SHAPING UP: Four things you can do today to make positive impact on your health

If you are just starting out on a fitness journey and want to achieve a goal, it’s important to start off slowly. If you make too many changes to your life at once it’s likely you won’t stick to it!
By The Newsroom
Published 18th Feb 2020, 00:00 BST
Updated 20th Feb 2020, 10:52 BST
Roasted carrots with chilli, garlic and honey dressed in carrot top pesto and spiced yoghurtRoasted carrots with chilli, garlic and honey dressed in carrot top pesto and spiced yoghurt
Roasted carrots with chilli, garlic and honey dressed in carrot top pesto and spiced yoghurt

#1 Be Active At Least 3 Times A Week.

It doesn’t have to be intense. You don’t need to go to a big crowded and intimidating gym or run for miles and miles. Just take it easy and build it up slowly.

If, right now, your fitness levels are low and you’re not very active, going on a 25-minute pacey walk, three times a week is a massive improvement to the week before!

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The type of exercise doesn’t matter either, just make sure you enjoy it!

#2 Make Healthier Food Choices.

Counting macros and counting calories can put a lot of people off before they even start. So, to start with, just focus on making healthier choices.

Swap out high-calorie foods for calorie-dense foods that will fill you up, and try to be more mindful of what you’re eating.

For example, you could swap a 1100 calorie tub of Ben & Jerry’s for a tub of frozen yogurt at 400 calories. You’re still going to treat your sweet tooth but without consuming so many calories.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Once you have the hang of that, you can take it to the next step.

#3 Focus On Your Sleep.

Quality of sleep can really affect your health. If you have a bad sleep, you wake up with no energy and you’re more likely to be stressed.

It can also have an effect on your eating habits. If you feel tired and lethargic at the end of the day you’re more likely to pick up a take away or a quick microwave meal. However, if you’ve had a good sleep and have high energy levels, you’re going to feel so much more in control.

#4 Drink At Least 2 Litres Of Water A Day

When you’re hydrated you’ll experience lots of health benefits; healthier skin, healthier teeth and bones, healthier joints, improved digestion, reduces fatigue, suppresses appetite, and it increases your ability to burn fat.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Start drinking water as soon as you wake up on a morning - have a glass with your breakfast. Then keeping sipping throughout the day. You need to have a minimum of two litres of water per day. My advice is to fill up a 2-litre bottle on a morning and make sure it's gone by the end of the day. And, replace your normal cups of tea and coffee for three cups of GREEN TEA per day.

Related topics:SHAPING UPSleep