I don't know about you but I'm already bored with the magazine articles, TV adverts and general internet chat about diets and exercise regimes that you should start now to get all fit and fantastic.

This morning alone I opened both of the Sunday supplement magazines to be confronted with new fangled diets that I should be trying. So taking a break from my under the stairs office project....I promise to get back to interiors and up cycling blogging tomorrow i just wanted to say.

ENOUGH.!!

I too want to start the New Year in a much healthier way, but when I read some of these articles and the diets they are suggesting I panic. You practically need a degree in Chemistry to understand half of them, the ingredients they suggest you incorporate into your diet will never be stocked in my local Somerfield and if you have time to make and bake your own Granola you can't be my friend!

So here is my summary of top tips to start the new year in a healthier way.

1) It's not rocket science and my clever Brother has always said " MOVE MORE, EAT LESS"

I don't think this means you suddenly have to deck yourself in Lycra and start running, or embarrass yourself trying to keep up with the fitness bunnies at the local Zumba class.Maybe just go for a walk every day, walking at pace can be just as good. Instead of coffee with a friend catch up on the gossip while you walk.

2) CUT out the sugar or really really cut down.

I am a real advocate of this and there are lots of books and websites at the moment that are talking about this, i have learnt a lot from Sarah Wilson who has a great blog about cutting out sugar and top tips on doing it and a website 'I quit sugar'  .I learnt the benefits of this last year when like Sarah I was suffering from Thyroid problems. Stopping the sugar made me much much better. It can however seem very daunting so don't worry if you cant do it 100%.

Basic changes can mean the world of difference:

Don't add extra sugar in your tea and coffee.

Cut out all fizzy drinks

Try not to eat processed foods they have loads if hidden sugar. Yes that does mean anything from the ready-made meal section!

Of course don't eat the obvious sweet things,cakes sweets etc. etc. Check labels on things some things that they say are healthy i.e. cereal bars are full of sugar. Don't be fooled.

I know, I know easier said than done but believe me I was so surprised how easy it was to do and after a week or so I didn't even fancy eating sweet things any more, in fact they made me feel a bit sick.

3) Cut down or out the alcohol.

This is not going to make me popular I know but someone once told me to think of a glass of wine as a think slice of processed bread smothered in butter. They have just about the same calorific content which is alarming. There is no point suffering Ryvitas all day only to ruin it with three glasses of wine a night= totally pointless.

4)Don't save the kitchen disco for parties.

Crack up the music and have a bloomin good boogie, my girls love it when we do this. One Direction is the album of choice at the moment. Ten minutes of dancing around and singing into my potato masher and its as good as a workout!

5) Under no circumstances purchase a celebrity fitness DVD.

I am sure that just watching these can be bad for your mental health! I'm also certain most "D- list" celebrity's are packed off to fat camp around June time to gain those extra pounds and look rubbish in a bikini on holiday.  They then can be filmed losing the weight for their fitness DVD released just after Christmas and make a few pennies doing it.!!! We are not suckers, you have had months of one on one personal trainers and dietitians helping you. If we buy the DVD we wont have time to do it as we all have a life and if we do the exercise's you suggest in the confines of our living rooms we will knock pictures off the walls and have to move all the furniture out.

6) Do not buy a soup maker, juicer, smoothie maker, George Foreman grill or a monthly subscription to a wheat grass delivery.

None of the above will be used after about two weeks and will take up lots of space in your cupboards. !! Blenders and food processors that you already have can mostly do what these gadgets claim they can do.

Anyway enough from me I am no fitness or health guru just wanted add a sprinkling of common sense to the New Year fitness and diet craziness. As you will see from this photo frankly I was born Bikini ready!!!!!!!!!!!!

Over and out.

Lynne x