It’s January, which means you probably have a few New Year’s resolutions to be getting on with. After the indulgences of Christmas and New Year, most people vow to improve their health and fitness by improving their diet and exercising more regularly, by many fall at the first hurdle and those gym goers quickly diminish by February.
So how can you stay on track with your fitness resolutions and improve your health in 2016? Well, here at Loofes, we have a few tips and tricks which may help you to reach your goals this year.
#1 It’s Not All About Protein
2015 was the year when everyone jumped on the protein bandwagon and started eating high protein diets. But restricting your food and limiting your carb intake may lead you to a carb filled binge eating session and that’s not what you want when you’re trying to lose a few pounds. When you’re sorting out your diet, remember that healthy eating should be a balance and isn’t all about protein, you also need carbohydrates, fibre and vitamins in your diet. Try combing your lean meats with lots of fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grain versions of bread, pasta and rice.
#2 Make Food Swaps
We all know that weight loss and fitness is all about limiting sugary, fatty foods, but this is easier said than done. If you’re used to a mid-morning doughnut or a bag of crisps in the afternoon, then you will be left longing for something to consume once you remove these from your diet and when those cravings kick in, you don’t want to be reaching for those high calorie snacks. Instead of removing food from your diet, try replacing it instead with healthy alternatives. A handful of almonds, a piece of fruit, Greek yoghurt and plain popcorn can help to tide you over between meals.
#3 Drink Up
When we say drink up, we’re not talking about going to the pub for a pint, what we mean is, drink more water. After all the festivities, parties and gatherings, you may have consumed a lot of alcohol in December and your body will be crying out for some water. Staying hydrated is essential to fitness and health and many of us don’t get enough. Depending on your height and weight, you will need around 2 litres of water per day, plus more if you are exercising or taking part in vigorous activity. To increase your water intake, try replacing your usual fizzy drinks or cups of coffee with glasses of water. If you dislike the taste, try adding lemon, cucumber or mint leaves to give it some flavour.
#4 Get Walking
The easiest way to increase your activity levels is to walk more. Walking is simple to do, cheaper than a gym and can be done without any equipment or accessories. If you can, try and leave the car at home and walk to your destination. If you have to catch the bus or train, try and get off a stop earlier and walk the rest of the way. You could also go for a walk on your lunch break or get together with friends and go for a stroll on the weekends.
#5 Get In The Habit
Overhauling your diet and increasing your exercise should be a lifestyle change and not just a quick fix. Changing your habits in the long run will help you to keep up those health and fitness resolutions for longer and will make sure you don’t fall off the wagon. A few healthy habits you should add to your day are, take the stairs instead of the lift, make sure you eat breakfast, get more sleep, don’t keep junk food in the house, prep your meals in advance and always have a supply of healthy snacks at hand.
#6 Have The Right Gear
It’s good to feel comfortable when you are working out, so before you start hitting the gym or heading out for a run, make sure you are wearing the right gear. Adding some new clothes to your workout wardrobe will motivate you to get out and exercise, so get yourself some new trainers, joggers and hoodies in the new year.
