The following steps are designed to inspire you to live a healthier lifestyle and make a fresh start for 2012. It doesn't have to be hard to get in shape either. A few simple changes as outlined below can make a big difference.
1) Step up the motivation – The first stage of deciding to get fit, is to mean it. Set realistic goals and you will be able to monitor your progress at every stage. Not only is building up your willpower a great way to ensure you start to achieve your goals, but it can be beneficial if you have commitments to meet and this is true whether it be in regards to diet, emotions, exercise or relationships. As PathwaytoHappiness.com puts it, “Recovering and developing personal willpower allows you to keep your commitments with yourself and others…” and that “…One way to recover personal willpower is by identifying and changing core beliefs.”
2) Drink more water – If you’re looking to cleanse your system and detox in time for the New Year, then you should look to increase your fluid intake. As our body weight is made up of around two thirds water, we also lose it all the time in the form of evaporation when we sweat, breathe or urinate. So it’s vital that we ensure our bodies are receiving enough water so that all the cells in our body can carry out chemical reactions from our fluids. As according to NHS.UK, “Most of the chemical reactions that happen in our cells need water in order to take place. We also need water so that our blood can carry nutrients around the body and get rid of waste.”
3) Swap tea and coffee for herbal teas – A great way to ensure you get a recommended eight glasses of water a day is to swap a normal cup of tea or coffee for herbal teas. Many herbal teas such as green tea or peppermint often contain numerous other health benefits which include antioxidants and digestive and cleansing properties to name but a few. Herbaltea.org.uk states that “These claimed medical effects can include calming, soothing, relaxing and slimming down. On the other hand, other high-caffeine tea blends may promise increased energy and concentration.” So get sipping!
4) Swap rice for cous cous or quinoa – Rice can actually be pretty heavy on the digestive system and as it has a high glycemic index, (white rice has a high GI of 87, basmati rice a medium of around 58) and foods with high GI tend to raise the body’s blood sugar levels too quickly, it can make them ideal if partaking in exercise, but if this carbohydrate sugar is not expended, it instead becomes stored as fat. Try cous cous or quinoa, the latter of which has a glycemic index of 35, according to Quinoa.net.
5) Make your own pizza instead of a takeaway – Pizza doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Not only is creating your own pizza fun, but it gives you complete control over the ingredients too. For a truly healthy pizza stick to a vegetarian alternative. Roll your own bread dough, add fresh tomatoes as the sauce base and vegetables such as onions, peppers and tomatoes. Use a moderate amount of grated cheese or you can exclude this and put a drizzle of olive oil instead. BBC.co.uk states in an article entitled ‘High fat level found in takeaways’ that “Half of a medium pizza can weigh in at between 836 and 929 calories." They also state that “Fat was again high, with a thin crust pepperoni pizza containing 22.5g of saturated fats.” The reason for these extra calories is because takeaway pizzas will use more cheese, extra oil and even more ingredients than is necessary.
6) Take up a new exercise – From yoga, kickboxing to zumba, anything that gets your heart rate up and your body sweating off the pounds is going to be good for you. Not only is exercise good for the heart, it also helps your body to pump blood more easily to your cells for growth and repair. Exercise can also heal a range of ailments including bone and joint problems and help to protect against chronic diseases. According to Bupa.co.uk it can also help you to feel “…more satisfied with life and have an improved sense of wellbeing if you're physically active. Introduce regular exercise into your routine and you should sleep better, lower your stress levels and boost your self-image.”
7) Walk up the stairs instead of taking the lift – If you feel that exercise is too much of a chore to add to your busy routine, it needn’t be. Simple steps such as choosing to walk or cycle to work instead of taking the car or using the stairs instead of the lift can all help you to become more active and make the prospect of exercise easier to handle. There is even some evidence to suggest that climbing up stairs can help to prolong your life, according to a Swiss study. BBC.co.uk reporting on this, stated that “Banning the use of lifts and escalators led to better fitness, less body fat, trimmer waistlines and a drop in blood pressure, a study of 69 people found.”
8) Reduce your portion size – If you’re always finishing every scrap and morsel of food on your plate, you may need to rethink your strategy. Not only can eating everything on the plate lead to possible weight gain, but if you’re full after a few mouthfuls you should stop. According to Dietriffic.com, “Research shows that people have a tendency to eat more when they are presented with larger portions. It’s as if we’re still programmed to follow mum’s advice to clean our plates”. Eating smaller portions of high calorie foods and larger amounts of salad and vegetables is a good idea, as is reducing the size of your plate.
9) Swap cigarettes for gum – One of the biggest New Year Resolutions for most is to give up smoking. We all know smoking is bad for our health and wallet, but it can be easier to say we’re giving up than to actually do it. Many people like to have something to chew on in their mouth, which mimics the motions of a cigarette. Chewing gum or nicotine gum is a good option for replacing this nicotine from cigarettes and according to Bupa.co.uk, “Nicotine Replacement Therapy helps you to overcome the nicotine cravings, and can increase your chances of staying off cigarettes for good.”
10) Step off the scales – Setting yourself a weight to get down to and then making unrealistic expectations to achieve it by obsessively looking at the scales every day is one way to make sure you end up in a cycle of self-loathing and guilt. According to Health.LearningInfo.Org, “Each day your weight fluctuates, which means the scale indication will differ. All this can be caused by a number of factors: water retention, the time of day you measure yourself, the clothes you wear and most importantly the different scales you step on.” So there are a lot of things that the scales can’t tell you about how your health has improved, whether you have gained or lost muscle mass or how many inches you have lost. Instead, judge for yourself as to whether you can now fit into that pair of jeans which were previously too tight, or if you can run longer as a result of your new level of fitness.
In conclusion, the above steps can help you to lead a healthier lifestyle by examining any areas you would like to improve on. Incorporate these steps and you will be well on your way to a healthier and happier you.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Resource List:
Bupa.co.uk
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
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