When you’re just starting out on your new healthier lifestyle, trying to make healthier decisions, it can all be a bit overwhelming. Far too often people overthink the whole thing, try to make huge lifestyle changes immediately and it all gets a bit much. No wonder so many of us give up so quickly. I’ve put together a list of small changes that pack a big punch when it comes to getting healthier. Try adding a couple of these in each week and before you know it you’ll be on your way to being a much fitter, healthier you!
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
This is advice that I’m sure you’ve heard before but no healthy lifestyle is complete with a bottle of water on hand at all times. Staying hydrated is incredibly important for so many reasons as water is needed in almost everything your body does. As well as keeping you functioning, staying hydrated adds up to better skin complexion, more energy and less headaches and migraines (which are usually caused by dehydration). As well as some cracking health benefits, drinking more water is also a great weight loss tool. We often confuse those pesky afternoon craving for hunger when in actual fact you’re just thirsty. Try downing a large glass of water the next time you’re feeling a bit peckish and if you’re still hungry 10 minutes later feel free to dig in.
Get Moving
If you’re only just starting out on your fitness journey then chances are you don’t do a lot of exercise, which is fine, we all start somewhere. That doesn’t mean you can’t exercise or that you need to start at 100mph, hitting the gym every day, and completely exhausting yourself. Start small, if all you manage is a 15 minute walk in the park today then that’s 15 minutes more than you were doing last yeterday. The key to this is to build up slowly, making sure you always do a little more this week than you did last week.
When you’re ready to commit to a bit of a more scheduled routine I’d recommend trying to get in 15 – 30 minutes of exercise 3 days a week. This allows you to do an upper body, lower body and cardio routine each week. Remember to get creative with it exercise isn’t just running or hitting the gym; there’s dancing, yoga, pilates, swimming and team sports that all count. Find something you love and you’ll never see it as a chore.
Prep a healthy meal
This can be any healthy meal you like but by making it in advance you’re always guaranteed one healthy meal a day. A popular one is to go with breakfast as it’s often the most overlooked meal of the day…so many of us don’t even eat it! But I prefer to make my prepped meal lunch. By making it the night before and taking a packed lunch to work with you there’s no temptation to head out on your lunch break and pick up a quick fix. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean its salad central from now on. I like to make a bit extra of whatever I’m having the night before and just take that along. That means chilli con carne, spaghetti bolognaise and fish and roast veggies are definitely on the menu. You’ll be the envy of the office come 12 o’clock.
Get a fitness buddy
Having a fitness buddy is definitely one of the best ways to stay motivated. Nothing sucks quite like having no one to share in a victory, after all there’s no better feeling than setting a goal, hitting it and actually having someone there to see it. With a fitness buddy on hand you’ll always have someone to share in your milestones and help push you through to the next one. This is especially true if you can get a little bit of a competition going on. Who can do the most burpees in a minute if you’re feeling particularly fit and active today, otherwise a great little challenge is who can do the most steps in a day. You’d be surprised how quickly you get more active when you have a target to beat. Not only do fitness buddies make great motivation to keep you going, they also work as a little bit of a healthy guilt trip too. It’s a lot harder to cancel that gym session if you’re not the only one being let down.
Keep what you love…
This is by far the best advice I have ever come across when it comes to tips and tricks to get into health and fitness and I’m pretty sure you’re going to love it. Basically, that one thing that you love to eat…cannot live without…eat it! Pretty simple right! Now I’m not talking by the bucket load here but if chocolate is your thing then have some when you want. If fruit and nut mix is what’s doing it for you then make sure you grab a handful. By keeping what you love it makes it a lot easier to stick to your new healthy lifestyle because you never feel like you’re being deprived. Plus you get to branch out and try new healthier snack alternatives, some of which are bound to end up on your favourites list.
To stay in tune with your new healthy lifestyle, its always a good idea to infuse the things you love with the things your body needs. Try out Kandy’s All Natural Sample Box which is packed with healthy and delicious treats that will help kickstart your new fit you! This sample box includes one Organic Dairy Free Vanilla Cake Jar, Organic Dark Chocolate Chia Tartlet with Sea Salt, Organic Pineapple Kale Muffin, Organic Beet Bagle, Kandied Pecans, and a packet of Stevia Seeds. Yummy in a box!
I hope you found these tips helpful and be sure to check out Kandice’s post over on my blog soon!
Thanks, Megan