Are your New Year resolutions life changing or just a quick fix

January: the month of diets and New Year resolutions, running and cycling to burn off the holiday excess.
Unfortunately, in many cases, the month will likely see many diets and New Year resolutions broken before it is out.
Health is one of the main things we try to improve when the New Year rolls, but short term gain will not make up for the unhealthy binge over the festive season; we need to make sustainable changes to our lives to help fend off diseases like type 2 diabetes.
Writing for the Telegraph, Ben Fogle has given his take on the “New Year, new you” mentality, what he calls his Moderation Fitness diet.
“To be honest,” he said, “there is not really any structure, or any rules [to my Moderation Fitness diet]. It is simply based around self control. I will eat and drink anything (well, almost anything – fizzy drinks should be kept to a minimum), but also try to keep as active as possible. I don’t mean by going to the gym every day – my advice is to simply turn other necessary daily tasks into physical activity.”
He suggests taking the stairs instead of the escalator, park the car further away from your destination and walk or get off the bus a stop early. He also admits that, like most of us, he loves food. Rather than get up for a second helping however, he prefers to load his plate just a little bit more the first time, and exercise all of his self restraint to give seconds a miss.
“Much is made at this time of the year about various diets,” he said, but “they are too temporary and lack consistency in their effect. They are perfect for short-term goals, such as fitting into a wedding outfit or preparing for a beach holiday.”
But why not tackle the long term over the short term this year? Ask yourself if you will be able to keep up the changes you are making to lose weight and become healthier until next January rolls around, or if they are only a quick, unsustainable fix.

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