Have you made it through Dry January without falling off the wagon? Great news! Hopefully the break has quite possibly sparked a few new healthy habits too such as drinking more water. The challenge now is to carry these healthy new habits through the rest of the year. After all, good health is a marathon not a sprint. Although maybe it is best to think of it as a leisurely walk...
The psychology of introducing new healthy habits is hugely important. If a change or even quitting a habit seems like too much of a difficult task, it becomes hard to visualise completing. This often makes giving up seem like a more attractive option.
Make healthy habits last all year
Dry January is a great way to kick-start a healthy new approach to life and, of course, to cut back on your alcohol intake. Yet maintaining your reduction in alcohol consumption and sticking to completing more exercise or drinking more water, needs consideration.It is these long-term shifts in attitude that really matter when it comes to health and wellbeing.
While Dry January will help many people take notice of what they are drinking and put in place a healthy new habit such as drinking more water, it can also be seen as a one-off purge.The worst result is excessive drinking in December ahead of Dry January followed by more drinking in February as a sort of "catch-up". Unfortunately, this is clearly the opposite of the message the Dry January campaign aims to send.
So, how can you combat this?
Drinking water could help you make the right choices
Rather than going all or bust, make a change that will last. You need this healthy new habit to be enjoyable and sustainable in order for it to be successful. Drinking more water is a good place to start.
While you may wish to reintroduce alcohol after Dry January, continuing to drink more tap water should act as a reminder and deterrent from overdoing it. Switching alcohol for water is a particularly healthy choice as drinking filtered water will keep your body well hydrated, without added sugar or calories.
Staying well hydrated means having more energy, which in turn could benefit efforts to take more exercise.
As far as laying down a pattern for healthy living goes, drinking more water is an excellent place to start. It is important to make sure you enjoy your drink of choice and water is no exception.
Enjoy the taste of filtered water
Using a Doulton filtered water system will allow you to drink high quality, clean and tasty water straight from the tap. It is convenient, cost-effective and sustainable with no single-use plastic bottles needed.
Healthy habits should last a lifetime, so don't give up on giving up just because January is over. Make a change that you can stick to and your mind and body will reap the benefits.
