Feeling a little doughy and broke? Struggling to manage your aches and pains? Perhaps your backache has got progressively worse over the festive period? You’re not alone. After a long, indulgent holiday, a lot of us are inspired to tighten up a bit in the New Year-exercise more, drink and spend less, step away from those leftover Christmas cookies.

But don’t close down the kitchen just yet. Preparing your own food is one of the best ways to ensure you stick to a healthy eating plan, the sort of plan that you can maintain all year until next holiday season, when-don’t worry-you can resume the nog chugging and snickerdoodle snarfing once more. Whatever your food goals are, we want to inspire you to keep cooking (and learning!) in 2015.

There are other steps you can take to ensure that you get your year off to the best start too. Although it is no secret that eating a healthy diet can work wonders for any pains and ailments you might be experiencing, you might also want to make some other changes in your home. For example, if you want to find a new way to combat back pain, you might want to Brush up on the newest mattress knowledge at Bestmattress-brand.org to find a mattress that has been designed specifically for people living with back pain. If your sleep is being disturbed by back pain, then investing in a mattress that could potentially ease this pain could be just what you need. Many people do find that changing their mattress can help the problem, however, some find that it makes little difference. Back pain can be extremely uncomfortable, which is why it’s important to try and relieve it. Recently, it’s become more popular to use various CBDistillery products, for example, to try and reduce some of this pain. An additional benefit that some people have found is that some CBD oils can also encourage better sleep. Perhaps it’s worth looking into those CBD products, as well as considering changing your mattress to see if either of those methods reduce some of the back pain.

The fun does not have to end there though. If you have also committed to working out more and getting in shape this year, then you might want to consider easing yourself into your new healthy lifestyle by giving yoga a try. Who knows, you might even enjoy yoga so much that you end up searching for the best place to get yoga certification. Yoga is an excellent way to tone up and is suitable for all ages and abilities so it is no surprise that so many people want to learn more about this fascinating discipline. Are there any workout methods you are tempted to give a try this year? We would love to hear about them. Share your health and wellbeing tips in the comments below.

Ultimately, the New Year is all about making small changes for the benefit of your health after all. Anyway, check out our suggestions for some more ideas on how to do just that.

Resolution 1: Follow the Paleo Diet

Devotees of this massively popular eating plan eschew dairy products, grains, legumes, processed oils, and refined sugar. The premise is that these foods weren’t readily available during the Paleolithic era, when the human body evolved nutritional needs in line with the foods they could access. By following a diet closer to what our prehistoric ancestors ate, Paleo people eat in a manner befitting the way their bodies developed, or so the logic goes. Whether or not you swallow all that is your business, but sticking to this protein-and-vegetable focused regime is one way to cut down on those empty calories that come from (glorious) carbs and (delectable) sweets. How to do it: Investing in a sous vide water bath or circulator can prove crucial in sticking to a protein-centric diet, as it allows you to cook delicious meats with little fuss. To test the method without having to invest in any equipment, consult our Sous Vide 101 class, which includes recipes for amazing salmon, pork chops, and steak, along with instructions on how to create a water bath with a pot on the stove and a digital thermometer.

Resolution 2: Eat more vegetables

We all know we need them. With vital nutrients that help keep away chronic diseases, vegetables are a crucial part of any healthy diet. Focusing on eating more plant foods-rather than trying to stay away from stuff you love (we’re looking at you, Paleo)-can be a great recipe for success. The key to sticking with it is to make those vegetables taste delicious, and that’s where we come in. How to do it: Easy to make and surprisingly satisfying, our Microwaved Radicchio Salad is anchored by warm, slightly wilted chicory leaves; an awesome source of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. We dress them with rich buttermilk, verdant chive oil, funky blue cheese, and toasted hazelnuts. Speaking of the microwave, you can also use it to quickly cook up some mixed vegetables, then top those healthy fellas with some Bagna Càuda Foam.

And at the risk of sounding repetitive, we should also point out the benefits of preparing veggies sous vide. You can achieve optimal chickpea texture (firmer for salads, softer for hummus) and maintain the vibrant crunch of kale. Carrots keep their color and signature sweetness, and tart red cabbage can be converted into a super-smooth purée that makes a great accompaniment to our pastrami.

Resolution 3: Eat breakfast everyday

Good one. Skipping breakfast is an easy way to wind up ravenous by the time that 11 AM meeting rolls around. Also, a morning meal sets a civilized tone for the day. How to do it: Learning to make awesome soft-poached eggs should inspire you to keep up the breakfast habit. Use our egg calculator to determine, then create, your perfect egg. And if you’re resolved to up your coffee game in 2015, be sure to consult our extensive Espresso class.

Resolution 4: Spend less on food (but still eat well)

Look, we know how it is. Just like you, we’re constantly enticed by new restaurants, craft cocktail bars, and specialty shops stocked with the best ingredients. Trouble is, that stuff gets expensive. Is there a way to maintain your delicious-food lifestyle while spending a little less? Indeed. The trick is to find little ways to cut back so you can splurge on truly epic meals, tools, and culinary classes. How to do it: Pretty little microgreens are a super-impressive garnish for dinner-party dishes, and growing your own means you can afford to work them into weekday-morning smoothies or a salad to bring to work for lunch. Allow us to show you how-for free.

When you’re short on time, it’s tempting to order takeout for dinner-which adds up fast, and frankly often sucks. This is why we love having a pressure cooker handy. Flavor-packed braises and stews come out great in a fraction of the time they would take with other methods, and taste far better than most things that arrive at your door in a clamshell. Plus, you can use the cheapest cuts to create these comfort foods, as nothing transforms the tough stuff into succulent, velvety deliciousness as fast as a pressure cooker.

Ready to get cooking? Join ChefSteps today for one-of-a-kind recipes, tested techniques, and access to our lively forum.