Today’s guest post is from the lovely Jessica Donovan from Energetic Mama.  She is sharing her expert tips on how to have a healthier 2015 – without the guilt!

Ditch the New Year Resolutions for a healthier 2015

Let me guess, you have set a New Year’s Resolution, focused on the fact that 2015 will be the year to drop weight, get healthy, quit sugar, get fit, ease up on the booze or quit smoking.

Maybe you have already ‘broken it’ by indulging in a glass of wine or a yummy dessert at your friends BBQ, after all it is the socialising season! Maybe you haven’t yet started because you can’t join the gym while the kids are still on school holidays.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but New Year’s resolutions don’t work and here is why. As soon as you slip from your resolution, which is usually unrealistic and depriving, you have failed; you have fallen; you have been unsuccessful yet again. This does nothing for your self-belief, you fall back into old habits and vow to try again next year! Sound familiar?

Set yourself up for success in 2015 with my tips for a sustainable healthy way of life

Health is a lifestyle not a destination

When we are focused on reaching a specific goal we forget to enjoy ourselves along the way. We put our lives on hold and waste precious time! Start doing the things that make you happy NOW. Don’t wait for that magical day when you fit into a certain dress size or are satisfied with the number on the scales to book your holiday to the beach or buy that little black dress. Live like you have already reached your goal, you will be happy and it will be much easier to achieve.

Count Nutrition not Calories

Counting and focusing on calories is not a healthy or sustainable approach to food. Focus instead on consuming food that nourishes your body nutritionally. Food is our fuel, it is our friend, not our enemy! Let’s have a look at a nutritionally rich green smoothie, containing fresh fruit, coconut milk, chia seeds and spinach, which contains close to 400 calories. Compare that to a can of diet soft drink that has 0 calories. Which is better? The can of soft drink contains no calories but no nutrition either? The artificial sweeteners (chemicals) will leave us craving sugar leading to unhealthy food choices. The smoothie however will fill us up and satisfy us nutritionally for hours. I know which I would choose!

Focus on getting the good stuff in

Depriving ourselves of the things we enjoy only sets us up for disaster. Our focus is on the specific things we are ‘not allowed to have’ and we now want them REALLY badly! Focus instead on filling ourselves up with the good stuff and your need for junk simply diminishes! I am not just talking about food here either, fill your life with things you love, surround yourself with positive people, work towards a satisfying career and make time for activities you enjoy.

Choose your language carefully

Phrases such as “I should”, “I must” and “I can’t” are not very helpful and often create feelings of guilt. As soon as we tell ourselves we should be doing something it creates a battle in our head. What we are really telling ourselves is we are not doing things well enough and we “should” be doing them some other way.

Restrictive terms such as “I can’t have sugar” or “I must not eat that” can work in the short term but are not usually sustainable and we fall off the wagon once again! It is human nature to rebel, even against ourselves! “I could” and “I choose” are much more positive and helpful phrases to use. “I could go to the gym”, rather than “I should go to the gym”. “I choose to eat a big salad every day” because it makes me feel good rather than “I can’t have a piece of cake because I am on a diet”, see the difference? The language you use both in your own head and when communicating with others has a profound effect on the way you feel and the actions you take.

How about making 2015 the year that you start the lifelong journey to FEEL better, wake up with more than enough energy to embrace your day and make food choices that make you feel fresh, light and energised? Who is with me?

About Jessica:

Jessica Donovan is a woman’s holistic health expert who helps mums get their sparkle back and become a more energetic, calm and joyful version of themselves. She is a one stop shop for all things nutrition, stress and hormone related. Jessica combines her deep naturopathic knowledge with a realistic, empathetic, inspiring and down to earth approach to empower women to look after themselves and take charge of their own wellbeing.

Jessica has created a brand new online course, Delicious Wellbeing, a 6 week program nourishing mums to vitality through real food, find out more here.

Find Jessica at her website or on Facebook.