New Year, New Goals ……. New perspective?

Happy New year all! I hope you have had a wonderful break and feel rested and raring to go in 2025? If I can judge the mood by the consultations, I’ve had with clients this last week & the ladies in my new Detox group which started this week then I would think you might be feeling a little sluggish and flat after the Christmas festivities. I will coin the phrase used by one of the ladies in my Detox group where she advised she had joined the group to ‘de-sludge’. Think that fits perfectly how most of us are feeling. Don’t think us nutritional professionals are exempt from the Christmas festivities and the sluggishness and de-sludging required is most certainly felt on this side of the fence thanks to a little too much fun 😉

You maybe one of thousands who have started the year resolute to get healthier, lose weight, get your fitness levels up or just tackle those underlying symptoms that are holding you back from living the life you want and deserve. If you are then I commend you and wish you every success.

Research suggests that 80 % of New Year goals are abandoned by February with 95% of them being fitness and health related. The main reasons sighted for our inability to follow through on all our good intentions is down to two simple behavioural traits:

1/ Unrealistic goals – Goals that are poorly formulated or too broad are more likely to be forgotten and difficult to execute

2/ Our expectations – Expecting big changes in a short space of time

I want to add a third which is not scientifically researched but believe to be part of the downfall of New Year, New You endeavours in the UK which is ……

3/ It’s cold, dark, financially feeling the pinch and a little flat in January so bloody hell, how are we to focus on goals!?

So how can we make an impact into the health & fitness goals we so desperately want to achieve without failing at the first hurdle and feeling deflated right off the bat? If you’re looking to ‘de-sludge’ then follow the below realistic goals to get you started:

A little of what you fancy

Removing all sugar and carbohydrates forms part of the unrealistic goal setting. You are setting yourself up for one all mighty fall if you think this is the holy grail to feeling better and getting you closer to your goals. You need carbohydrates to help make serotonin, our happy hormone by supporting amino acids through the blood brain barrier. We crave satiety in the winter months and need that serotonin to boost our mood.

A little sugar isn’t the end of the world and dark chocolate is rich in magnesium and antioxidants so that one’s a keeper! Source good quality dark chocolate with a high quality % of cocoa to keep the sugar down.

Focus on nourishment not banishment

Include protein rich foods that increase satiety and keep hunger at bay. Protein takes longer to digest and supports blood sugar control leaving you less hungry, better energy levels and less hunting out high sugar processed foods.

Increasing Omega 3 foods can help with mood and energy so have a handful of nuts and seeds a day and add some oily fish into your diet. Sardines on toast with a sprinkle of seeds will leave you feeling satisfied whilst feeding your brain and nervous system at the same time.

Rebalance those treats

If you’re still snacking like its Christmas with biscuits, cake, chocolate and crisps then focus on reshifting the balance. You will be surprised at how tipping the balance a little will help you reach those health goals in a more realistic and sustainable way.

The trick is to focus on reducing the sugar load, not eliminating it. This takes the pressure off and stops you feeling deprived and in the ‘diet mentality’ which leaves us feeling hard done by, deprived and ready to throw in the towel.

If you usually have 2 biscuits with a cuppa mid-morning, a packet of crisps with a sandwich lunchtime and a chocolate bar mid-afternoon then think about what you can replace these with. If your biscuit break is your favourite part of the day, then swap your crisps for some oatcakes or a small bag of salted popcorn and your mid-afternoon chocolate bar to some dark chocolate and handful of nuts. That alone will rebalance your day with a 50 % reduction in sugar load.

Just move without fixation

Movement can lift your mood, energy and get oxygen flowing through your body. We all feel better when we move. Unstructured movement such as walking, housework, 10 mins of yoga, running up and down the stairs or a 15-minute free Joe Wicks workout is good enough. Set realistic goals each day which work for you which are attainable. If you know that your time poor, make a mental note to make sure you schedule 15-20 mins to get some fresh air and get away from your desk or regular toilet breaks in the office and use the furthest toilet. You are more likely to stick to these mini, achievable goals than other unrealistic targets whilst getting the health benefits.

I urge you to step into January being kind to yourself remembering that small, health goals are more likely achievable leading to positive change ❤️

I have attached one of my favourite winter warming recipes to keep you on track and takes less than 30 minutes to make and packed full of protein and plant-based goodness. Utilise leftovers for lunch.

If you want to get in touch, then feel free to book into a 20 minute Health Review by clicking the button below.

Chickpea & lentil dhal

This is an incredibly quick and easy recipe for when time is in short supply.

serves 4

1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 red onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic
3cm fresh grated ginger
1 x 400ml can coconut milk
1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained 150g dried red lentils
100g spinach
salt and pepper

Put the dry spices in a frying pan, and dry-fry for 1 min with a pinch of salt. Add the oil and onion to the spices and sauté for 5 mins. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for a few mins. Pour in the coconut milk with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the drained chickpeas and the lentils. Cook, covered, for 20 mins. For the last 5 mins, drop in the spinach and stir so it wilts in with the mix. Serve with cauliflower rice.