Resolutions Revisited

Slow and steady is the key to sticking to your New Year’s wellness resolutions this year

BY MICHAEL ANTHONY

Was this you on New Years Day? Your head pounding with a hangover that even three double-strength Advil could not cure; your bloodshot eyes telling the tale of another year of vice and anti-honorable evenings gone by. Your Mirror Mirror on the Wall shown, unafraid to unabashedly tell the cold hard truth; you looked like crap, and your insides felt twice as trashy.

There and then, you told your inner drunkard that it was time to turn a new leaf for a New Year and unearth the light at the end of your self-terroristic tunnel. This Jan. 1 was the day that you were going to get your lovehandles to the gym; this was the year that you were going to eat right, kick that monkey off your backside, and find inner enlightenment.

And you did…for about a New York minute. But bad habits die hard; too much, too fast, and like every other eager to me-please New Years resolution-ees, this February finds you at that same ol’ bar after that same ol’ McDonald’s run after that same ol’ no-show personal training session.

Stop the insanity! Don’t let your good intentioned inspirations fall jaded; slow and steady wins the New Year’s resolution race when sticking to your healthy-living changes. Re-launch your resolutions to-do’s, and take a second stab at your transformation in baby-steps to ensure a successful return on your self-bettering intentions.

February 15th ~ Eat Well!

You are what you eat; ergo, the first step in going from flab to fab is changing your diet. And no one knows the nutritional how-to better than Paul McCullogh (www.paulskichen.com; 323/578-5926), acclaimed West Hollywood caterer and Next Food Network Star finalist. “The most important aspect of healthy eating and nutrition is a balanced diet focusing on lean proteins and complex carbs, smaller portions, and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables,” explains McCullough.

To begin your healthy eating regimen, the Paul’s Kitchen owner offers a few quick tips for the newbie dieter:

• At parties… avoid standing next to the bowls of nuts, chips, or candy. You can add more than 500 calories and lots of sodium in just a few handfuls.

• Keep protein bars on hand during the day. [They] will satisfy your food cravings and keep you energized without a lot of empty calories.

• If you must eat fast food, choose places like Baja Fresh, El Pollo Loco, and Koo Koo Roo that have flavorful and healthy chicken dishes and low-fat sides.

• Avoid too many drinks with high-calorie sugary mixers. Try gin with diet tonic and a squeeze of fresh lime. You’ll still get the buzz without the bulge.

Paul’s #1 point of advice? “The reality is that we all splurge now and then, so moderation is the key.”

March 1st ~ Get Physical!

According the World’s Fittest Couple, 4-time Mr. Universe, Mike O’Hearn, and Miss Fitness California, Sherilyn Roy (shifting.tv@gmail.com), working out means more than a hot bod. “It means longevity, better quality of life and feeling youthful,” they explain. “Besides building up your immune system, it releases stress and creates a calmness and balance in your life.”

SoCal is home to a multitude of fitness fads, but O’Hearn and Roy’s uniquely crafted program, Serious High Intensity Fitness Training Integrating Nutritional Guidelines (aka: S.H.I.F.T.I.N.G.), is truly a “new you” breakthrough. As they describe: “S.H.I.F.T.I.N.G is one of the most advanced fitness and training programs in the country and is designed to speed up metabolism so that the body can utilize food correctly which then starts the weight loss process… Our program allows you to eat more food, more frequently throughout the day to create a consistent caloric foundation. You heard right! Our program allows you to eat more food!”

But regardless of which ever-vital fitness plan you settle on, the cover model couple caution against the too-much too-soon approach. “Be realistic when setting your New Year’s resolutions and ease into your fitness program,” they urge. “Most people tend to over do it the first week into it and are too sore and too hungry to continue on their program... It’s all about baby steps.”

March 15th ~ Focus on the Future!

“Humans have to battle with lethargy, complacency and fear,” says Personal Coach and MFT Rick Carter (www.rickcarteronline.com; 323/656-4638). But there is no reason to go at it alone.

“We all get stuck from time to time… as part of human nature,” explains Carter. “To avoid living a life of quiet desperation, one must walk through fears and take action to gain wisdom. Insight is knowledge, [and] action leads to wisdom.” That is where Carter’s services will help enact your third month resolution: the focus of setting personal goals and making immediate changes through action and planning.

Your mental happiness is just as important as good nutrition and physical wellness; and no one knows that better than Carter. “Once you start opening doors, working with a [personal coach] is quite an adventure,” he states. “You can’t go back and pretend you don’t know what you have learned [about yourself] in the process… It’s liberating and painful at the same time!”

April 1st ~ Unearth Your Inner-Evolution!

John Convey runs one of West Hollywood’s hidden healthful gems, the Evolve Wellness Center (www.evolvewellness.com; 323/822-9030), a traditional medical center that roots its practice in traditional medicines like acupuncture and Chinese herbology. While easing into non-Western medicine can be intimidating, it can also be an enlightening 4th-month resolution for mind, body, and especially one’s soul.

Investing time in and experimenting with treatments like acupuncture, cupping, Reiki, electric stimulation, massage therapy, and moxabustion (all of which are offered at EWC) is an excellent way to newly resolve a stress free and non-injurious lifestyle for yourself. So states Convey: “Acupuncture is important because the procedure acts as a catalyst, increasing communication between individual cells of the body and the brain through the bloodstream. Increased communication between cells and the brain allows the body to maintain homeostasis more efficiently.”

“Newbies should come to Evolve if they want an easy introduction to acupuncture,” urges Convey. “Most of our patients were newbies once, too.”

April 15th ~ Cleanse, Uncover & Rediscover!

A top makeup artist in the film and television industry for 20 years, no one knows the in’s and out’s of healthy skin better than “TC” Thecla Luisi (www.makeupbytc.com; tc@makeupbytc.com). Her love and study of yoga and Ayurveda have aided her in customizing skin care needs for her clients based on their doshas, an Indian based principles of one’s constitution.

“Just like the clothes in your closet, it’s a good idea to take an inventory of your skin care and beauty product regimen,” informs TC. “It’s important to have someone experienced help you sort through your products, declutter, and keep the essentials that deliver personal results.”

After spending weeks unearthing a better you, both inside and out, it makes sense to usher in your 5th month resolution with a guided tour of men’s products that nourish both the skin and the soul. Purchasing, applying, and maintaining your new routine can prove a daunting daily task for the typical wash-my-face-with-a-bar-of-soap type of guy. “But you need to do it, [every] morning and at night… It’s just like brushing your teeth,” explains TC. So, invest in a professional session with an expert you trust and step into a fresh self-beautification schedule.

Healthy-living experts agree that it takes (give or take) 6 months for a change in lifestyle to become habit. So, push through the difficult times, and month by month, resolution by resolution, you’re baby-step approach will surely help you stick to the resolutions of the new New Years you!