5 Things that drag you down

This recent article by Mandy Walker really resonated with me; I need to work on stopping 4 of the 5 'drag me downs'...

1. Constant body battles

Stop the constant negative head talk - "am I fatter than her?  Are my hips bigger than hers?  Do I look fat in this?"  Get comfortable in your skin.  Instead of zeroing in on your flaws, focus on your best features.

2. Negativity

It's much easier to be positive when we're enjoying an event like a holiday.  We're much less inclined to notice and hold onto everyday pleasures.  Learn to savour the good by placing your attention on pleasure as it occurs.  Stop multi-tasking, and be in the moment.

3. Working long hours, too much TV and 'same old, same old'

Routine habits make us feel safe and comfortable, but too much of these can make us feel stuck and sluggish instead of energised and inspired.  Get out of your comfort zone.  Shake things up a bit.  Plan to tackle something challenging (even scary!) once a year.

4. That second glass of wine

Drinking one glass of red wine makes your heart relax and your red blood vessels dilate (all good), but these heart-protecting benefits disappear when you drink a second glass.

5. Sugar

This is a tough habit to break.  Sugar can add up to 20 years to your age and make you look old. Too much sugar makes your skin look thinner, wrinkle easier and prone to sun damage; sugar also dries out your skin.  Our bodies tolerate sugar better when we exercise more regularly, as this metabolises it faster.  A balanced eating plan is the obvious answer rather than a crash diet, which only makes you want to reach for the sugary treats faster.