New Year, New You: Our definitive guide to New Year Resolution reads

January: a month of Christmas-food cramps and severely bloated overdrafts, but do not fear Exeposé Books is here to guide you into the New Year. We have searched high and wide to bring you the low-down on the best self-help books on the market so that you can change that half-hearted resolution into a total lifestyle overhaul. Whether you want to lose those extra pounds, finally quit smoking, or maybe even just make 2013 a more spontaneous or focused year, we’ve got the guides that will help you to read your way to reaching your resolution…

 

This year I want to…lose weight

Perhaps one of the most common New Year resolutions is the pledge to shed that excess-Christmas weight. But don’t shell out for an expensive New Year gym package just yet, as scientists now say that losing weight isn’t all about pumping pounds. Diet experts such as Jenaé Frick, personal trainor and yoga instructor with abs that you could crack a nut on, lives by the mantra that losing weight is 70% diet and 30% gym* – great news for foodies everywhere! So this year why not invest in a decent diet cookbook that will help you to lose weight without using scary fad methods such as the juice, soup, or (bizarrely) lemonade diet. The Hairy Dieters cookbook is packed full of healthy, wholesome recipes that will keep you fuller for longer and say “stuff you” to skinny-girl micro portions. From pies to curries, the bikers managed to shed the pounds whilst still eating proper hearty meals. The secret? Cutting down on excess fatty ingredients makes a world of difference.

And for all those sweaty Betties out there who are fanatical about fitness, Tracy Anderson will help you to pump, tone, lift, and tighten your body with her 30-Day Method. With an impressive history of sculpting the bodies of the likes of Madonna, Shakira, and Gwyeth Paltrow, you will be safe in the hands of this celebrity personal trainer. Anderson aims to get you “red-carpet ready” by focusing on unique muscle groups and targeting problem areas. Use this book as your New Year Bible and you will see the results, fast!

 

This year I want to…quit smoking

Smokers, you can breathe a sigh of relief as we have chosen Paul McKenna’s Quit Smoking Today as the ultimate read to help you kick the habit, once and for all. McKenna became famous with his unique approach to weight-loss methods. In 2007, he turned his attention to ciggies and has helped millions to quit through a blend of tips, techniques, and a hypnosis CD in order to “programme the body and mind”. Sound a bit daunting? You just need to read the Amazon reviews to see that ex-smokers rave about his methods. If you are serious about quitting, Mckenna guarantees to help you with his renowned “conditioning system”. The bonus? He claims to do it all without you gaining any weight!

This year I want to…work harder

If 2013 is the year in which you need to startseriously knuckling down, look no further than the Palgrave Study Skills series. I’ve raved about it before, and I will rave about it again, Lauren Lucien’s University Life: Making it Work For You is packed full of useful advice which will help you to find focus this New Year. From revision techniques, to job application advice, Lucien’s friendly tone and real-life examples guides you through your time at university from Freshers week to graduation and beyond.

Hoping for success in your studies this year? Perhaps you have an all-important essay coming up or are cramming for those January exams? Michael Tefula’s How to Get a First: Insights and Advice from a First-class Graduate is a go-to guide for achieving top marks and getting that all-important first-class degree honour. Although it can’t make any promises, this is certainly a motivational read which will leave you revved up with renewed enthusiasm and focus.

 

This year I want to…be more spontaneous

A New Year can provide the perfect opportunity for renewed spontaneity, what better promise to make to oneself than the promise to jump at any chance, and accept any opening. If you are a fan of travelling then we suggest investing in a copy of Patricia Schultz’s 1000 Places to See Before You Die. Feeling brave? Open the book on any random page and commit to going there within the year – it might seem outlandish at first but even being open to the idea of jetsetting around the world on a whim might unleash a more spontaneous mindset.  To help you on the way, the guide is painstakingly researched to bring you the best travel-tips from route guidance to choosing a restaurant. For a less adventurous (and expensive) alternative, simply flicking through Schultz’s evocative descriptions of her most astonishing global destinations is sure to inspire a desire to see the world in the future.

