If you’re ready to embrace a healthier lifestyle but aren’t really interested in hitting the gym right away, don’t worry. There are things you can do to achieve your goal. The following tips will get you on the right track:
Reduce sugar intake
Sugar is known to be inflammatory, and the standard diet is high in the sweet stuff. If you have a sweet tooth, this might seem difficult. Start small instead of attempting to go cold turkey. Instead of enjoying three cookies at dessert, have two. If you typically treat yourself to a specialty coffee each morning before work, choose just two or three days to enjoy one. By reducing your sugar intake, you will see and feel the difference in your energy in a matter of days or weeks thanks to a reduction in inflammation and calories.
Cook at home
If you tend to eat a lot of fast food, you are not only consuming more calories than you want to, but also more sugar and salt. Don’t eliminate salt altogether as it as an important electrolyte that works with magnesium and potassium. Together they keep the fluids in your body balanced and affect the way nerves work. Cooking at home allows you to control what goes into your meals and snacks. You can eat more fruits and vegetables, which will provide you with a plethora of nutrients. If you’re on the road a lot, cook enough for a few days, so you can pack them up to take with you. If you are prepared with healthy meals and snacks, you’ll be less likely to stop for fast food.
Reduce portion size
It’s important to learn the true serving sizes of food groups so that you don’t consume too much in one sitting. You have likely become accustomed to eating a certain way, so this can be difficult to get used to. Avoid going back for seconds until you’ve given your brain time to register your first plate of food. This takes about twenty minutes. In the meantime, enjoy a glass of water. You may find you’re not hungry for that second serving once the twenty minutes have passed. If you are still hungry, go ahead and have a second, slightly smaller, portion.
Walk more
Walking is a great way to burn some calories and get your body used to moving more. If you’ve led a sedentary lifestyle until now, this may seem like exercise, but your body will thank you. Start by taking short walks, for example, getting up for five minutes every hour or two to walk during your work day. A couple of times a week, take a slightly longer walk during your lunch break.
Increase fibre intake
Consume more fibre by enjoying foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, and nuts. Without enough fibre, you may become constipated and look and feel bloated. Increase fibre little by little as consuming too much can result in similar digestive issues including bloating and constipation. Make sure to stay well hydrated with water as you increase fibre.
