January 2025 Reset: The easiest, simplest, most doable hacks

My Anti-Challenge cheat sheet:

1. Do not start pushing yourself hard at workouts. Start moderate and focus on food consistency instead. Keep a diary of all you put in your mouth on a daily basis and start highlighting the unnecessary foods and deviations. You will be the first one to drop the truth Bomb on yourself.

2. Alcohol can absolutely take a hard stop. Consider a "Dry January "?? Let's heal that gut. I am giving you company

3. Do not overdo gut cleansing and rinsing programs, products and powders. This can flush your good gut bacteria along with the bad ones affecting digestion.

4. Do not overdo fibre, salads / raw stuff and random pre and probiotic supplementation. It's a recipe for more bloat or overgrowth of bad bacteria if you are already breeding some.

5. Stick to a 'ghar ka khaana' diet. Cafés and pretty plates are instagrammable but choose how many ever healthy options, nothing brings you back and keeps you in a calorie deficit like simple well cooked homemade food.

6. Prioritize protein in each meal. If you are not digesting protein well then start small and build it up. If you can't digest whey, then add a plan protein. If you can't digest both, go see a doctor.

7. Take steps where ever you can. Forget about 1 hr walk or 10 k steps. Just start somewhere and add a few steps everyday diligently. Do better than what you did yesterday.

8. Consider getting a trainer to ensure progress in your workouts. Build that into your monthly budget. Myntra can wait for a bit.

9. Substitutions - Makhana or nuts for salty snacks (this ain't a low calorie option). A square of dark chocolate or a no sugar dry fruit square or half for a sweet craving. Lots of water and warm water for random hunger pangs.

10. Do not do all of the above but not work on your sleep and stress. As long as your nervous system is in a 'fight or flight' mode and cortisol levels are up - You will NOT see progress in proportion to your efforts.