5 Simple Steps to a Healthier You

The diet industry is a billion dollar industry that’s playing with our health. The steps to being a healthier you don’t revolve around living off counting your macros and slogging away at the gym every day. You can if you want to, but most of us mere mortals don’t have the luxury to revolve our lives around food and fitness.

There’s an easier way.

If you only do these five things for your health and wellbeing, feeling amazing will be the new norm. The sluggish mornings will be a thing of the past. The blurry head will be a distant memory. The bloat a part of your history. Becoming a healthier you is only a few steps away.

Staying healthy isn’t rocket science. Sure, there are factors that are outside of our control, sometimes genetics are a bitch, but if you focus on the variables you can control, you can live with a healthier version of yourself.

Remember, you only have one body to live in for the rest of your life. Love it. Respect it. Enjoy it.

Drink water

Water is a purifier and it’s a necessity for our health and wellbeing. We need around 1-2L per day. More if we’re working out.

But not too much.

Yes, you can have too much of a good thing. Too much water can dilute the sodium in your system which can result in hyponatremia. Remember to listen to your body first.

The daily recommendation for women is approximately 8 cups which equates to roughly 2L. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, exposed to hot climates or being super active then your water needs will increase.

How to get more water in your day:

Carry a water bottle with you at all times. Get one of those 600ml ones that fit nicely in your handbag and sip from it throughout the day. Refill 2-3 times and you should be right.
Keep a glass of water at your desk at work – and remember to drink from it! Having a glass will force you to go back and forth from the kitchen to refill it which is an opportunity to stretch and move throughout the day.
Get into the habit of having a glass of water before each meal. This serves two purposes: firstly, it quenches your thirst which can sometimes be disguised as hunger; and, secondly, it’ll fill you up so you end up eating less calories at meal times.

Eat fresh

If you choose to eat fresh over packaged then it’s hard to go wrong. Choose the fresh food aisles of the shopping centre and fill up your basket with colourful fruits and vegetables, lean protein, nuts and legumes. Create an herb garden in your kitchen for an added vitamin and flavour boost.

Fruit and vegetables are water rich and lower in calories than other foods. A fruit salad will have less calories than a packet of chips but you’ll end up eating more and stay fuller for longer.

Fresh fruit and vegetables are also filled with nutrients and multivitamins that are necessary for our overall well being. Deficiencies can cause various ailments and illnesses that can be avoided. Fibre is a common deficiency and yet it’s available in many fruit and vegetables. A lot of the processed foods we eat have the fibre taken out of them which means nothing good for your colon.

Quick & simple ways to add more fresh fruit and vegetables to your day:

Breakfast – add fruit to your breakfast, include a few slices of tomato on your avo on toast

Snacks – snack on vegetable sticks with hummus

Lunch – munch on a side salad with your pasta

Dinner – fill half your plate with vegetables, opt for a stir-fry instead of lasagna, add spinach to your pesto pasta, top your pizza with layers of vegetables

Get moving

While exercise alone will not make you lose weight, it’s vital for cardiovascular health. I’ve never had a workout where I didn’t feel good after. It’s usually the before that gets me.

Our bodies were designed to move. Consider our ancestors, their daily life consisted of being on the move constantly. They had to hunt for their food, prepare everything with what they could find. There was no sitting down for eight hours behind a computer five days a week, followed by two on the couch.

If you have a sedentary job, thirty minutes is just not going to make up for all the hours sitting on your backside. I know, I know, I’m all about quick 15 minute workouts, and they do have their place. But it’s not enough if that’s all you’re doing.

Here’s a list of ways you can stay moving every day:

Kick the ball with the kids in the park
Take the dog for a walk
Clean the house from top to bottom
Meet your friends for a surf or game of tennis
Play a weekly game of team sport
Go for a swim at the beach
Spend Friday night dancing up a storm
Park further away from work
Choose the stairs every chance you get
Do some weekend gardening

Every little bit adds up. You won’t be able to do everything every day but a little bit each day will go a long way. I think walking every day should be a given but it shouldn’t be counted towards your regular dose of exercise. It should be on top of it. So even if you’re walking thirty minutes a day, you should still add extra structured exercise – weight training, high intensity cardio, yoga, pilates – to your repertoire for long term health gains.

Sleep

There are three things that our body needs to survive. Water, food and sleep.

Sleep replenishes our energy stores and is necessary for our well-being. When we don’t get enough sleep our brain no longer works at its best and we are more inclined to make mistakes and forget things.

A lack of sleep can also lead to an increased risk in various diseases like high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease among others. Pretty nasty stuff!

How much sleep do you need?

That’s not always easy to answer. Your age, daily activities and genetics will have an impact. Aiming for 7-9 hours per night is a good starting point.

Have a laugh

Laughter is the best medicine. It has amazing effects on reducing stress hormones and increases your immunity against diseases.

You’re also more beautiful and attractive when you laugh. I don’t just mean to the opposite sex either. Laughter and smiles bring people together, family and friends. You don’t have to be a clown of the group, but making an effort to smile more and laugh more can do wonders for your health and wellbeing.

As laughter triggers endorphins (the happy chemicals in your body) it has the power to automatically lift your mood. And who has time to be sad anyway?

So there you have it. Wanna be healthy? No need for rocket science. Stick to these simple steps to a healthier you.