insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 23 - January 2017 | Page 60

NEWYEAR

TOP NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

BY LISAMARIE LAMB

HAPPY NEW YEAR! BIG BEN HAS STRUCK MIDNIGHT AND THE FIREWORKS HAVE MADE US ALL
OOH AND AHH. WE’RE FEELING POSITIVE; THIS IS YOUR YEAR, MY YEAR, AND YOU’RE GOING TO
DO BIG THINGS WITH IT. THAT, OF COURSE, INCLUDES KEEPING NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS.
ONLY FOR THE MOST PART WE DON’T. ONCE THE DAILY ROUTINE COMES BACK INTO PLAY AND
WE’RE BACK AT WORK, BACK DOING THE SCHOOL RUN, WHEN THE LEFTOVER CHRISTMAS FOOD
HAS FINALLY RUN OUT AND WE HAVE TO FACE THE SUPERMARKET AGAIN, GOOD INTENTIONS
OFTEN GET LEFT BEHIND.
THE TRICK WITH RESOLUTIONS, PSYCHOLOGISTS SAY, IS TO START SMALL. START WITH
SOMETHING ACHIEVABLE. ONCE THAT’S DONE, YOU’LL HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO MOVE ONTO
MUCH BIGGER THINGS…

SPEND MORE TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

LOSE WEIGHT
Did you know that
almost 70 percent of
the people who
bought gym
memberships last
January used them
just once? Which just
goes to show – the
gym may sound like a
great idea amidst the
champagne and selection boxes of the Christmas period, but when it
comes down to it, it’s just not everyone’s cup of green tea.
But losing weight is still a great resolution to have, and if the gym
isn’t something that will do it for you, there are other ways and means.
Eating more healthily is the best way to begin when it comes to weight
loss, and could be a more manageable resolution to have. Stop the
takeaways and the fried breakfasts and eat more salads, fruit and veg.
Once the first few pounds have fallen away, you’ll feel more inclined
to keep going. Next step – exercise!

We’re all busy, and 2017 is likely to be no less busy than last year. But
does that mean you need to be completely focused on work and spare
no time for anyone or anything else? Human beings are social animals,
and even the most introverted of us enjoy spending time with select
friends and family. If during the last year – or more – you felt yourself
falling out of touch with those who matter most and you can’t remember
the last time you just hung out with them, make 2017 the year you clear
your schedule to be with them more. Make the effort to visit, make that
phone call, send that text. Just being with people we love has a
beneficial effect on our wellbeing, so keeping in touch is in everyone’s
best interests.

TRAVEL MORE

DRINK LESS
Drinking less goes
hand in hand with
losing weight, and
feeling better in
general. A glass of
white wine has as
many as 120
calories in it, and if
you want to burn
that off again it
would mean you’d
have to walk –
briskly – for 15 to 30
minutes. Ouch! So just one glass of wine each night means that by the
time you reach the weekend, you’re going to need to go walking for
around three hours. And let’s not even get started on the beer and
spirits. Now does that tipple seem quite so appealing?

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Will 2017 be the year you hit the open road and travel more? It should
be. This is a big wide world we live in, and while we’re here we should
make the most of it. You could start small, travelling around the UK
and finding some off the beaten track kind of places. After that, why
not organise some trips further afield? We all need to unwind and
recharge sometimes, so if 2016 felt as though it really took it out of you,
make 2017 the year you take something back.