Here we go again. It’s that time of the year where we are unwillingly forced into re-evaluating every aspect of our lives - from our diets, to our exercise regimes, to our habits, right down to our very outlook on life.
According to the experts ‘a new year, a new you’ is the secret to a healthy and happy new year (yeah, yeah sure).
However the one thing that these experts fail to mention is that the only person that is able to successfully bring about these life-enhancing changes, is the chocolate loving, exercise hating, weak-minded you and by you, I mean me.
I would love nothing more than be able to boast in a few weeks’ time about how much of my Christmas padding I have lost, or claim that my daily trip to the gym is in fact giving me more energy. But we both know that’s not going to happen and that’s because it’s the old me that is in charge of designing the new me.
Little changes to your daily routine make a big difference, they say. Oh yes, the idea of getting up earlier to fit in a trip to the gym or a jog before work may seem simple, as does the chargrilled chicken and avocado salad for lunch, the salad even sounds quite delicious. Yet, at 7am on a wet and windy Tuesday morning, dragging myself from the warmth and safety of my bed with nothing to look forward to other than a cold, limp salad, is far from simple.
Just the other day, one of my health conscious, fitness fanatic colleagues bragged about his Christmas present - a swanky, new blender. But this NutriBullet machine they speak of is much more than just a regular kitchen blender, it’s a nutrition extractor.
I was intrigued but it wasn’t long before I seen for myself, its wondrous produce.
Michael Joseph beamed with smugness as he sipped proudly from the beaker which held his nourishing and wholesome concoction.
He took no time in bragging just how many of his five a day it contained - broccoli, carrots, frozen raspberries and blueberries, strawberries, grapes and something called Goji berries. (That’s seven if you count these mystery berries).
All of the ingredients are indeed tasty in their own right, but together, I’m not convinced.
I think I’ll hold off splashing out on a NutriBullet, I really don’t think I would exploit its advantages.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not totally resistant to making small changes. I’m just not all that keen on a total life-makeover. So for 2017, instead of concentrating on the old me, or the new me, I’m going focus on the present me.
The present me much prefers fruit and vegetables in their raw form to a blended pulp but then again the present me also prefers chocolate to raw fruit and vegetables - it’s a daily struggle.
But the present me has also just signed herself up to a fitness class to fill the current Wednesday night void, at least I’m heading on the right path to a happy and healthy new year.
The 2017 me may still be a chocolate lover and an exercise hater but at least I’m trying and God loves a trier but there’s absolutely no way I’m trying anything produced from a NutriBullet (unless it contains chocolate that is).

If you have a story or want to send a photo or video to us please contact the Derry Now editorial team on 028 7129 6600 for Derry City stories Or 028 7774 3970 for County Derry stories. Or you can email gareth@derrynews.net at any time.