WHETHER you spent it tucked up on the sofa or out on the town, I hope you had a great New Year. I had a quiet one in with some friends so thankfully didn’t have too much to suffer for on New Year’s Day, but if you were feeling a little rough, it may have helped incentivise you to make some healthy resolutions.

If your enthusiasm is already starting to flag, find ways to remind yourself why you’re doing it. In the spirit of Christmas just past, think about want you want to give up and how you’ll feel if you don’t. Then, like Scrooge, think about how much better you’ll look and feel if you really do what you said you would. It doesn’t matter if it’s the carrot, the stick or both that motivates you - if you’re clear on the why, the how is a whole lot easier.

If you’ve decided to reduce your drinking, or quit completely for Dry January, there are lots of great apps available that will help. Go to alcoholchange.org for some advice, but a drier January is a great target. Small things you do every day will build to healthier habits by the end of the month.

If weight loss is your goal, keep going. There are lots of fad diets out there, but research shows that you’re unlikely to stick to them and are very likely to pile it all back on again when you stop. It might not be the most glamorous method, but the best way to lose weight and keep it off really is to make sensible, sustainable changes to your lifestyle - like moving more, cutting down on unhealthy snacks and processed food, and avoiding anything sugary.

Just one extra mouthful a day (especially of something unhealthy) might account for the few pounds of weight the average adult gains every year. Small changes can make a big difference, they are easy to do and are sustainable.

People often talk to me about what they don’t want and never really figure out what they do. It’s a bit like getting in a taxi and telling the driver where you don’t want to go - you’re not going to get anywhere! Figure out what you want and why, and get some direction from your doctor, we’re more than happy to help.

Dr Jeff Stoker is a local GP at the Bermuda and Marlowe Practice in Basingstoke, with over 20 years’ experience in the NHS.

Handy links:

-Alcohol Change, Dry January - https://alcoholchange.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/dry-january

-Quit for Life - http://www.quit4life.nhs.uk/