Making changes

As Little Women’s Christmas approaches tomorrow the last of the Christmas trees will be taken down and the decorations put back up in the attic for another year. Christmas cards will be swiped from the mantelpiece leaving it looking rather bare. The fairy lights, dancing Santas, singing snowmen and the crib will all be put back in their boxes, now that their job is finished for another year.

Reality has returned with a bang as the first working week of the year officially kicks in. Those of us who over-indulged during the festive season are probably feeling a little bit sorry for ourselves. Too much food and too much alcohol have left many of us feeling lazy, sluggish and less than motivated.

But January brings with it good intentions and resolutions for the coming year. ‘Dry January’, a 31-day challenge to give up alcohol after the booze fuelled festive season, is a common trend many people undertake after Christmas. However, like new year’s resolutions, sticking to a strict no alcohol regime can be difficult, especially in the cold, dark Irish winter when a hot whiskey never seemed so tempting.

If you’re considering saying goodbye to Jägerbombs, shots and the famous pints of black stuff for the next few weeks then here are a few tips to help you in your cold turkey state.

• 1    Avoid the pub

It might seem like an obvious thing to do but avoiding the scene of the crime is a fool-proof way to keep any temptations you may have at bay.

• 2.       Two’s company

Going cold turkey on alcohol is zero craic. It’s minus craic if you’re the only one out of your group doing it. Persuading a friend to avoid the booze for a few weeks too will make missing out on nights at the pub a little bit easier. He or she might even thank you!

• 3.       Bye bye turkey tummy

Saying see-ya to alcohol can mean great news for your waist line. As alcohol contains a significant amount of calories, not consuming it can only be good for you and your body.

Adopting ‘Dry January’ to the rest of your lifestyle and diet can also have significant benefits. Replacing fizzy drinks with water, chocolate with fruit and takeaways with a properly cooked nutritious meal will all have positive benefits on you, your energy levels and your body. Over-eating and drinking at Christmas time can make it hard to cut out all the bad stuff when we’re used to it. But it can also make us motivated and determined to see change within ourselves; both physically and mentally.

With Operation Transformation also returning to our screens this week, will this year’s leaders inspire you to make any changes this year?