London, Jan 2 (IANS): The New Year is that infamous period when people make ambitious changes to their lifestyle but resolutions can be tricky to stick to. Experts suggest a list of tips to help you adhere to your New Year resolutions.

From taking exercise more seriously to rewarding yourself with materialistic things, there are many things that one can do to stick to a healthy lifestyle and maintain good habits during 2014, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

* Learn to de-stress: Many revert to old habits to help relieve their stress, so making an effort to de-stress and calm your mind is the key to success. If you can find other ways to de-stress then you will be on the slow and steady path to successfully making your News Year’s resolution a reality.

* Exercise more: Exercise is the answer to many problems, helping with confidence issues and fitness levels, as well as overall happiness. But you don’t need to sign up to the gym or become an exercise addict to get fitter in the new year; you can make simple changes such as walking to the station (or work), rather than taking the car or train. You can also try taking the stairs over the lift where possible and take a short walk during your lunch break.

* Using an alternative: If your resolution is to try and stay off sweet treats, it’s good to come prepared with healthy snacks, so that when you want something sweet, you don’t binge on the wrong foods. Drinking more water is also a great way to avoid picking up old habits. If you want to find a tobacco alternative in the New Year you could consider switching to e-cigarettes.

* Success with friends: It’s really important to make sure that you have the right support network around you when trying to make life changes, so that you don’t feel alone. It’s often good to club together and make changes with friends or family members, as together you can be successful and reach your goal.

* Reward yourself: With the money you have saved from either being better with your finances, or changing some expensive habits such as drinking alcohol or smoking tobacco, it’s a good idea to treat or reward yourself with something nice as an incentive to continue with your New Year resolution moving forward.

* Seek out encouragement: It’s often a good idea to tell co-workers, and other people around you, that you are planning to stick to your New Year’s resolution so they can help encourage you and spur you on. If they see that you are flagging they will be able to get you back on track.