues. It’s time to ask for help if you want to permanently stop drinking but are having trouble doing it on your own. A fast Google search will provide you with all the information you require about the numerous alcohol support groups that are dispersed around the nation. You can stay on track by listening to people who are in similar situations to you. Reach out to your friendship group if you’re uncomfortable striking up a conversation with a group of strangers. You won’t know unless you ask if there are others who share your sentiments and are battling to abstain from alcohol.
It’s okay to create objectives for oneself; but, you should also set challenges and recognize when harmful behaviors have gotten out of hand. But let’s be clear: it’s hard, very, really hard to keep up with them. It is hoped that reading this would give you the motivation boost you need to persevere and continue with your new year’s health resolutions.
