So we’re two weeks into the New Year. How many of us can honestly say we’ve been true to the body conscious resolutions we’ve set? We only get one body in life, so it’s important to look after it. But when we’re young, it’s easy to push our bodies to the extreme. We often believe we have time to take care of it when we’re older. After all, youth is for living, right? Even from a very young age, bad habits can mount up damage that is irreversible. It’s never too early or too late, to kick the bad habits to the kerb, and start to enjoy your body in a healthy way. Treating your body right, and eating the right foods, isn’t about losing weight, it’s about giving your system the nutrients it needs to live a full and energetic life.

We’re going to remind you about some quick and easy body-helping habits you can start implementing right away.

Put down the French Fries

Pizza, candies and chocolate…mmm Pizza. After a late night out, it’s really hard to hold back. It’s easy to eat too much without even noticing, and portion sizes are impossible to control when we eat out. When we’re young, we can metabolize the excess fat and calories a lot better than after we turn thirty. But that doesn’t mean you won’t gain weight and it doesn’t stop those harmful fats clogging up your arteries. There’s an alarming amount of people becoming ‘Skinny Fat’. This means that they look like they’re in shape on the outside, but are unhealthy on the inside. Worse still, you may not be getting all the nutrients from your diet that you need. Ditch the junk and eat fresh foods instead.

Smoking

The habit of smoking isn’t necessarily the same as the addiction to the nicotine. The carcinogens in regular cigarettes are not present in e-cigarettes. And if you are hooked on the nicotine, then you can still get your fix this way, although it is an . Alternatively, try to kick the habit and the addiction to the stimulant by using patches, gum, or stopping altogether. Your body will thank you, but you might have to find something else for those fidgety fingers to do. 

Not Moving Enough

When we finally find a steady 9-5 job after years of grinding in our retail jobs, it feels amazing to get the chance to sit. However, sitting or laying down all day is just as harmful as all the other things that are bad for you here. Your circulation needs to get a little more action to pump nutrients and oxygen around your body. Try to add a little more movement into your day and you’ll actually have a lot more energy and impact your health positively. Go for a walk, or take the stairs to give your heart and lungs a little bit of exercise. Even a standing desk can help, and it burns more calories too. Make sure your whole body moves in every way every day to keep it agile and healthy.

Drinking

Alcohol is addictive and, like drugs, it can alter us. This means we may become less focused, more careless, and even exhibit extreme emotions. With the social pressures of drinking, and it surrounding so many of the events and things our friends do, it’s hard to avoid it. If you really want to quit, but you’re not sure how to get there, contact your local womens recovery center for advice. They can give you plenty of great coping mechanisms, and get to the source of your addiction. Alcohol isn’t just harmful to your career and relationships, but it can quickly and easily damage your liver. When I did a cleanse a few months ago, I also gave up drinking alcohol as well. It was easy for me to abstain from drinking, but the hard part was dealing with people who were asking me why I wasn’t drinking.

I ended up drinking soda water when I went out and even though I had a non-alcoholic drink in hand, I actually ended up having so much fun. It really is all about what you make of it. Plus, giving up alcohol can help you save on so many empty, nutrient-less calories.

Get your body back by kicking your bad habits to the curb. Push your body in new, healthy ways. Eat well, exercise well, and sleep well. With a good fitness program you may be able to perform better, faster, and more accurately than ever before. Make the most of your new body and enjoy all it can do.