Ten Promises To Myself This New Year!

It’s about that time to start making our New Year’s resolutions. Even though they are fun to make, we all know they are super difficult to maintain.

According to a 2009 poll by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, each January about one in every three Americans resolve to improve their situations or themselves in one way or another, However, 75% of those people only stick to those goals for at least a week, and 46% continue six months later.

With the delicious holiday treats, it can be quite hard to keep up the New Year’s enthusiasm. However, if your goal is to improve your health, try exercising more and using portion control for the “unhealthy” food that you want.

This year, try to pick a resolution that you can and actually want to stick to. Here’s to you!

Keep in touch

We all know how busy we can get and thus, tend to forget about our friends. This year, make it a point to call your friends and reconnect. Research has shown that people with social ties tend to live longer than those that do not. Technology may seem like the easy way out, but try to actually call your friends and schedule a meet up.

Quit smoking!

Even though I do not smoke, I know that smoking may be one of the hardest habits to quit, but multiple attempts are often the path to success. There are several methods out there that you can try to overcome this battle. Not only will you feel better but you will look better too!

Save the dough

If you make healthy lifestyle changes, you will start saving more money. If you can (I know this seems unbearable) try walking or riding your bike to work. This will also help the pollution in our environment. Try buying or renting a work out video to prevent the high fees associated with gym memberships. Even Microsoft’s Xbox or Nintendo’s Wii can kick out booty’s into shape.

Cut back on gym membership costs by exercising at home. Many fitness programs on videogame systems like Nintendo's Wii and Microsoft's Xbox Kinect can get you sweating.

Wear Sunscreen

Bring on the daily sunscreen! No matter what the weather is, you can still burn. Sun exposure can cause age spots, wrinkles, and most importantly skin cancer. This New Year make sure you are wearing a sunscreen under your makeup. I like to use Bioelements SPF 50 FaceScreen. It is tint free and also hydrates your skin with Chinese Herbs!

Volunteer

Happiness is great for our souls and health. “Give and you shall receive.” Try and find a place where you can volunteer, whether it is an animal shelter, school, or even a one day thing. If we are happy, studies have shown that we are 20% less likely to develop heart disease.

Go back to school

You are never too old to go back to school. Going back to school can be the plunge that you need to take to start feeling great this new year. A study in the U.K showed that adults in their mid-50 are who went back to school had stronger verbal and memory skills.

"You are gaining a sense of accomplishment by gaining new knowledge, and you are out there meeting people and creating possibilities that were never there before," Kanaris says.

Exfoliate!

Make sure to exfoliate your skin using a cloth, scrub, or even facial brush. This will ensure that your skin looks radiant and smooth. Exfoliating also helps to promote skin cell regeneration by getting rid of the dead skin cells. My I love to use 100% Pure Facial Cleansing Brush

Get more sleep

Sleep! Sleep! Sleep! Lack of sleep can affect our mind, diet, and appearance. Sleep is extremely beneficial to your health. Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and our memory can be affected from loss of sleep. If you aren’t sleeping enough, try drinking a natural tea or even taking a nap (if you have time) during the day.

Cut back on alcohol

Binge drinking seems to be a trend! Drinking too much can increase the risk of seizures, memory loss, or even depression. Too much of anything, is not a good thing. Drinking a glass of red wine daily has been said to be ok, but drinking in excess can cause heart and liver disease, strokes, hypertensions, cancer, mental deterioration, and weight gain. For these reasons, I tend to not drink.

Skin Care Regimen

Tisk..tisk..tisk!Most people tend to buy products from the grocery store, or do not use products at all. This New Year make sure to use the proper skin care regimen. It is best to use a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. We have great starter kits that I recommend, such as, Epicuren’s Normal/Combo Skin Balance kit which includes four great products!