You stuffed yourself for a whole month with holiday favourites like candy canes, sweet desserts and carbs galore, but now it’s January and you regret it all. Your body shape has changed, your energy levels are low, and your mood is, well, nasty.

If there is anything that connects us all to the holiday season, it’s that oh so familiar act of gluttony. Fear not, January is a month for resolutions starting with your diet, exercise routine and other mood enhancers. Follow along as I list the most effective ways to shed those unwanted pounds, get into a healthy routine and detox your body.

Tip #1 – Remove Temptations From Your Kitchen Cabinets

Before any detoxing can begin, I must rid my kitchen cabinets of any unhealthy snacks and treats, I enjoyed as did my guests. As I typically like to entertain over the holidays, I am always left with an excess of junk food. I know I should make better choices, even during the holidays, but some habits are hard to change. I did, however, offer an avocado dip which was very healthy! Now to clear out the pantry, I typically grab a large garbage bag, and stuff it with left over bags of chips, holiday candies and other salty and unhealthy snacks.

Tip #2 – Get Alcoholic Beverages Out of Sight

My family enjoys a few alcoholic beverages over the holiday season, but that habit ends quickly as we get back into our January routine. That being said, I usually round up all the half-empty bottles and put them either in storage or throw them out altogether. The same goes for sugary beverages. I promptly start off my new year with lots of water. Eight – 8 oz glasses a day to be more precise or about 2 litres! I make sure that I have a handy water bottle that measures a litre and fill it up at least twice.

Tip #3 – Establish a Weekly Meal Plan

Now that my kitchen is clean, organized and junk food free, I establish a weekly meal plan. As my family needs to eat every 4-5 hours, I prepare small healthy meals and snacks in Tupperware or microwave and oven-safe containers. I find that when they eat smaller portions more often, they are more satisfied throughout the day and less hungry during the night. A healthy balance of veggies, carbs and proteins is always something I strive for.

Tip #4 – Get Moving

It’s usually about this time of the year when I dust off and grease up my treadmill. I am not someone who likes to exercise, but I still manage to squeeze in 30 minutes of activity 3-4 times a week. With a dab of motivation to get fit and a sprinkle of pride to look and feel good, you can start this year off with lots of energy that will yield awesome results.

Tip #5 – Detox Your Body

To finish off my get-back-into-shape plan, I will consider a good detox. I make sure to visit my Health Food store and speak to the naturopath on getting the best products to get my body systems back to optimum speed and efficiency. To this, I will add a few visits to the massage therapist who will clear out my lymphatic system, work those muscles back into shape, and squeeze those toxins out of my body!

This is not a big challenge and easy for anyone to do. You need to remember that all of the binging needs to now turn into detoxing and a return to healthier habits. Your sleep will, without a doubt, benefit from all of your dedication!

Angela, Your Sleep Expert