New Year, New You

As the end of the year creeps closer, you’re probably making a list of healthy New Year’s resolutions you’re determined to stick with. This’ll be the year you DEFINITELY reach your goals, right?

Does your list look something like this?

• Start working out to lose those pesky pounds! I love the gym! I love the gym!
• Cut back on all those Cosmo’s at the bar
• Eat more salads instead of sugary sweets. Is it possible to make green taste good?
• Get a good night’s sleep
• Quit smoking – for good THIS TIME!

While these are all great goals – who doesn’t want to trim their waistline, tone their butt at the gym, or love the taste of vegetables? – they’re actually just the end product.

It’s one thing to make New Year’s resolutions – but then we actually have to start working on them. By not setting out the steps in order to reach these goals, most people forget they even made a list by the end of January.

Here are a few easy steps to follow to help you achieve a healthy new you for 2012.

1. Rebounding

Hate working out but know you have to? Make your workout fun by purchasing a mini-trampoline or rebounder and bounce your way to better health.

• Rebounding is a high-efficiency workout originally adopted by NASA
• Scientific studies prove rebounding is one of the most effective exercises for diminishing body fat and improving muscle tone
• It’s about more than weight loss: rebounding invigorates our lymphatic system, which becomes sluggish with inactivity (the lymphatic system is a series of organs, ducts and nodes that carries nutrients to the cell and waste products away). Without movement, our cells are left sitting around in their own waste, hungry for adequate nutrients
• Try rebounding for 10 minutes a day and work upwards from there

2. Water for weight loss

Most people don’t drink enough water, plus they consume many beverages that contribute to dehydration and weight gain.

• The body needs at least six to eight 8 oz. glasses of pure water per day, which doesn’t include alcohol, coffee, tea or other caffeinated beverages
• Thirst and hunger are stimulated in the same area of the brain, so instead of reaching for a glass of water we typically reach for food. Next time you feel the need to overeat, try a glass of water instead
• Not sure how to drink more water in a day? Try one glass (8 oz.) 30 minutes before each meal and another two hours after each meal to meet the minimum requirements

3. Fiber: Nature’s natural appetite suppressant

Fiber isn’t just beneficial for our bowels. It can also be a helpful weight loss tool.

The fiber from foods like fruits and vegetables binds with water to form a gelatinous mixture. This fills up our stomachs, sending a signal to our brain that we’re full.

• We should be getting at least 45 – 50 grams of fiber a day from our diet. For example, a half-cup of fresh raspberries has about 8 grams of fiber; a medium apple about four grams; an avocado has 11 grams; a cup of quinoa has five grams; a cup of black beans has 13; and rolled oats have 12 grams of fiber

4. Banish the Booze

If cutting back on alcohol is on your list, treat your liver to a holiday gift with some detoxifying herbs and vegetables.

• The herb Milk Thistle protects the liver from toxins and stimulates the production of new liver cells
• Incorporate detoxifying foods like beets, lemon and garlic, and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage into your diet

5. It’s easy to go green

For many people, eating salad all day long doesn’t sound very exciting. If eating a lot of vegetables is new for you, try hiding them in a smoothie. Spinach, romaine lettuce or avocado are quite mild and mix well with your favorite fruits. This can be a great place to start before you try something more daring.

6. Successful Sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep isn’t always easy. There are many factors that can stand in the way of sweet slumber, so try ruling these things out before resorting to herbal sleep aids.

• Lights out: make sure your room is as dark as possible
• Electronics: try to not keep cell phones and any electronic equipment – including alarm clocks – near the bed. The electromagnetic frequencies emitted can interfere with sleeping patterns
• Don’t go to bed on a full stomach. Your body will be concentrating on digesting your food instead of letting you sleep
• Avoid drinking water and other beverages a few hours before bed. This will eliminate the times you wake in the middle of the night for a bathroom break

Butt out

Quitting smoking is possibly the hardest goal to reach at any time, not just New Year’s. With one puff of a cigarette comes the inhalation of more than 4,000 different chemicals, not to mention that smoking depletes the antioxidant vitamins E and C.

• The human body cannot make vitamin C and E, so they must be obtained from food and supplements
• Smokers require twice the daily-recommended amount of vitamin C versus non-smokers
• Inadequate consumption of vitamin C or E increases the risk of disease. Vitamin C can help prevent artery damage, lower blood pressure and may prevent certain cancers
• Interestingly enough, vitamin C can also be used to help withdrawal symptoms from addictions like smoking