 

By Georgina Holland – Exeposé Online Books Editor

All featured books can be purchased via Amazon.
*Quote taken from Frick’s blog: http://yogaeatrun.com/home/2012/1/11/diet-diet-diet-exercise.html

 

University Life: Making it work for you

We take a look at Lauren Lucien’s new book University Life: Making it work for you and see what sets it apart from others in its genre, featuring an exclusive interview with the author herself…

University Life: Making it work for you

 

Lucien’s guide to university life is surprisingly refreshing. Packed full of funny stories, useful tips, and quotes from current students University Life: Making it work for you is the perfect example of a text that has been written ‘by students for students’ and it is this element which makes it so accessible and enjoyable. Lucien’s friendly advice guides you right through the university experience from packing advice and lists, how to survive Freshers, tips for successful studying, all the way through to graduation and beyond. The book is crammed full of useful advice ranging from great food recipes (try the “easy sharing fajitas” – especially fun to make with your flatmates) to film suggestions for movie nights in and guidance on keeping your mind and body healthy.
For me, Lucien’s honest writing style and friendly advice is where the book really comes into its own. For example, in the chapter titled “Expectations” Lucien writes that “I think as students we feel the pressure to fit in with everyone and just ‘survive university’ when really we should be enjoying our investment” (pg 122). This sense of “we” is what makes University Life: Making it work for you like receiving honest and friendly advice from a friend. Lucien ranges from the funny (see how to avoid people vomiting at your house party) to the serious, even venturing so far as to discuss her own struggles with body image and food during stressful times (pg. 107). In an exclusive interview, we question Lauren on her reasons for writing the book and what she learnt along the way.

Firstly, what inspired you to put together this book? Being a student myself and working at the Uni as a library assistant, academic advisor and peer mentor really allowed me to have a view on Uni life that most students wouldn’t – I was staff and student simultaneously. I gained a lot of insight and really wanted to share what I had found with students. University is expensive and so it is important that students know how to get the most out of the experience, both academically and socially, and how to make it work for them.

Was there a favourite moment for you in researching tips and remembering your own time at university? I think my favourite moment in researching was hearing a tip and thinking “Ah I should’ve done that!” the memories that came with the realisation were quite funny too.

How important do you think it is that advice about student life comes from real university graduates who have gone through the experiences themselves? Do you think that this element of ‘for students, by students’ is what sets your book apart from other student-help guides? I think it is extremely important that advice comes from students that are at all different parts of the journey that is ‘Uni Life’, that’s why I’ve included the ‘Inside Story’ features in the book – real life situations and solutions from all different types of students. I also include my own personal experiences and knowledge which I gained from my jobs whilst at Uni to give a full and authentic picture. It’s about real peoples experiences and I think this does set my book apart from other student guides. I haven’t avoided the awkward moments either, sex or even failure, it’s all there to help and from many different voices.

In writing University Life: Making It Work for You and listening to other students’ stories, did you discover any pearls of wisdom that you wish you had been told during your time at university? So many! I think the best pearl of wisdom I received was to manage your time correctly from the first year, rather than leaving it all until year two. Get your student planner and your study skills books from the get go – they will help you make a strong start.

And finally what would you say are your main pieces of advice for new students starting this year? My top five tips for making Uni life work for you.

1. See Uni as a journey with ups and downs, twists and turns, not a perfect pathway to a perfect job.

2. Stay social! University Life is not just about working hard on assignments. Stay in touch with your friends and family and mix with other students to make new friends.

3. Use ALL the resources at your University, if there’s an academic centre use it, if there are catch up sessions, go, and make good use of your library. You get out of university what you put in – so try your best.

4. Speak up in lectures – if you don’t know or want to know more, you need to ask.  If you get stuck take your work to an academic adviser who will check it and help you improve it.

5. Enjoy your time as a student, it really will fly by!

University Life: Making it work for you is the type of guidebook that can be read from cover to cover and then used for the odd chapter here and there throughout the year. Lucien’s honest and friendly tone is entirely relatable and in no way patronising. Whilst using her packing tips and CV advice this summer I realised that this is the book that I wish I had read as a Fresher. Perhaps then I would have remembered that damn toastie maker.

 

 

University Life: Making it work for you is written by Lauren Lucien and published by Palgrave Macmillan. Paperback. £7.99