After the festivities many of us have the urge to change the way we live and turn over a brand-new, shiny leaf. It’s obviously a good idea, but the statistics show that 50% of people who decide to radically change their lives; end up falling off the wagon and into their old bad habits after only 6 months. Here are 5 simple steps to help you stay on track.
1. Be a model of moderation
If you are feeling like starting a healthier way of living, give it some time and break it down into steps – in the first week exclude sweets from your diet, next week add some more green veggies. Remember just go for moderation. If you really want that chocolate cookie, have a small one and not the whole pack. The aim is not to restrict your diet forever – you need to change the way you live!
2. Supplement with Superfoods
If you are looking for easy ways to improve your diet, superfoods can be a way to go. Especially for those who are just starting healthy living adventures, a spoonful of goji berries on your morning porridge or a little bit of spirulina in the afternoon smoothie might do the trick. They are very small but concentrated nutritional bombs, so you can make a big difference to your health without any hassle.
3. Be plentiful with plants
Try a plant-based diet. It has a number of health benefits, including lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure levels and reducing your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Just try it and don’t be too harsh on yourself – if you don’t like it, it’s okay! Try it and aim to keep it up for 30 days to see how you feel without meat and dairy products. You should find that your energy levels will rise, some skin complaints will ease and your tastebuds will change – after a while you’ll begin to find that you simply don’t crave the same foods.
4. Time out or training?
Physical activity is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle, but overtraining can be almost as bad for you as a completely sedentary lifestyle. Make sure to find a balance between the two – if you haven’t exercised much before, make a promise to yourself to complete at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per day – brisk walking, cycling or swimming. If you’re already active, remember that sleep is important for adequate recovery, so now and again it might actually be better to stay in bed and rest properly, rather than getting up for training at 5am!
5. Exercise your eco ego
Get a bike and start cycling to work (be safe – get your helmet and lights too!). Even half an hour cycling will reduce your risk of getting cardiovascular disease and will make a huge difference to the environment. Choose your groceries consciously, avoid packaged food and use biodegradable and reusable bags (we have some new in stock!).
Buy only as much as you need, avoid food waste and choose locally – you will help not only yourself, but also everyone else on the planet!