1 Glam up for gym
Experts say that making yourself look good before going out to play sports improves your performance by an average of 20 per cent.
2 Pack lunch
Fifty six per cent of the work force admits that they only manage to eat healthily at weekends. Be organised and pack a salad, home-made soup or a dip with veggies the night before, that can be easily whisked out of the fridge in the morning.
3 Turn green
Living in a country with one of the world’s largest carbon footprints means every little eco-conscious action helps ease the strain on the environment. Check out the inspiring website, www.wearewhatwedo.org, and take small steps that will make a big difference, not just to the environment but to your community, too.
4 Check your waist measurement
If your waist is larger than 80cm (35 inches), then you need to reduce your calorie intake and increase your exercise output. A waist measurement of 80cm plus increases your risk of diabetes 12 fold.
5 Learn a new language
A German survey showed that 59 per cent of women would like to learn a new language – so, why not do it?
6 Get out more
A study at the University of Georgia found that even a simple 20 minute walk three times a week can reduce fatigue symptoms by 65 per cent and increase energy by 20 per cent.
7 Ditch the trolley
Next time you’re at the supermarket, take a couple of baskets instead, fill them up evenly and you’ll increase upper body strength whilst reducing bingo wings.
8 Pump iron
Ironing for an hour burns 250 calories. You can watch your favourite soap while you’re at it, instead of sitting on the couch munching chips.
9 Press print
Did you know that office workers walk around
25 miles to and from the photocopier each year?
10 Have a sunshiny day
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with conditions such as muscle weakness, osteoporosis, various cancers and hypertension. Expose your unprotected skin for 20 minutes every day.
11 Get some Zzzzzz’s
Twenty per cent of people suffer from sleep disorders. If you regularly get less than six hours sleep, your metabolism will slow down making you feel even more tired. Avoid stimulants and have a relaxing routine before bedtime.
12 Think positive
Optimists live 12 years longer than negative thinkers as positivity lowers blood pressure and strengthens the immune system.
13 Pucker up
You can reduce the risk of lip cancer by 40 per cent by using a lipstick or balm with a SPF15.
14 Add a friend
People with a strong network of friends and family tend to live longer than virtual hermits. So, say yes to the next girls’ night out!
15 Brush up
Before you hop into the shower, dry brush your body with a soft, natural-bristle brush, brushing towards your heart. This stimulates the lymphatic system to eliminate toxins and reduces cellulite through increased circulation.
16 Use flower power
Scientist have found that receiving flowers can help beat depression and anxiety. Looking at flowers in a room boosts positive feelings all day long. Don’t wait for him, buy yourself a bunch!
17 Go up, up and away
Start planning your holiday. The earlier you start, the more enjoyment you will get out of it, as every day you’ll have something to look forward to.
18 Bin it
Have a spring clean and sort out your wardrobe, kitchen cupboards, the junk in your drawers. Throw out, donate, recycle and re-sell stuff that’s not valuable to you. Decluttering clears your house and your mind.
19 Reach out
It is proven that those who help others on a regular basis have greater feelings of happiness, have calmer minds and suffer less from depression.
20 Go offline
Leave Facebook, emails and SMS for a week and reconnect with friends in real time. Nothing beats a face-to-face catch up.
21 Feed a cold
Did you know it has been proven that chicken soup helps you fight a cold? And it doesn’t even have to be home-made. Stock up on cans before the next one hits home.
22 Nibble a nut
Squirrels have known it all along: nuts are perfect little health boosters. They contain 28 nutrients, including Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. They also help lower bad cholesterol. Nuts are high in calories, so limit yourself to ten a day.
23 Save your skin
According to a British Association of Dermatologists survey, 44 per cent of people would not recognise the signs of possible skin cancer, like a new or irregular mole. Get educated on www.bad.org.uk.
24 Don’t look too surprised
Dermatologists warn that the older you get, the slower your brows and lashes grow. If you pluck too much, they may not grow back.
25 Cut the salt
You store up to 3lbs of extra fluid in your stomach if you eat a lot of salty food. Check the labels on ready meals and aim to eat less than 6g of salt per day – and lose weight instantly!
26 Let off steam
Research at the University of Parma, Italy, proved that some vegetables are more healthy cooked than raw. Steam your broccoli and boil your carrots and they’ll have 14 per cent more antioxidants than raw ones.
27 Get a PAP
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer affecting women in the UAE, and one of the leading causes of death in women, according to the Health Authority Abu Dhabi. Learn about it at www.everythingican.ae, and get a PAP smear once a year.
