Diet starts tomorrow?

I'm not usually one for new years resolutions, however, i tend to look forward to January, in a way...

So long to the festive hangovers...

Hello to the healthy eating!

I love how every magazine runs a feature on dieting - 'a slimmer, fitter you in 2013,' '30 seconds slim,''drop a dress size in 6 weeks.' I cant get enough!!

But January is a tough month to get through - short days, miserable weather, leftover christmas chocolate...which is why resolutions are doomed to fail! 

So if you want to change your diet, perhaps to lose weight or to improve your health and wellbeing then making some small habit forming changes are a simple and sustainable way of doing so.

I want to drop a few LBs myself, so i have adopted a few principles of good eating...

1. Always have breakfast (a no brainer - at the moment it's porridge for me)

2. Drink water (minor dehydration can drain your energy and cause headaches, plus it fills you up. Cut back on your caffeine intake by replacing tea and coffee with herbal and fruit tea - liqourice and green tea with peach are personal favourites )

3. Taste the rainbow (eat plenty of colourful fruit and veg, this will increase the amount of vitamins and nutrients you take in without even noticing)

4. Eat regularly (we require a steady supply of blood sugars to the brain to aid concentration, balance our moods and boost our metabolism)

5. Limit alcohol intake and avoid fizzy drinks (not only is alcohol a depressant but it's full of sugar. No surprises that fizzy drinks are full of sugar and artificial sweeteners - studies have shown that they too may be linked to depression)

6. Snack attack (keep a stash of healthy snacks in your work drawer to avoid the temptation of the vending machines and the office feeder! Nuts, seeds, sugar free granola/cereal bars are ideal)

7. Cut down on red meat and dairy (both can contain high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol. Switch to fish and poultry and swap butter for olive oil. Go for skimmed or semi-skimmed milk or even soya or almond milk)

8. Exercise (diet and exercise go hand in hand. Exercise 

releases endorphins which make us feel happy. When taken regularly, exercise can boost serotonin levels - relieving anxiety and stress)

9. Avoid packaged foods (Ready meals, tinned soups, pasta sauces all contain high levels of salt, sugar and preservatives amongst other nasties. Fresh is best - make your own pasta sauce with fresh tomatoes, olive oil and herbs. Packaged foods might be convenient but can cause weight gain)

10. The 80/20 rule (It is way more sustainable to reward yourself with a treat - your diet doesn't have to be 100% perfect all the time. If your diet is good 80% of the time then you can allow for some indulgent treats)

You see, dieting doesn't have to be a chore. By incorporating these principles into your lifestyle you will notice a difference, physically and mentally, straight away.

... in the words of Joan Rivers...

“Diets, like clothes, should be tailored to you”