5 Ways to Healthfully Ring Out 2015 for a Healthy New Year

Whether you know the words to Auld Lang Syne or not, one old acquaintance should not be forgot: your health! Start the New Year with health and happiness!

In the same way that the way you end and start your day determines how productive/healthy/happy of a day you have, I really feel that the way you start your year dictates how your year's going to go. So with that logic, starting 2016 hungover, bloated, and fuzzy-minded doesn’t bode well for having a healthy, fit, happy new year! Instead, use these 5 tips to help you have the healthiest last few moments of 2015, so you can start the new with a super healthy and happy bang!

Stick to a 1:1 water to booze ratio.

Try to gulp down one glass of water for each and every one alcoholic bevvy you have on New Year’s Eve. This'll helps you both pace yourself and not end up drinking so much alcohol throughout the night. Also, drinking a lot of water will help you fight (and win!) against the dreaded hangover since you're combatting the dehydrating effects of alcohol.

Always BYOsweetener. (Bring your own sweetener.)

To avoid starting (and ending) your New Year on a "simple syrup"-y note, BYOsweeteners. Throw some packets of stevia in your purse or pocket so it's easily accessible for you to sugary-spike your own cocktails. Stevia is a no-calorie, plant-derived sweetener that has no impact on our blood sugar, so think about ordering your cocktails "without simple syrup please" and making them healthfully and guiltlessly sweet yourself.

Scan and plan the menu in advance.

Since the real celebration of New Year’s happens at midnight, what else do we all do to kill the time than EAT?! If you’re going to be dining at a restaurant, scan the menu ahead of time to make sure you have options. If you have little to no options (and also little to no chance of you switching the dining location), then it’s in your absolute best interest to EAT A FULL MEAL BEFORE YOU GO OUT TO DINNER. So instead of just, well, NOT EATING throughout New Year’s Eve (or eating terribly unhealthy foods), you’ll have already eaten your own full meal BEFORE going out, which will prevention from feeling resentful, tempted, frustrated, or STARVING during the big eating event.

Eat a lot before the eve part of NYE.

Though it might seem clever to not eat a lot during the day so your NYE outfit fits slightly better, remember that in the big picture, eating is extremely important. Make sure to have a hearty breakfast and a filling lunch, complete with lots of protein (ahem: Sunwarrior protein powder smoothie!) so in the eve, you're not reaching for appetizers or dips galore or feeling the effects of each drink magnetized (it's a long night, after all!).

Don't show up dessert-empty-handed.

Whether you’re going to a party or a restaurant, or even just eating at home, make and take dessert. NYE is such a celebratory time, and there's no way you can count on other places to have a healthy dessert that fits your healthy diet, BUT there's also no way you should consider wrapping up the New Year without a sweet treat! So, bring your own! Tell the restaurant that you can't eat any of their offerings and will bring a little something that you can enjoy or if you’re going to a party, bring a big batch of something sweet to share with everyone!

Try some great resolutions!