New goals and resolutions are at an all time high around the holidays, but it's hard to keep up with these promises for the New Year.
Dr. Sodhi, author of the new guide, "Ayurvedic Herbs: The Comprehensive Resource for Ayurvedic Healing Solutions," has given us a few tips on how to beat the odds of giving up on our newfound goals.
If you missed Part One, click here. Now read on for Dr. Sodhi's expert advice:
What you should expect from your "labor of love." Frequency, intensity and time - these are the three investments you'll need for losing weight or gaining muscle. As a general rule, exercise at least 30 minutes three to four times a week.
Make sure to start with the appropriate intensity for your health; too little intensity and you'll see little if any results, but too much and you'll be prone to quit. Don't think that it's always better to exercise for a longer duration. What matters is quality. Increase time and intensity once you comfortably meet goals.
Solidify the gains with persistent positive reinforcement. Learn to reward yourself in a new way by paying attention to the gains in your body. Notice the improvement in stress levels, breathing, energy, sex life, mood and overall strength.
While these improvements are wide-ranging and palpable, they increase over time and can be subtle. Don't let these improvements occur without a personal recognition of your accomplishments.
Embrace supplemental support. Of course, all health efforts are connected to your overall well-being. When you make the investment to eat more vegetables, you're reinforcing your commitment to exercise.
Consider practices such as yoga and meditation, which will feed your health kick and provide unexpected benefits. Additionally, supplements such as kelp, green tea extract, Commiphora mukul (Guggul) and Bauhinia variegata (Kachnar) can yield even more health benefits.
And, spices such as garlic, onion, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, long pepper, and cayenne pepper all have important thermogenic properties, which stimulates metabolism.
Ready to rev things up for 2015? Tell us with a note below!