The New Year has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, to the future. It's a time to reflect on the changes we want to make and resolve to follow through on those improvements.
While it's not so easy to keep them, it always helps to team up with someone and challenge each other or seek assistance for the necessary support.
If you have been telling yourself that the dress you wanted to put on fitted better the last time you wore it, or the pair of trousers you have on are too tight, get into a fitness regime. Make it a must to take daily walks, join a gym or get in touch with the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate. The Facebook page Get Healthy Malta https://www.facebook.com/gethealthymalta, gives daily tips and useful information on campaigns run by the directorate.
Meanwhile keep in mind that regular exercise has been associated with more health benefits than anything else. Studies show that it reduces the risk of some cancers, increases longevity, helps achieve and maintain weight loss, enhances mood, lowers blood pressure, and even improves arthritis. Exercise keeps you healthy and makes you look and feel better.
Set yourself reasonable goals if you want to lose weight and steer away from starvation diets. Rev up your metabolism by eating small portions of food regularly and not skipping any meals while taking the recommended daily allowance of fresh fruit and vegetables, fibre and water.
The Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate also organises focus groups for people who want to lose weight and others who want to quit smoking.
Many people use the New Year as an incentive to finally stop drinking or moderate their alcohol intake. If you have decided that you want to stop drinking, there is a world of help and support available.
Agenzija Sedqa’s Alcohol and Gambling Community Team provides personalised services to individuals and their significant others who are experiencing some form of alcohol or gambling related problems. Alcoholics Anonymous Malta has proven to be very helpful to people who want to quit alcohol and who have quit years ago but continue to receive support. For further information log on to http://aamalta.org.
Have you vowed to learn something new this year and make yourself proud of another accomplishment? The government and local councils offer a variety of lifelong learning courses, at minimal fees. Several private institutions also run courses in IT, languages and business studies. Registration might not be open all year round but plan ahead on what you would like to do and research the prerequisites to make sure you’re all set and in time.
Meanwhile, simple green resolutions will make you feel positive and most come at no cost, if not help you save money.
Neither plastic and nor paper bags are good for the environment so opt for reusable shopping bags which are durable. Nowadays these come in all sorts of sizes and most can be folded and put away in your handbag or car glove compartment for convenience.
Increase your fuel mileage by checking your tyre pressure once a month or as necessary. Underinflated tires result in fuel wastage and increase pollution.
While it might be convenient for you to throw all your rubbish in one bag and take it out every day for collection, it is important to keep the three ‘Rs’ in mind. Reduce the amount of stuff you produce and reuse containers. When this is not possible, then recycle plastics, paper and glass. This can later be taken to bring-in sites or thrown in grey bags and collected from behind your door once or twice a week.