I am not a health expert of
any kind but this is just my take on how to make yourself feel better about
yourself and generally feel a bit healthier.
Tip 1
Drinking water - I know
that everyone goes on about drinking litres upon litres of water everyday but
do not get yourself down if you do not drink the amount recommended by experts
if you are drinking a litre of water a day and before you weren't drinking any
at all this is an improvement and you can build it up as you go.
Tip 2
Try to cut down on your
sugar levels as sugar can be addictive and it actually has bad health effects
on your body as it speeds up aging and bloats you and when the quick hit of
sugar and energy wares off you feel extremely tired. Even though fruit has lots
of good vitamins fruit juice is very high in sugar and the juice
doesn't actually have as many benefits as eating the actual fruit as it
has been stored for a while. Adding to this try not to overeat dried fruit as
it contains the same sugar content as real fruit but is much smaller and easier
to eat so you could be overeating sugar without realising. A good book to read
concerning this is 'I Quit Sugar' by Sarah Wilson
Tip 3
Try
to eat whole wheat foods as opposed to your processed wheat. Processed wheat is
much harder for your body to process and whole wheat has many more benefits for
your body so try to opt for brown bread, pasta, etc. For more information on
good foods for your body Dr Gillian McKeith's Book 'You are what you eat' is
very informative.
Tip 4
Try to eat from scratch as
much as possible - making your own sauces and sandwiches rather than buying
them as you know exactly what is in them. Make your own healthy snacks rather
than buying the "low-fat" "low-calorie" products advertised
in the shops as they can often have high salt levels or lots of added chemicals
to replace what has been taken out to make the product "healthy".
Tip 5
Take your time to enjoy
your food as if you eat quickly you body doesn't always register how much you
have eaten. As well as this be aware of your food choices and portion control
to avoid over eating.
Tip 6
Try to increase your
exercise levels gradually by making small changes like walking to the
shops or a friends house rather than taking the car - small changes can
make a big difference.
Tip 7
Joining an exercise class
or exercising regularly with a friend can increase your motivation and
dedication as you can encourage each other and discuss your progress as
the week by week.
Tip 8
Try not to keep
weighing yourself. If you keep weighing yourself and do not see a drastic
change overnight you will become disheartened and slip back to old habits so
avoid weighing yourself continuously and focus on how you feel – do you have
more energy? Has your skin improved? Do you feel less bloated? WEIGHT IS NOT
EVERYTHING. You can look extremely healthy on the outside but your body is
extremely unhealthy on the inside and vice-versa.
Tip 9
Don't limit yourself -
if you cut out everything you like from your diet you are more likely to slip
out of your healthy eating habits and back into the unhealthy routine so allow
yourself a little bit of everything you like. Moderation is key.
Tip 10
One of the most important
tips which has been touched on in the previous tips do everything in
small steps at a time rather than all at once to make it manageable and less
likely for you to quit and slip back to unhealthy habits. Try not to push
yourself too hard and expect too much.