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Have you ever decided on a fitness or health plan as a New Years resolution and then realized it's a challenge to maintain?

Well, you are not alone. According to ayurvedic logic, our bodies are a reflection of nature. New Years is in winter and winter is traditionally a time for hibernation and retreat. So it is no wonder that our bodies struggle to achieve their New Years resolutions with ease, if at all.

Is Seasonal Routine Important?

Absolutely. Seasonal routine is very important. In fact, it is one of the cornerstones of health, all year long. Balancing your lifestyle choices with your local climate can help to reduce seasonally induced irregularities. When we talk about seasons, of course, they are quite different from one country to another.

Vata Season is when your body is most characteristic of Vata Dosha: light, cold, subtle, rough, dry, and clear. For most, this is typically in Autumn. Next of course comes Winter. It is cold, it is windy, and it is also proven to be when our bodies naturally want to rest and go into hibernation.

Once you truly start to look at your surroundings with a 'nature' lens, you become better at managing the seasonal changes that occur systematically in your climate. If you think it will be too hard to do this, fear not; you could already be behaving in this way without actually realizing it.

• Do you eat more fruit and salad in the summer?
• Doesn’t soup taste nice in the winter?

These are two prime examples of just how easy our bodies adjust to the seasonal routine. If you make your choices about what you eat and about your lifestyle according to the different effects of each season, you give yourself a much higher sense of equilibrium, stability, and strength.

Typical Ayurvedic Seasonal Preferences (Ritucharya)

The year is typically divided into two segments, also known as the Kaals. These represent the Northern Solstice (Aadaan Kaal/Uttarayana) and the Southern Solstice (Visarga Kaal/ Dakshinayana.)

Aadaan Kaal is indicative of the power of the sun to take away energy while Visarga signifies abundance. It is, therefore, no surprise that during Aadaan, it can be specifically hard to sustain your energy levels.

Each of these Kaals will have three different seasons within them, making a total of 6 seasons (Ritu’s) in a year. Ritu represents the different seasons and gets classified by the time of year or the climate; it is also categorized by the different effects it has on the body as well. One of the fundamental areas of focus that is deep-rooted within ayurvedic principals is the ability to adapt to the changes in the environment and focus on the specific regimen of the seasons.

 In Ayurveda, a year consists of six different seasons. These are listed below:

Vasanta - Spring

Shishira - Winter

Grishma - Summer

Varsha - Monsoon

Sharata - Autumn

Hemanta - late Autumn

The point in time we would traditionally implement our New Years Resolutions (Shishira Ritu), is typically categorized as winter, running from January to March. During this period we normally have less strength, energy and are nourished by warm foods and comforting hibernation.

Thought about delaying Your Fresh Start until the Spring?

Spring is a time of rebirth and starting something new. It is also a great period in the ayurvedic Calendar. It is without a doubt, that by trying to do much during a resting period, a time in which your body is essentially in hibernation-mode; you are probably going to be making things much harder. Also, you are not going to be at your best to make a fresh start or undertake significant life changes that you can realistically sustain. As you progress through to Grishma (Summer), your energy levels are rising, along with your focus. Both of these factors would help you sustain a new change more easily, and will provide a much better chance of success.