Overall we must aim to eat healthily and create a diet for life not just for a few weeks or months. We want to make a change that can be sustained. The list of ways to live a healthy lifestyle can be extensive and there are lots of different meal recipe ideas, exercise plans etc that we can follow but sometimes we just need to get started. Here are some tips to begin on your journey towards a healthier lifestyle.
1.Set your goals
The first thing to do is to set yourself small, manageable, weekly goals. Changing everything at once usually leads to giving up or cheating! So make a list of what you want to change and then plan what to change first, then next and so on.
For example on week one plan to reduce portion sizes and drink more water. On week two continue with week one but eat more whole grains and reduce refined sugars in your meals. Carry on setting new goals each week until they become habits.
2. Drink plenty of water
Many of us go through life dehydrated which leads to tiredness, low energy and headaches. We need water so that our blood can carry nutrients around the body and get rid of waste.
The biggest question is how much should we drink? It does depend on a persons size, the temperature and how active someone is. But in general the Department of Health recommends that we should drink about 1.5 litres of fluid every day. This works out to be about six 200ml glasses.
All drinks count, but water, green tea, milk and fruit juices are the healthiest. It is best to avoid alcoholic, sugary and caffeinated drinks that are high in calories and bad for your teeth.
Remember that thirst can sometimes be mistaken for hunger so staying hydrated helps you make healthier food choices.
3. Eat less unhealthy foods
This is definitely the most obvious part of a healthy diet but it is possibly the hardest. It has been proven that we get more excited about sugary and fatty foods that give us immediate energy. The best way to avoid these is DO NOT BUY THEM. If you don’t have them in the house you are not able to snack on them.
Types of unhealthy foods we must reduce are those containing refined sugar and saturated fats. We should also avoid unhealthy carbohydrates such as white flour, white rice and any cereals that are not whole grain. These carbohydrates are stripped of bran, fibre and nutrients which cause them to be digested quickly causing spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels.
But do remember that we can have treats, just not all the time!
4. Eat more healthy foods
So we need to replace the unhealthy foods with healthy foods. The best way to start this is to eat whole grain carbohydrates such as brown pasta, brown rice, wholegrain breads, beans and fruit and vegetables. These foods are digested slowly which help to give the feeling of fuller for longer and keep our blood sugar levels and insulin levels stable. Look for labels that state 100% whole wheat or wholegrain on packaging to know you are buying the right products.
It is recommended that we eat a balanced diet, this takes some planning and will be one of your weekly goals to change what proportions of foods you eat.
5. Get active
Changing the way you eat and what you put in to your body will make you feel better and give you more energy, but to complete a healthy lifestyle you need to get active. Daily, moderate intensity, aerobic exercise can improve overall health. The easiest way is to embed exercise in to your everyday activities. The key is make it normal for you to be active, get out and about. You don't have to join a gym, unless you set a fitness goal, there are plenty of ways to exercise outdoors or in your home.
You want to aim for 30-45 minutes a day. So swap a car journey for a walk or cycle. A ten minute walk to the shop adds up to 20 minutes because you have to walk back! Walk up stairs rather than get a lift, get outside and do some gardening, or take it a step further and go for a jog or run outside.
6. Record your starting point
In order to motivate yourself to continue your healthy lifestyles write down your starting points. Feelings, energy levels, measurements, weight on scales etc.. are all things that you can record down. Taking regular measurements or journal entries can help you monitor your progress. When you are having a bad day it is a great way to reflect on what you have achieved.
7. Embark on the journey with others
Finally don’t make all these changes on your own. Discuss with your family and friends and get them involved in the lifestyle change. You will have more success and stick to your new lifestyle while others around you are doing the same thing, you can support each other, motivate each other and comment on each others results from your new lifestyle.
So overall remember to start off by setting small manageable goals, take a leap and get going, you will be much happier that you started today. Don't put it off!
