Little Hints For Better Health
These hints are only little, but when you add them all up, they can make a big difference to your health and fitness. Here are my tried-and-tested tips towards better health:
Train early in the morning: Getting your exercise done first thing in the morning before the day really begins is a good way to avoid being waylaid by someone or something.
Put your training gear on: Even if you don’t get a chance to exercise first thing in the morning, if you have your training gear on you are much more likely to get some form of exercise done at some point in the day.
Listen to health and fitness podcasts: When you’re looking to make changes to the way you’re living, listening to healthy living podcasts can be a great way to stay motivated and focussed.
Brush your teeth straight after dinner: You will be less likely to snack before bed and keep your healthy eating habits on track.
Write your training days on a calendar and tick them off: Have your program in a prominent place (i.e. on your fridge) and tick your training sessions off as you go. You’ll get a great sense of satisfaction every time you tick a session off, and you will be less likely to skip a session too.
Eat as many different plants as you can in a week: Aim for 30 + (includes herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts).
Don’t drink your calories: It is so easy for extra calories to sneak into your diet when you are drinking them. Sugary drinks such as sodas and fruit juices are easy to consume quickly, and don’t fill you up. Even if you are drinking “healthy” smoothies, you can inject many more calories into one mouthful than you would if you were chewing your food.
Eat healthy fats: The “eat low fat” mantra from years past is thankfully behind us and we now know that consuming healthy fats is essential to a healthy life. Extra virgin olive oil, eggs, nuts and seeds are loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and powerful antioxidants that can fight inflammation.
Lift heavy things: Lifting weights is one of the best things you can do to strengthen your muscles and improve your body composition. It also leads to massive improvements in metabolic health, including improved insulin sensitivity. The best approach is to lift weights, but doing bodyweight exercises can be just as effective.
Take care of your relationships: Social relationships are incredibly important not only for your mental well-being but also your physical health. Studies show that people who have close friends and family are healthier and live much longer than those who do not.
Invest in the right gear: It doesn’t need to be expensive, but having a comfortable pair of running tights, warm gloves and beanie for the winter, or a good pair of shoes, can make all the difference to your motivation to get out there and exercise.
Do something - it’s always better than nothing: No matter how pear-shaped your day goes, if you plan to exercise that day, make something happen. If you were meant to go for a 5km run but feel exhausted, go for a 10-minute walk. If you planned to do a 30-minute weights session but run out of time, do a circuit of push-ups, sit-ups and squats for 5 minutes. If you booked in for your Fit My Day training session but feel completely exhausted, simply turn up and move your body in the sunshine. You will ALWAYS feel better.
By Angie Black
ANGIE BLACK
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