To make any big shift in your health you have to want it to do it for you – no one else.
Your health doesn’t just revolve around what you put into your mouth, which is a mistake that many of us make when we think ‘health‘.
It’s much bigger than that – it also incorporates the level of physical exercise you undertake and it’s also the level of ‘happiness‘ that you choose to carry around with you. Yes, this is a choice!
To have a complete shift when it comes to your health (or anything for that matter) your first step is to make no excuses.
Next step – change your eating habits.
A great way to start is to switch from your regular 3 meals a day to more frequent, smaller meals per day – I’m talking 6-8 meals.
This increases your metabolism, keeps your blood and sugar levels consistent and also requires you to adjust your portion size.
On that note, most people in Australia don’t even know what a regular portion size is. We are fortunate to live in a wealthy country with little food insecurity but that has meant that, over the last decades, our average portion sizes have grown substantially.
If you’re unsure of what you put on your plate I’d suggest you cut it by a third then serve it up. Choose foods that are lean, unprocessed and carry lots of vitamins and minerals. Learn to love veggies and lean meats and limit your carb intake especially at night.
If you’d like to know more about the guidelines on portion size and what you should eat, see here.
And see here if you’re interested in information on portion control plates, to help you get on the right track.
And I know it’s a big ask, but reduce the bread if you can – particularly white bread.
Sometimes the biggest changes actually come around from much less significant ones – the small, everyday items you can eliminate from your diet without too much inconvenience or stress.
Perhaps you can choose to take your coffee without milk? Or drink an additional glass of water or two to curb your appetite? Perhaps choose nuts and fruit rather than a chocolate bar for your energy pick-me-up in the afternoon?
Have you tried quinoa as part of your diet? I’d you’d like to know more about this superfood and what it could do for you, see here.
It goes without saying that you should aim to move more and sit less. Look to exercise four times each week. This is realistic and achievable – and before you complain, this still gives you three days off! Remember – make no excuses!
Find a partner or a friend who supports you and engage in both high intensity workouts (such as short bursts of heart pumping, sweat producing exercises), but also in other more leisurely activities such as lengthy walks.
You need weights, endurance and cardio to ensure you have a balanced exercise regime.
People wonder why they are not shifting any weight or changing their body shape when all they are doing is walking the same path everyday at the same pace. Your body becomes used to familiar routines and so it needs to be shaken out of its complacency. Shock it up!
With summer only a few months away start considering a swim, surf, running later at night or joining a club sport – there really are no excuses.
Above all else speak positively to yourself. Find a motivating quote and stick it to your mirror or on your ceiling. Then set that alarm and accept NO EXCUSES.
If you want to change you can. You have that power. No excuses.
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