Health: Your New Year’s Resolutions Start NOW!

It’s officially September!! Before long, the Christmas plans will be underway as many begin to search for plane tickets and discuss trips to the village……yes, 2013 is definitely approaching it’s end.
So how far for your New Year’s resolutions? You know, those things you promised yourself you would do? Those things you were so determined to change? How is that going? 2014 is almost here…..will you be writing down the same resolutions? Will the plan stay the same?

Have you been able to get healthier like you said you would? I am not asking whether you have lost weight, I am more interested in knowing whether you have kept to the plan….to eat cleaner, to improve your physical performance.

If you are anything like 90% of the population, improving your health was somewhere at the top of your list in January! But as life hit and demands became real, it slowly fell to the bottom (or maybe even off the list).

Well, no matter what your reason for getting off track is, I have good news for you…YOU CAN GET BACK ON TRACK!! You can start from where you are now and get to where you want to be.


So reset your mind….accept the fact that you have made mistakes, embrace the things you did wrong, because they can teach you what not to do.

START HERE:

• Drink more water this week: it’s the BEST way to detoxify your system and revamp it for the better
• Put less sugar/honey in your tea or coffee or hot cocoa: every spoon counts…it doesn’t matter whether it’s high fructose corn syrup or  “raw honey”…sugar is sugar and the less you consume of it, the better
• Wake up an hour earlier and get exercise in: If life is busy for you, make some adjustments to work in some consistent work out time. Instead of spending an hour on make-up or putting an outfit together, spend half the time and invest the rest in some good old pushups and a quick jog…..your body will thank you.

• Avoid the Sodium: Sodium is no bueno for the belly fat…and if your life is stressful, excess sodium will only serve to increase the possibility that you will develop hypertension at a young age…NOT GOOD!
• Try out this AWESOME equipment-free workout: lose the “I don’t have access to a gym” excuse and try out this fat blasting workout in the comfort of your bedroom!
• Eat a fruit and a handful of nuts before every workout: This will ensure that you have enough energy sources to power through the workout

Circuit 1:

Squat Jumps (45 seconds) http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/freehand-jump-squat

Basic Pushups—can’t do “real” ones? Feel free to get on your knees (10 reps)  http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/pushups

Regular body Squats (60 Seconds)

Steady Plank with arm reach-out (15 reps)

Circuit 2:

Walking Lunges (60 Seconds) http://videos.bodybuilding.com/watch/106962/exercise-guides-bodyweight-walking-lunge-female-clip

Plank Walk-out (45 Seconds) 

Wall Sits (45 Seconds) 

Single leg Hip-Lift (15 reps each leg)

Repeat each Circuit two-three times

The reps and times described above are not written in stone…if you are just starting out, feel free to shorten the time/lower the reps. If you are super advanced, ramp it up!

Ensure to stretch well and eat some lean protein after your work out.

Have Fun!

By Chioma.