In any list of priorities, health should be right at the top. What we might not realise is that November is the ideal time to make healthy lifestyle changes.
No matter what we consider most important in our lives, poor physical or emotional health affects everything from our relationships to our creativity, to work and finances.
But it’s an issue which many of us like to put to the back of our minds at this time of year when the temptations of comfort foods and festive treats beckon and when dark mornings and evenings lure us to stay warm indoors rather than venturing out to exercise.
It is actually a myth that the average person gains five pounds over Christmas – in reality, most reliable studies reveal we only gain one pound. However, it is the day to day overeating and inactivity throughout winter which adds up and long term studies show most of us weigh more come February than we did in September, and that we won’t lose that weight over the coming year.
So while gyms and slimming companies will be offering special deals in January, experts believe you can benefit far more by simply making a few simple changes to your day to day habits now, at this turning point in the year.
It’s not simply about weight. The recent TV documentary The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs showed that simply walking further each day can be hugely beneficial for those suffering from depression and anxiety, and it reduces risk of conditions such as some forms of cancer and Type 2 diabetes.
What studies also reveal is that we cannot simply rely on willpower. You can spend a fortune on gym membership, alternative therapies, or even a private healthy meal plan. Ultimately, though, the key to a healthier lifestyle is investing time, not money, to plan so that you do not have to rely on willpower every time you have to make the harder, healthier choice.
Using the Kinder Institute ideal day planner, which we use in our financial life planning process allows you to build in a little bit of time to exercise into your day. Don’t plan to do too much but introduce small changes that you won’t put off. And write a meal plan each week, so you have healthy food available when you know you will be hungry.
The beauty of this is that you will probably save money on your food bills and find that you are far more productive and happy as a result of daily exercise.
Best of all, when January comes around, you will have already got into healthy, daily habits and won’t be too tempted to spend a fortune on a new gym membership that, deep down, you know you will never use.
