Good intentions are as much a part of the New Year as the polar bear is of ARKTIS. But where does this tradition actually come from? The Babylonians documented New Year celebrations 4,000 years ago. Back then, they promised the gods that their debts would be paid. If they failed to do so, they gambled away the favor of the gods, according to the belief of the time. The Romans also made oaths and traditional offerings at the beginning of the new year. In the Middle Ages, the oath of knighthood was renewed at New Year and around 1820 the word "New Year's resolutions" appeared for the first time. What resolutions do Germans make? According to a survey by "Statista", Germans generally have the following
Top 10 New Year's resolutions
1. do more sport
2. Eat healthier
3. Lose weight
4. Spend more time with family/friends
5. Live more frugally
6. Less stress in the office
7. Quit smoking
8. Drink less alcohol
9. Perform better at work
10. Spend less time on social media
But very few people stick to their plan for longer than 4 months. But that doesn't have to be the case! Even simple tips can help make New Year's resolutions a reality.
Tips to help you achieve your New Year's resolutions
Think about your "why" Hand on heart: did you make a resolution because you want to or because others expect you to? You will only keep good resolutions in the long term if the motivation comes from within yourself. So think beforehand about whether and what you would like to change for yourself and how much you are prepared to do to achieve this. Don't take on too much If you take on too much, you will quickly stumble or give up.
A complete change in diet within 24 hours will push you to your motivational limits. So start by replacing one meal a day with a healthy alternative. See what is good for you and tastes good. Try out delicious, healthy recipes that suit you and your everyday life. Once you have found a way that works for you, replace the next meal of the day. This makes it much more likely that you will stick with it.
Set yourself clear goals
Losing a little weight or doing more sport are great resolutions. However, to keep them, you should set yourself clear goals.
- Set yourself an annual goal: e.g. lose 10 kg by 31.12.
- Divide into intermediate steps: 2.5 kg by 31.03.; 5 kg by 30.06.; 7.5 kg by 30.09.;
by 31.12. the targeted 10 kg should be gone. This way you keep the big picture in mind
and are not immediately overwhelmed by the large number.
- Also think about how you want to achieve this goal: e.g. jogging twice a week, changing your diet at
etc.
- It is important that you are as specific as possible.
- Keep an eye on your goal. There are very good apps for every topic that you can use
to record your personal progress. This will keep you motivated.
And motivation is your best friend!
Good planning is half the battle
Your planned resolutions should fit into your everyday life, otherwise it will be difficult to implement them. If you have a friends' evening on Wednesdays, it makes more sense not to squeeze in a sports session on that day. Instead, use another day on which you are sure to have the muse and time for your sports sessions. If you want to live more frugally, for example, make yourself a monthly financial plan. It sounds worse than it is. You only have to make the effort once and write down your expenses + income per month. Think about where you can/want to make savings. Set yourself a fixed budget for purchases.
Make it as nice as possible Keeping your resolutions doesn't always automatically mean doing without. Combine useful things with
pleasant things. A nice new sports outfit makes it much easier to train and a practical smoothie maker conjures up delicious and healthy drinks.
A wellness weekend is a wonderful way to reduce stress. But you can also create wonderful islands of relaxation at home. Simply take a detox day on a Sunday. Enjoy a nice warm bath, e.g. with our BATH | alkaline bath. This also makes your skin soft to the touch. Or treat yourself to our Intestinal Detox Package and do something good for your immune system during the flu season.
Find like-minded people Now that motivation is your best friend: find like-minded people! This could be a regular meeting with a fitness group, a lunchtime run with colleagues or a cooking evening where you can try out delicious (low-calorie) recipes together. It's much easier to manage and achieve everything together. If someone is weak, the community pulls them along and motivates them again. That way, your New Year's resolutions will soon become reality.
Best wishes, your Arktis BioPharma Switzerland team
