Regardless of whether or not you partied the previous night, drinking a mug of warm water with lemon juice before you eat or drink anything else will hydrate and cleanse the system and give you a feel-good boost.
As tempting as it may be to spend the day indoors hunkered down against the cold January weather, try to get outdoors. Wrap up warm!
Physical activity has well-documented benefits in boosting mental health, thanks to the release of endorphins and other feel-good chemicals. Rather than seeing exercise as a chore to be endured for physical benefits, see it as a tool to help you look good and feel even better.
Set a new tradition to always get January 1 off to a healthy start. Beginning with this year, factor in a New Year's Day walk or run as a key part of your holiday calendar.
Set your exercise ambitions too high, and you're at risk of falling at the first hurdle. Set yourself small goals, based on your current activity and fitness levels, and keep track of your progress. Fitness trackers and sports watches can keep you accountable and show you how much you've achieved!
Many people feel social pressure to party, but having a cozy night in with a few movies will leave you feeling smug and healthy the following morning, while others are nursing hangovers.
Think about the past year! Looking back on past plans and achievements can help you figure out what worked in the last 12 months, and what you'd like to change.
Whether you do your grocery shopping in person or online, make sure you are well stocked up on healthy, fresh food that will do you good. But ensure you're buying healthy food that you actually enjoy: there's no point letting a fridge full of vegetables go bad while you order takeaway instead!
The benefits of mindfulness and meditation are similarly well documented, but it can be surprisingly hard to set aside a few minutes to be 'in the moment.' Making a habit of a short-guided meditation first thing (you can even do it in bed) can be a good way to get started.
Many people start the new year with a similar set of good intentions. Get friends and family on board to share goals for the year, and you can help keep each other accountable. If you can find an exercise buddy, even better!
If you're accustomed to driving everywhere, you might not even be aware of many walking routes by your own doorstep. Ditching the car and just setting off on a stroll around your own neighborhood can uncover new walking, running, or cycling routes.
Driving can be stressful, and it does no good at all for the body or the planet. Ditching the car and getting to nearby places on foot will give you time to think, relax, and burn some calories at the same time.
There's nothing like the sight of fresh, flattering workout wear to put you in the mood for getting a sweat on. See this as an investment in your future health, and treat yourself to holiday sales!
Prioritize your mental health at least as much as your physical health. Keeping a journal of feelings and emotions can help you keep on track of how things are going.
If you've cut out cigarettes, calorific morning lattes, or late-night cocktails, work out how much you've saved. Seeing financial as well as physical benefits can be an extra incentive to keep going!
Sticking to health and fitness goals in January can be especially hard, as the weather seems to call for snuggling up with food and drink. Make sure you have weather-appropriate clothes, and do your best to get outdoors for at least a few minutes' walk every day.
Ordering organic fruit and vegetable boxes from local suppliers is a great way to keep fresh, healthy food coming in, while supporting the community rather than boosting supermarket profits.
If you've stuck to your health and fitness goals for a week, a month, or even just a day, give yourself a pat on the back. Whether it's a long soak in the tub or using your newfound extra cash to subscribe to a beauty box delivery, you can see this as a treat for your hard work.
Make sure the last of the holiday junk food is used up by the end of the year, and have a good clear out, so you'll feel like you're starting afresh with your eating habits in the new year.
Whether you want to calm your mind with a bedtime blend, soothe your digestive system with stomach-calming herbs, or give yourself a healthy caffeine boost, there's a herbal infusion for it all. Tea is a healthy, generally inexpensive habit to get into, so start getting your tea collection going in the new year.
No doubt you've heard it a million times, but meal planning really can help you keep on top of what you eat. Make sure you are choosing healthy meals you can actually look forward to, and get prepping for the week ahead.
Sources: (Mayo Clinic) (Healthline)(Sunnyside) (Verywell Mind)
See also: How to hack your happy chemicals
Think about what you want to achieve, health-wise, in the coming year. Do you want to nail a yoga arm balance? Run a 10k? Start Pilates classes? Get six-pack abs? Firmly identifying what you want to achieve, and when, can make you accountable to yourself.
The best-laid plans can go wildly off course, often for reasons out of your control. Consider how you will keep on top of your health goals if things change.
For longer distances, cycling instead of driving can be a whole lot more fun, as well as healthier. Dust the cobwebs off your bike and start cycling–who needs an expensive Peloton?
Scrolling through foodie Instagram feeds is all well and good, but does anybody really follow the recipes? Digging out your old recipe books, or investing in some new ones, is a good way to get inspired for healthy meal ideas.
A new year means a fresh start, and a chance to set (achievable) health goals for the year ahead. It's all-too-easy to start out with grand plans for daily sunrise yoga sessions, signing up for a marathon, and ditching wine and chocolate for good, but if you start out too big, you might be doomed to fail. Right from the get-go, start the new year with small, healthy lifestyle changes, and you could be setting yourself up for your healthiest year yet.
Sound like a plan? Click through this gallery to find out how you can get your new year off to the healthiest start possible.
If you did enjoy a few New Year's drinks and wake up with a heavy head, don't beat yourself up. Resist the temptation to 'recover' with junk food or, worse still, a hair of the dog drink. See this as a fresh start, and aim to make the first day of the new year a healthy one.
If you feel like you eat healthily and exercise, but don't see any physical payoff, a calorie-tracking app, such as My Fitness Pal, might help. Many are free to use, easy to install, and help you keep a log of exactly what you're really consuming every day.
How to get the new year off to a healthy start
Start 2025 as you mean to go on!
HEALTH Healthy living
A new year means a fresh start, and a chance to set (achievable) health goals for the year ahead. It's all-too-easy to start out with grand plans for daily sunrise yoga sessions, signing up for a marathon, and ditching wine and chocolate for good, but if you start out too big, you might be doomed to fail. Right from the get-go, start the new year with small, healthy lifestyle changes, and you could be setting yourself up for your healthiest year yet.
Sound like a plan? Click through this gallery to find out how you can get your new year off to the healthiest start possible.