As we say goodbye to 2012 and ring in 2013, naturally the subject of New Year’s resolutions comes up. Last year, I had four health and beauty-related resolutions: 1) Do regular cleanses 2) Do regular spa treatments 3) Learn how to effortlessly create a good smokey-eye 4) Add more cardio to my exercise routine. As I sit here on December 30th, I give myself a C- on accomplishing the goals set forth in my 2012 resolutions. I did one cleanse with mixed results. I increased the number of spa treatments I had. However, I had a precipitous drop-off in spa treatments in the second half of 2012. I’m still working on that smokey-eye thing and am wondering if it is something that is best left to the professionals. My biggest failure is probably the exercise-related resolution – not only did I not add much cardio, I stopped taking my BarreAmped classes after getting very busy with a new job. Plus, I discovered an obsession with Doughnut Plant donuts (you really must try them when in New York City – too good for words). So for 2013, my new plan is to make smaller resolutions that I have a better chance of keeping:
1) Take my vitamins every day - I take a handful of vitamin supplements every day (multi-vitamin, CO Q10, calcium, Viviscal, etc.). Some days, just looking at the handful of horse-sized pills can be daunting (especially after making the mistake of taking the wrong ones on an empty stomach).
2) Wash my makeup brushes at least every two weeks – I’ve actually been pretty good at this during 2012. I add a reminder to my calendar and have been washing all of my makeup brushes every two weeks. Cleaning your makeup brushes is key in helping to minimize acne-causing bacteria on your skin.
3) Get a massage at least three times during the year - I think the reason why I didn’t succeed with the spa treatments resolution during 2012, is because the goal was too broad and seemed too frivolous. As far as I’m concerned, massages should be a recommended health procedure - right up there with annual exams - and covered by medical insurance (especially for women). I will be having more massages in 2013, if not for my physical health, at least for my mental health.
4) Stop eating at least 3 hours before bed – I am 100% a stress eater. Even though I know that eating too close to bedtime is not good for me, if I find myself burning the midnight oil on a work project or trying to update this blog, I will reach for the snacks no matter the hour. Giving your body’s digestive tract a break from processing food is important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
5) Walk at least 10,000 steps each day – My plan is to get back to my daily exercise, but at a minimum I want to incorporate as much movement as possible. I use a Fitbit activity tracker to keep track of my daily activity. It’s fun to see how many steps I have taken on very active days. Conversely, those days when I have been chained to my desk it’s kind of scary how sedentary I can be. The plan is to take at least 10K steps 5-6 days of the week.
6) Be more kind to my hair – Beyond stopping relaxing my hair, I haven’t done anything for my hair other than regular shampooing, conditioning and the increasingly frequent dying of gray hairs. During 2013, I am pledging to get regular trims and also do at least monthly deep conditioning of my hair.
How would you rate the success of your 2012 health and beauty-related resolutions? Will you be making any New Year’s resolutions for 2013?
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