New you for the new year

I love fresh starts – there’s nothing quite as motivating as a new diary, a clean sheet of paper or the start of a new year. It’s a wonderful opportunity to embark on something you might have been thinking about, but haven’t quite acted on yet. In 2019 I’m going to focus on being active every day – it doesn’t need to be structured exercise, but it does need to be movement. It’s far too easy for me to get stuck in my desk chair all day, which is not good for my mental or physical health. No fancy exercise equipment is required – just a pair of comfy shoes and 10 minutes outside a couple of times a day will be enough to get me started.

If you’re keen to make (and, more importantly, keep!) a resolution, turn to our story on page 96 and then read up on some healthy strategies you might want to take on board on page 116. If cooking more is on your radar (yes, you know that homemade is healthier than takeaway!), our feature on page 99 will help you become a real smart cookie in the kitchen.

Then, take those tips and put them to good use with some of our fab recipes this month – we’re craving our cover-star nachos (page 25), and they’re easy to whip up on a warm summer evening. Speaking of warm, keep it spicy this season with our Friday Night Spicy (page 50) feature – plenty of delicious dishes that will have your tastebuds dancing. Keep the party going with some decadent desserts on page 66.

We’d love to hear what fresh start (or renewed effort) you’re making in 2019.

Happy new year!