Is your goal to get healthy in 2014? We’ve partnered with SELF magazine to help you succeed. Below, Stephanie Paige Miller, Social Media Editor at SELF, shares 14″Get Healthy” tips for the New Year that can help you get started and stay focused well beyond January.

 

1. Get psyched up to work out: Post a positive

When you need extra-strength motivation, leave “I feel awesome when I work out” notes on your computer or mirror. It’s less dorky once you know that visual reminders can inspire you to exercise 50 percent longer.

 

 

2. Eat 7 powerhouse super seeds.

For little guys, seeds are nutritional powerhouses. But which ones deliver the health and body benefits you crave most? Pomegranates (for slimming), Hemp (for toned muscles), Chia (for strong bones, Pumpkin (for energy), Sesame (for a healthy heart), Flax (for Cancer prevention) and Wheat Germ (for digestion).

 

3. Don’t skip breakfast!

A too-big start can make for a too-big you. Shoot for getting 25 to 30 percent of your daily calories: about 400 if you’re trying to lose and 500 if you’re maintaining. Here’s the ideal breakdown: 53% carbs, 27% fats, 20% protein. One of our favorite grab-n-go breakfasts? Quick-cook oatmeal with blueberries.

 

4. Make healthy choices at your favorite restaurant.

Choose lighter proteins such as white fish and grilled chicken. Hold the mayo on any sandwich and opt for a side of fruit or greens in lieu of French Fries.

 

5. Add avocado to your diet.

The monounsaturated fat in avocados gives this superfood its tummy taming powers. Dieters who consumed monounsaturated fats lost more stomach bulge than those eating the same number of calories but less of the good-for-you fat.

 

6. Slim down with the top 10 superfoods.

Eat more to weigh less. The right foods help you stay slim and healthy by revving your calorie burn and curbing cravings. Dig in to these delicious, nutrient-packed superfoods—from steak to Greek yogurt.

 

7. Workout while watching TV

Get in shape without missing your favorite shows. The Torso Twist will whittle your waist. Sit on floor with legs extended and knees bent. Hold a pillow with both hands at chest level and lean back at a 45-degree angle. Maintain this position as you contract your abs and twist torso right and then left to complete one rep. Repeat.

 

8. Fight arm flab with this no-equipment move.

Stand facing wall about a foot away, arms extended and hands on wall, left knee raised to hip level. Keep elbows in line with shoulders and lean forward until forearms rest on wall as you extend left leg back (as shown). Reverse for 1 rep. Do 10 reps. Switch legs; repeat.

 

9. Busy? Sneaky ways to squeeze in a little cardio: a brisk walk.

Whether it’s to let your dog out, get to your car or grab your newspaper, let the first time you step outside for the day become more than just a step. Take a brisk, 3- to 5-minute power walk up the street in one direction, and then back in the other.  You’ll feel like you got a burst of energy before you head back inside.

 

10. Hide a muffin top: Play with proportions

Hide the pooch with some styling magic and conceal that muffin top. Choose a top or blouse that hits below or at the hips so your legs look slimmer and your tummy is covered. Bonus points for fabrics with movement, like chiffons, which are forgiving, not clingy.

 

11.  Burn 100 calories with stretching.

Stretching feels good, protects you from injury and torches 2.7 calories a minute, more than twice as many as sitting. Spend six minutes daily working on your flexibility to zap more than 100 calories in a week.

 

12. Start your day with a yoga pose. 

Down Dog is a classic “home base” position that is used in many styles of yoga. It’s very effective for an all-in-one stretch; it opens your shoulders, back, hamstrings, calves and Achilles. It also builds very functional strength in your upper body; shoulders and spine extensor muscles, as well as your core and thighs.

 

13. Feel more Zen, anytime and anywhere.

All you have to do is focus on steadying your breath. You’ll feel more relaxed, and your heart rate will slow. Close your eyes and count slow inhalations and exhalations silently up to 10, then repeat. Ninety-five percent of readers said they feel calmer after a single 10-minute session.

 

14. Stay positive and focused in 2014.

When you feel too stressed to sweat, remember: Exercise improves your ability to remain chill and happy in chaotic situations. It mellows your brain’s neurons, so when life gets crazy, your heart doesn’t race and your mood doesn’t tank.

 

Still need some inspiration to turn over a new leaf with the new year? Join HSN on Pinterest and earn a chance to win up to $500 in prizes! Full details here: www.hsn.com/pinterestrefresh