Nine ways to get fitter and feel better!

  1. Lift weights twice a week to increase your muscle mass. This muscle will burn more calories even when you are not exercising.
  2. Take care of your heart and lungs by staying active for at least 30 minutes each day. This can be split into more than one session, so this could mean 2 x 15 minute walks.
  3. Do not get hungry; this will lead to you eating the wrong things. Carry healthy snacks wherever you go; bananas, apples, rice cakes, dried fruit and nuts (go easy on them though). Hunger can be triggered by boredom or lack of stimulation. You can eat 5 small meals a day rather than 3 big ones.
  4. Look at your portion sizes; in general they are larger than they need to be. If a smaller portion will leave you feeling hungry, add a huge spoon of steamed broccoli, cauliflower or other vegetables to your meal.
  5. Eat your breakfast. In tests, people who ate breakfast lost more weight than those who did not. You cannot exercise efficiently and achieve your potential without eating properly.
  6. Do not go shopping when you are hungry. When you go, write a list and stick to it, don’t be tempted by special offers on foods that you know are bad for you.
  7. Look at the ingredients on everything that you buy. Look at the total amount of fat and what kind of fat- avoid saturated fats and hydrogenated fats as they are linked with developing heart disease. Look at the amount of calories and the amount of salt that you will be eating. If you have time to prepare some meals with fresh ingredients you will improve your health, and probably cut down on fat.
  8. Stock up on healthy foods. Write a list of delicious healthy things that you may have forgotten you love, and make sure your cupboards are full of them; cherry tomatoes, kiwis, mangoes, etc.
  9. Make your lunch and take it to work. Buy whole grain rolls and tins of salmon and tuna- it only takes a few minutes to make a sandwich and pick up some fruit. Hold the mayo on the tuna!