Wanting to start the new year off with some lifestyle improvements? If you are looking for inspiration to get you started on a health kick, there are some challenges coming up in January that you can follow.
Veganuary
The whole focus of Veganuary is to inspire and support people to try a vegan diet, make veganism more visible and accessible with the ultimate mission of protecting the planet and improving human health. Veganuary was introduced back in 2014, and the challenge has had over a million participants since. The aim is to go completely vegan or simply replace meals you would regularly have with a vegan alternative. Depending on how much you want to challenge yourself, you can aim to have one vegan meal a day, a few vegan meals a week, or simply try cutting meat out for a week.
You may be wondering what the benefits of Veganuary are, and why you should participate. The truth is, eating vegan could have positive health benefits as well as positive environmental effects. Vegan diets are typically higher in fibre and lower in cholesterol when compared to omnivorous diets. However, vegan diets can sometimes be lacking in vitamin B12, so it is recommended that you get this from other sources such as Udo’s Choice Beyond Greens.
RED January
RED (Run Every Day) January has the focus of improving both your physical health and mental wellbeing. It is a community initiative which suggests doing a physical activity every day of the month throughout January.
Of course, walking is the obvious choice here, and you can add more physical activity to your everyday life by simply walking to work or going for an evening stroll. However, you can push yourself further by doing more active forms of daily exercise. Going for a run or a jog is one option, or you can sign up for a gym and try going daily for the month. Alternatively, if you own a bike then cycling is a great way of getting daily exercise into your routine.
Doing exercise can be beneficial for many aspects of your life, so RED January provides the perfect opportunity to be more active with your lifestyle. Exercise naturally releases endorphins whilst helping to relieve tension and stress, meaning getting active can be great for your mental health. You can find out more about the initiative on the Red January website.
Dry January
It’s become an annual tradition for some people to take a break from alcohol throughout the month of January. The Dry January initiative allows people to feel the benefits of giving up alcohol for a month.
To take part, you just have to cut alcohol out of your diet. You can join a community to help you track your progress, or just manage your intake on your own.
Cutting alcohol out of your diet can have positive health benefits. It can help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol whilst reducing your risk of diabetes. Cutting your intake of alcohol can also have longer term health benefits, meaning you are less likely to suffer from liver disease.Dry January can also benefit your mental health, as you’ll have not have any anxiety-inducing hangovers, allowing you to feel calmer and be able to focus more clearly.
Whatever challenge you decide to try (if any) let us know on our socials @weareinspiredhealth we’ll be right there with you…