Top Tips to get started on Your Healthy Lifestyle Journey

Healthy vegetables Laid Out at a Farmer's Market

Starting out as a beginner in any practice can be a bit daunting but when it comes to getting fit and healthy there is an abundance of information to be found online that can be overwhelming and in many cases contradictory. For anyone who has underlying health conditions, allergies, injuries or special eating requirements already then it would definitely be in your best interest to consult a doctor, healthcare or fitness professional who can best advise you on how to safely transition your exercise and eating regime without causing any harm to yourself. For those who don’t have any pre-existing conditions, are absolute beginners and can’t afford to invest in a nutritionist or trainer, this guide will be most beneficial for you.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

This seems obvious and something we are told from birth, however the number of people who don’t drink enough water is astonishing. The human body is made up of approximately 60% water therefore it is not surprising that drinking water helps maintain the balance of bodily fluids which affects digestion, absorption, circulation, saliva, transportation of nutrients and body temperature. If you can drink filtered water, that is best and always drink a minimum of eight glasses of water per day which is about two litres.

Glass filled with healthy water and lemon

Surrender Your Sugar Habit to be more healthy

It is impossible to cut out sugar all together as it is found naturally in healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and potatoes. However, by cutting out refined sugars such as sweets and chocolates and fizzy drinks you will notice your healthy improve and possibly even weight loss. The physical affect will depend on your current physique and the amount of refined sugar you currently eat.

 

Pull Away from Processed and Go Natural

Convenience cooking seems to be a way of life for many people. The abundance of microwave meals and pre-packaged snacks in every supermarket and corner shop is overwhelming. Although this may save time in our busy first-world lives it is actually damaging our health. The amount of sugar, salt and preservatives used in these ready meals and packaged items to make them taste good and last much longer than is naturally possible is frightening. Try cooking things from scratch by buying organic meat and vegetables. The trick to making fresh food more flavoursome is seasoning. You can buy seasoning in little jars from every supermarket and find great recipes online for healthy meals that taste amazing.

Bowl of healthy butternut squash soup topped with feta cheese, seeds and herbs

Healthy Meal Prep

Life hack: if you are short of time you should dedicate one day at the beginning of your week to cook off several meals or dishes so that all you have to do is reheat them when you are in a rush. You are basically making your own microwave meals but you will save a ton of money and you know exactly what ingredients are in there. If you are really organised you could even batch cook soups, curries and chillies then freeze them. This way if you ever run out of your weekly meal prep or don’t have time to do it on your dedicated day you have something healthy ready to cook in the house.