Here we go, here we go, here we go! We promised ourselves after the Great Feast (Thanksgiving Dinner to New Years Day) that we’d begin the New Year, again, with a great workout program and cut back on all those things deemed bad for us. Hah!

Let’s get serious. You can do all of the things you promised yourself and put on your New Year’s Resolution list, IF, you take it one day at a time.

Here are 5 tips to get you started.

Make a lifestyle change – Don’t view your weight loss resolutions as a quick fix and try to loose 10 pounds in 3 days or 30 pounds in 15 days. You didn’t gain the extra weight you carry in 3 days or 15 days. Okay, most people don’t! A lifestyle change will mean changing the way you think, eat and what you eat. Speaking of eating …

Nutrition plays a big roll in how you look and feel – You already know what happens when you enjoy a bit too much of certain foods. Here’s the lifestyle change, again. All of those wonderful green foods that line the shelves of your farmer’s markets or grocery stores are waiting for you to take them home and give them a try.

Kale, spinach, broccoli, collards, romaine lettuce … just to name a few, are waiting to give a boost to the healthy side of what you eat. Let’s not forget the peppers, squash, onions and fruits. They each have a role to play in making you feel healthy. Then there’s Water …

Drink More Water – You knew it was coming! When I talk with a lot of my clients, they’re making great strides with food choices. When I ask them about water intake, there’s silence … laughter and plain ole, I don’t like water.

Water is like fuel to your body and without an adequate amount you run the risk of dehydration. Dehydration causes all kind of havoc to your system, organs, blood, thought process … get the point?

The rule is drink half your body’s weight in water a day. That’s what you strive to take in. Add fresh lemon, lime, orange or cucumber slices ( no skin on cucumbers) to enhance the flavor. Your body looses fluids when you exercise, so it’s important that you take in enough water to keep you going.

Exercise – That’s right, exercise. What’s a lifestyle change without exercise? Something as simple walking, you can do in your house. When the weather doesn’t permit, I have several video’s bookmarked from Youtube for walk at home fitness.

Then there’s salsa dancing, swimming, belly dancing and Zumba. One of the best workouts you can get is from the practice of Yoga. You’ve got options!

Meditation – I’m still working on this one. I haven’t mastered sitting in one spot in the lotus position for any length of time. Maybe this form of meditation is not for me at this time. However, I find great solitude and tranquility in walking along the beach or a nature trail.

When it’s all said and done …

Making a lifestyle change can enhance your quality of life in so many ways. Be sure to add getting enough rest to this list. Without rest, your body won’t heal, your thinking will be foggy and you could possibly be brought to a stand still that you didn’t plan for.

That’s it for this week. As always …

Dedicated To Your Beauty,

Juliette Samuel
Esthetician/Author/Aromatherapist/Publisher

Nyraju Skin Care