New Year's resolutions aren't limited to the inane 'never ever eat so much on Christmas day again' or 'stop smoking' or 'get promoted'. Get your imagination fired up, sit yourself down with a pen, paper (and perhaps some lube and a vibrator) and get thinking on what it is you'd like to achieve in your sex life. Is it to improve your orgasms? Is it to improve your partner's enjoyment?

Having sex makes us happier, healthier people. Here are a couple of sexy resolutions to get you started. Good luck with your list!

Resolution # 1: Use a condom at all times. You know it's not always convenient, but it sure beats contracting a sexually transmitted infection or worse still, infecting your partner.

Resolution # 2: Aretha Franklin sang it, and we should practice it. Respect doesn't mean being stuffy and boring. Rather, it means caring enough to listen to your partner's needs and just as importantly, it's about valuing yourself enough to take care of yourself physically and emotionally.

Resolution # 3: Keep fit ? you wouldn't think it, but a good heart rate and a lean body means better sex. Tighter muscles react so much better during sex ? allowing women to feel that organism better and men to hold back until the perfect time.

Resolution # 4: Indulge in longer foreplay and by that I must tell you that foreplay begins hours before. If you're with a long-term partner, being flirtatious is hugely important to show them that you still find them sexy. Give it a try, you'll be surprised at how it'll help to fire you up too.

Also, find the time to kiss more often. It goes hand-in-hand with good foreplay and gets you feeling the level of desire from your partner in a really sexy and intimate way.

Resolution # 5: Aside from respecting and foreplay, communication in general is important to work out ways to turn your partner on and when to leave them alone. Talk to each other about the sex you've had together and try to learn what each of you like and dislike. Talk while you're in the act too as a way of directing your partner to the spots you like best. In the same way, listen to what your partner is saying and you'll both be on the way to some fantastic sex!

Resolution # 6: Buy new underwear. Honestly, how long do you keep your underwear for? We often ignore how worn our underwear gets because no one else really sees it, but there is nothing better than wearing a shiny pair of new tighty-whiteys or a pretty pink pair of panties. Visit the store with your partner and choose a pair for each other. It's just another aspect of foreplay and of course, another opportunity to communicate.

Resolution # 7: Eat for your libido. There are tons of food that can help improve your sexual drive but remember that a healthy and balanced diet is a really good start. Avoid large, rich meals if you're hoping for a sizzling sex session and contrary to popular practice, it is not necessary to drink an entire bottle of wine prior to coitus.

Make sure you get zinc in your daily diet for its desire-boosting effect. Beef, lamb, pork, chicken and turkey all contain zinc while pumpkin seeds offer the highest non-meat source of zinc. Take Vitamin B as a good way to reduce stress levels and Vitamin A as a way to boost your testosterone levels. Both men and women benefit from testosterone as it is the androgen that boosts our sex drive.

Resolution # 8: Explore yourself. Seem a little weird? Not at all. Exploring your sensual side can help you to gain intimate knowledge about your body that could mean better sex in future.

Resolution # 9: Switch off the TV, shut the computer down, light a few candles and eat dinner at the table. Spending time finding out how your partner's day went and even just what they think of the weather can help you both to focus on each other for a change, without any distractions....

Resolution # 10: Try something new. Seriously, the same positions, same foreplay and same room get boring. A wise woman once said that sex is just as much about firing up your imagination as it is about the sensations. So challenge yourself and your partner to try different things: positions, rooms, scenarios of any kind really. Just be discreet. And obey all public laws.