Taking control of your life can seem intimidating. However, take comfort in the fact that everybody feels frumpy, grumpy and not terribly together at some point in their lives. There is no magic bullet solution for everything at once, but if you make changes on a sustained basis, you will see results.

Revamp your diet

It's simple really. Cut down on carbs, fat, sugar and salt to feel great, lose weight and be healthier. If only it were that easy, though. Stay away from temptation zones like bakeries, chippies and McDonald’s.

Instead opt for healthy and yet tasty sandwiches, salads packed full of colour and flavour. To ward off sugar cravings, eat sweet fruits such as pineapple, melon, peaches and grapes. Your skin, body and mind-set will thank you for it.

Spice up your love life
Forget about boring classified ads in the local rag, that's so yesterday's news! Online dating is booming with something to suit everyone. It's a great way to test the waters before diving in completely. Remember to be generous with the details on your profile and thoughtful in your responses to other people.

At Jazzed Australia, there's no room for a bad response with intriguing questions such as 'what are your secret talents?', 'do you think a sixth sense exists?' and 'what does it mean to be powerful?.' To find lovely singletons near you, check out jazzedfreedating.com.au.

Of course you should be cautious when meeting new. There are some really useful  safety tips here to bear in mind. On the first few dates it’s a good idea to meet in a public place. Trust your instincts, they won't let you down. Be kind, honest and your truest self, and the right person will come along.

Start a fitness kick
Baby steps. Don't expect to go swimming between continents just yet. Start small with your workout and build up cardio resistance, strength and fitness in a slow yet manageable way. Get into a routine and don't break it. This will mean that you won't slip back into despondency.

Also, try exercising for fun instead of out of necessity. If you like walking, join a walking group that takes scenic routes around the city. If you enjoy dancing, join a samba or swing dance class. 

Get a new look 
Altering your look is one of the easiest ways to achieve a feeling of growth and change. There have been countless articles about this for women, so let's focus upon men. Go to an excellent barber and discuss the best way to grow and shape facial hair. If facial fluff isn't your thing, then go for a different haircut.

After this, take the trendiest friend you have, on a shopping trip and buy some new duds, including trousers, button-down shirts and casual t-shirts. 


Do what you love   
Embrace your passion, no matter what is it. There is no time like the present, and with our lives all zipping by at the speed of sound, you don't want to one day leave this planet with regrets. So take up scuba diving, learning Italian, pole dancing, yodelling or whatever floats your boat. 

Resource box

BBC Good Food
Healthy, tasty, hearty foods that are easy to prepare

Ask Men – Image Overhaul
A fashion guide for men who want a change of image when they start dating again

Live Your Passion
How to live your life with passion, from Oprah’s online magazine

In recent years British seaside towns have seen a resurgence of interest from visitors, as they reinvent themselves and re-discover their mojo. With high-quality local dining, five star accommodation, and dramatic settings they are bursting with history and romance.     

Whitstable

Few places can symbolise the re-emergence of the UK seaside town better than Whitstable in northeast Kent. The town is part of the city of Canterbury, with long historical and literary connections. For lovers of lesbian romance it was the home town of narrator Nancy in Sarah Waters’ Tipping the Velvet.  

For red-blooded romantics looking for aphrodisiac inspiration, Whitstable is home to the Whitstable Oyster Festival, a modern annual event that re-creating ancient traditions honouring the town’s unique oyster harvest. The festival includes a symbolic landing and blessing of the oyster catch and fishing fleet, followed by a lively procession through the town, dancing, eating, and merrymaking.

Brighton

Apart from the fact that it is the millennium city of Brighton & Hove, Brighton is arguably unique among UK seaside towns in that it has never really lost its position as a naughty but nice destination of choice for those in the know.

Its reputation stems from the time of the British regency in the 1700s when the young Prince Regent, keen to escape much of the pomp of a stifling royal court, established a holiday home in the town decorated in the romantic tradition of the East.

The Brighton Pavilion still stands today, welcoming visitors and giving them a romantic taste of decadent high life. Click here for Brighton hotel deals.

Southport

If you prefer your romance tinged with a little melancholy then Southport on Merseyside is the classic 1980s ‘seaside town that they forgot to close down’ about which Morrissey sang Every Day is Like Sunday.

This seaside town, which by some quirk of tides and drifting sands is now about a mile away from the water, boasts a bleak, wind-swept pier stretching into the sand flats of the Irish Sea and the largest independent flower show in Europe, from where you can get your gladioli. 

Alexandria

If you thought Alexandria was a seaside city on the northern coast of Egypt then you would be wrong. Alexandria is a small resort town on the Western coast of Scotland. Admittedly, it is just a few miles inland along the estuary of the river Barton, but in arguably the most romantic stretch of the country, where the coastline is laced with bonny lochs, who is arguing?    

Aberystwyth

Take your pick of romantic destinations on the lush Welsh coast, but Aberystwyth wins its place here for it combination of remote countryside and cliff-top walks and its proud position at the heart of Welsh culture. The city is home to the National Library of Wales, or Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru, to put it properly.

Resources

Whitstable Oyster Festival -  The town’s romantic tradition revived.

The Smiths - Old romantics from the 1980s.

The National Library of Wales - Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru.

It is the capital of love par excellence. Maybe it is because the first cinematographic projection was shown in this city. From then on, it has been the setting for many films from different nationalities but with a common denominator: romance.

You will have the opportunity to walk around the Champs Elysees, take a picture from the top of the Eiffel Tower or see the moon reflected on the Seine River.

Placed in the North of Italy, this city was the perfect stage in which Shakespeare imagined one of the most ever popular stories about love, Romeo and Juliet.

Verona contents in itself great artistic, cultural and historic depth. It still retains its original medieval appearance and certain elements of Roman architecture.

It is probably, together with Verona, the most romantic Italian city. When you think Venice you think of an embracing couple inside a boat powered by a gondolier.

Art, romanticism and beauty is breathed in every corner of the city.