Eat a balanced diet
To function at its optimum level, your body requires the correct type of fuel, just like any other machine! Each day you should be looking to include a minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables into your diet, alongside a variety of high-protein foods.
Fast food does not have to be junk food; fruit is a brilliant "fast food" to substitute your usual bag of crisps or chocolate hit! In addition, you must watch out for ready meals and "on the go" snacks you pick up at the shop - you might think you're making a "healthy" choice, but actually many prepared foods contain various preservatives and no-good chemicals. You're much better off preparing your own meals from scratch at home!
Drink enough water
Just like with food, your body requires the correct amount of water to stay hydrated and function properly. For adults, it is recommended that men drink two litres and women drink 1.6 litres of water, per day.
If you struggle to meet this target, try substituting still water for sparkling or soda water. If you're feeling especially adventurous, you could even add sliced lemon and lime to the mix. As well as giving it a bit of a "zing", this combination is renowned as a great detox drink.
Exercise regularly
To avoid the excess energy from foods you consume being stored as fat in your body, regular exercise is required.
Exercise has never been more fundamental; with so many individuals working 9am - 5pm office jobs five days a week, physical activity is limited. Therefore, it's especially important that you make a conscious effort to exercise outside of work hours, whenever you can.
24 hour gyms give us the option to workout at any time of the day, so you have no excuse not to!
Make a plan
Results can be achieved more easily by creating (and sticking to!) a detailed plan. Your plan should clearly map out your determined exercise regime, as well as a timetable of when you will be carrying out your workouts.
If you find it difficult to stick to a healthy diet, draw up a thorough food plan for each week in advance. If you only pick up the foods you require for the week ahead when grocery shopping, your cupboards won't end up filled with naughty snacks to tempt you!
Monitor your progress
Weighing yourself weekly will allow you to discover how your body is adapting to your current workout and diet plan.
It is also a great idea to take a "progress shot" of yourself once a week; this will allow you to look back and view the progress you've made over a given period of time. This is such a simple technique, but it can be an incredibly effective motivator!
Make a collage
Create a collage of various pictures that represent the reasons why you're making a conscious effort to live a more fit and healthy lifestyle.
Once complete, display it in a prominent place within your home. Through seeing this daily it will help motivate you to achieve your desired goals.
Never miss a day
Often, missing one day can lead to missing several days; before you know it you're caught up in a vicious cycle and have given up your workout plan altogether.
To avoid this it is recommended that any missed days are made up on other days when you'd planned to rest. Whatever you do, try not to break the habit!
Educate yourself
There are constantly new tips and tricks on how to become fitter being uploaded to the web. Make the most of the free advice, but be cautious of any fad diets you read about; more often than not you'll end up spending a fortune on "magic" food or supplements which probably won't have any effect whatsoever.
A healthy, varied diet and plenty of exercise is the way to go!
Go shopping!
When working hard, it is always a good idea to reward yourself once you have reached your desired goals. For example if you have dropped a dress size to reach your ideal weight, treat yourself to a new item of clothing.
This will not only help your self-esteem and make you feel great, it will also motivate you towards achieving your next goal!
Following the above advice will help you live not only a fitter and healthier lifestyle, but a happier one too. Good luck!
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