28 Cook up a storm
The average woman knows how to cook ten meals, according to a survey. Improve your repertoire by spending Dh250 at Home Centre this month and receive their 15th anniversary cook book for free.
29 Make a sporty commitment
Forty nine per cent of us give up our resolutions by mid-February. Sign up for an upcoming event, such as the Dubai Marathon, and stay motivated longer with that goal in mind.
30 Check your egg timer
Delaying planning a family? Get an Anti-Muellerian Hormone test done. One in seven women chooses to become a mother after the age of 35, and this simple test is a good indicator of future fertility.
31 Lift your bottom
While brushing your teeth clench your buttocks, squeezing as hard as you can for
the count of ten. Repeat four times.
32 get reading
A survey revealed that over 40 per cent of adults interviewed were unable to name a favourite book or author and a sad 13.5 per cent admitted that they never read at all, not even magazines. Go visit Kinokuniya at Dubai Mall for a bestseller or two.
33 look closer
After the age of 40, even normal-sighted people may notice that they are holding text further away from their eyes. This is called presbyopia, meaning ‘old eyes’. Get your eyes checked regularly, and buy some reading glasses.
34 Chop your locks
Split ends cannot be repaired permanently, so cut your ends every four to six weeks and use a protective spray before blow drying.
35 Ask HIM out
In a recent survey, 94 per cent of men said they enjoyed being asked out by a woman. So, if you are sitting next to the potential Mr Right and he’s a bit slow on the uptake, why not suggest coffee?
36 Slow down
Women who eat slowly tend to eat less, according to the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Slow eating also aids digestion, so put down your knife and fork between mouthfuls, suggests Leah Ingram, author of The Everything Etiquette Book (Adams Media).
37 Keep a log to lose pounds
If you want to lose weight, the Kaiser Permanente Centre for Health Research in the US advises you to maintain a daily food diary. Participants who recorded their intake reportedly lost twice as many pounds in six months as those who didn’t.
38 Keep a log to gain pounds
It works the other way around for your finances. Keep a ledger of your daily expenses and after a couple of months you will spot distinct trends of where your extra money disappears to, be it those mochaccinos, cupcakes or Salik – and you can do something about it…
39 Beat the diet saboteurs
Nearly 55 per cent of women who gained weight after first losing it blame the office culture of dining out. Eat a handful of nuts or a cereal bar – both around 150 cals – before you go out and save hundreds of calories in return.
40 Have a yoghurt a day
Studies have found that eating even one small yoghurt every day reduces the risk of gum disease by 60 per cent due to its healthy lactobacilli bacteria which inhibits the growth of harmful oral bugs.
41 Ask for help
Reportedly people underestimate other people’s willingness to help by
some 50 per cent, researchers at Columbia University NYC say.
Next time you are struggling, simply ask for help instead of trying to go it alone.
42 Use snail mail
Do you remember what it is like to receive a letter or a pretty postcard from a faraway land? Make someone else happy by sending a picture postcard from your holiday spot or home, and hopefully get something in return.
43 make it fit
It is estimated that 70 to 80 per cent of women wear the wrong size bra. That results in unflatteringly shaped boobs, bad posture, serious back problems and lower self-esteem. Head to Marks and Spencer or Nayomi for a proper fitting.
44 Blow it out
If you watch TV shows that started just ten years ago, then you’ve probably noticed what a difference a hairstyle change makes. Ask your stylist for advice on a new cut, then treat yourself to a professional blow dry to maintain your confidence boost.
45 Have a bear hug
Scientific evidence has shown that a big hug releases oxytocin and endorphins which,
in non-scientific words, just make you happy.
46 Cast out your nets
It is reported that more than 70 per cent of jobs are found through networking. Join one of Dubai’s many women’s networking groups and share your experiences, meet new people, learn something new and schmooze a little. Try the International Business Women’s Group (www.ibwgdubai.com); Heals and Deals (www.healsanddeals.org); and Dubai Business Women Council (www.dbwc.ae).
47 Earn some extra sleep time
Gain a few extra minutes in bed in the morning by selecting your clothes for the next day and packing your children’s lunch boxes the evening before. You’ll also reduce your morning stress levels.
48 Accept your lot
The number one cause of depression in married people is being married. In unmarried people, it’s being single.
49 Smile
Not only is a smile catching (try it, smile at the person opposite you), it is also much easier than frowning: a frown uses 43 muscles, a smile only uses 17.
50 Quit smoking
You know why.
