Happy New Year '15

So here it is, the first blog post of 2015. I know Im not super regular like my good friend Charlotte, so my first resolution will be to blog more often! I usually write marathon posts about things, but perhaps small and regular is the new way to go!

My previous new year was incredibly health and fitness focused, and although I am not as good as I used to be, I'd hate to think people don't believe in it all anymore. The things I have learnt about nutrition and my body over that period are life changing and once you learn things, you change your view of dieting and the likes. I will never diet (as in restrict my food intake again), if I wish to lose weight I will simply turn to a super healthy diet, and as a teenage girl with tendencies to want to restrict my eating, thats no bad thing! Working in my new job for Topshop/Topman is very busy, I do a lot more hours than I used to and Im in my final year of university so this year I will lack time! However, I have set myself goals for this year to work towards. The thing with resolutions is you run into them full force and run out of steam before you know it. You can't change your life in a month (a busy one at that if you work in retail!) But by simply adding in things to your life, you can improve it steadily, and when you reach 2016 you'll be better off than you were in 2014. So I challenge you all to set yourself goals to try and improve your wellbeing for 2015; I'll start by telling you mine!

1) Drink more water - Throughout all my training and health kick, the thing that makes the most difference is drinking more water. It cleared up my skin, flushed away my cellulite and left me feeling way more energised! Its such a simple thing too, so I don't understand how we all so easily fall short of it. But as I said, one day at a time! If you fail one day, just work on it the next.

2) Cooking - I cook a lot now, although I'd say my skills are fairly amateur. Better than your average student but not quite 'mum' territory. I also love cooking so have decided I'm going to really get into more this year. Again, Im not going to be able to cook every night straight away but by at least starting, it will be easier to get into the routine of cooking batch meals for when Im busy. The easiest way to learn to cook is probably through following recipes however, a lot of cookbook tend to specialise in indulgent cooking. A way to combat this is to buy a healthy cookbook, the one of choice has to be Fitter London. It has recipes that are all created with nutrition in mind, whilst still providing a wide variety of delicious and flavoursome meals! One thing I will always say is I don't believe in the generic diets. Scrap shakes and other weight loss branded products and just eat things that are fresh like meat and veg! Your food should go out of date quickly, it shouldn't be full of preservatives and additives. Merely restricted calories is also not a fix, I could eat 3 chocolate bars a day and remain under a calorie count, but eating chocolate everyday won't make you healthy nor will it be sustainable. Just eat three home cooked nutritious meals and you'll be healthier, happier and slimmer! Im hoping that by losing myself in learning to cook from this book, my health will also be improved as I'll be eating nutritiously again.

3) Relax! Again, something everyone majorly overlooks. Stress (or specifically the cortisol that is released when you are stressed) is so damaging for your body! It originally was only used to get a human/animal out of a dangerous situation and fast (much like adrenaline) It was never meant to just flow through your body on a daily basis thanks to evolution of careers, relationships and academia! I am currently finishing my degree in psychology and one of the best therapies to date is mindfulness. What some people may refer to as meditation. There are millions of links of youtube to guided meditation and I strongly advise you spend some time doing it. It refocuses your mind and combats anxiety, depression and stress meaning your body can begin to repair again. Sleep is also a major part of this, you should be getting 8 hours a night, preferably 11pm-7am as this is prime time for your body to benefit from growth hormones. Although Im not sure I will be able to afford it this year with all the exciting changes Im about to face, another great way to relax is by attending Pilates and yoga classes. I can't recommend them enough, they're so beneficial for not only physical health but mental health!

4) Do something you love. I'm only 20 and even I am realising life is short. Do something creative, write a blog, bake, read, write, sing, exercise, draw. Spend time developing your creativity or technical skills in something other than your job. You never know, it may end up being a business!!

So there they are, my new years resolutions as such, I advise you all to set yourself some goals and don't panic if they're not in full swing by next month. Change is a gradual process and as long as you have your goals written down to see, you'll be able to keep refocusing on them!

Happy New Year xoxox