Health Living tips for 2015

Make healthy changes and stick to them 

As new year came and went, we saw an influx of people vowing  to shed their bad habits and become healthier people. However, according to research, only one in ten of us will achieve our goals- but why is this, and how can you stick to your goals? Firstly, the key is to be realistic. We all want to improve ourselves in some way but setting suitable goals for our own personal needs and desires is the key to health improvement. Make manageable changes that you can build up gradually rather than setting a goal that is unrealistic. 

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Get moving

If you want to do more exercise and you don't currently do much, start with setting the goal of doing 10 minutes a day and increase it as you see an improvement. Likewise, exercise comes in all different forms and it's important to find one you enjoy, as well as one that's suitable for you personally. This may even be a spot of gardening, or hoovering the steps. You may be reading this thinking; "what if I am not good on my feet?". The answer to this is that even if you have limited or low mobility, this shouldn't discourage you from taking advantage of exercise. There are a variety of limited mobility exercises that are just right for your personal fitness level. Similarly we have products available to provide you with comfort while exercising, as well as products to help you exercise if you have mobility problems. Start small- take baby steps. 

Another way to increase the amount of exercise you do, whilst improving your health as you do it, is to tailor the type of exercise to your mood. If you are feeling lonely or bored, joining a class at a local gym, pool or community centre might work best for you. If you are feeling depressed, try going for a walk outside to boost your happy hormones. Moreover, if you are feeling stressed try mind-body exercises like Yoga or Pilates- both of which can be done in the comfort of your own home! 

When we are stressed our bodies release a hormone called Cortisol. Which can lead to an increase in cravings for sweets and carbs, often leading to overeating and weight increase. By exercising, this relives stress and reduces the chance of your body releasing Cortisol. Which is great if you're trying to eat healthier! 

Nourish your body

One thing that is important when you are trying to either cut back, or eat healthier, is to recognise what your body is telling you. Many people for example, confuse the feeling of thirst, with hunger. Meaning they eat when they don't need to. People also often eat due to boredom, so find a hobby or something you enjoy and get stuck into it! Likewise people who want to eat healthier often think that it means you can never treat yourself. However many healthy eaters choose to have a 'cheat day' where they can eat whatever they want for one day a week, as long as they eat right for the rest of the week. Obviously this technique may not be suitable for you, but by treating yourself for doing well, this encourages you to keep up the good work, as well as making your goals much more manageable. For many, diets are a thing of the past and healthy eating becomes a way of life, rather than a quick fix. The reason for this is "when does the diet end?", do you finish it completely and go back to your old ways? The answer is no, as you would probably go back to square one.

Instead, like exercise, set yourself small goals at a time. If you decide you need to cut down your sugar intake, try reducing the amount of sugars in your tea, or even replace white sugar with the much more natural raw sugar. Small changes go a long way. Another way to improve your health is to reduce your intake of caffeinated drinks. Caffeine, believe it or not increases Cortisol so lay off the caffeine-laden drinks. 

Whilst trying to cut back or eat healthy, it is also important to think about your actions- don't kid yourself. If you sneakily eat a piece of cake, take note of it and continue on your path. It's important to stay focused and not let a few slips here and there completely destroy what you are trying to achieve, get back on the horse! Similarly you need to recognise what is healthy and what is not, its fine to have a salad but if you're drenching it in mayonnaise, then you're defeating the object. Instead try putting in plenty of vitamin packed vegetables that you actually enjoy and to eliminate the problem of it being dry, try out hummus! Hummus is made with chickpeas that are packed with fibre and protein; it can reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering risk factors such as elevated cholesterol and blood pressure.

Lastly, remember portion control is key. Many people overeat, sometimes due to the fact they struggle to cook for one. Or more simply, because they don't know what a suitable portion size is. Although it may differ, it helps to do a bit of research into portion sizing and there are many products to help you monitor this. (see link below)

Get plenty of Kip!

It might sound obvious, but getting plenty of good, quality sleep is vital to living a healthy lifestyle. Sleeping gives your body chance to repair and allows your mind to figure out things which may of happened during the day. Without enough sleep Cortisol levels will rise, making us feel much more hungry and less satisfied with the food we do eat. So while we may think we are hungrier because we need more energy due to the lack of sleep, the reality is its your Cortisol levels interfering again. 

Whatever changes you decide to make, be it exercising more, cutting back, eating healthier, or attending a new class, remember- you're not in it alone. Think about what you will gain by living a healthier lifestyle; who will it benefit other than you? Prepare! Preparation is the key to success, "fail to plan, plain to fail", plan your week out in advance to avoid getting yourself into awkward situations. Make your goals enjoyable, boredom can be demotivating, so try new things and discover what you like. Don't expect instant results, be patient, continue to set small goals, and prosper! Lastly think positive a positive mind, helps to leads to positive a healthy life.

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