Too busy for a healthy lifestyle ?
So many of us work long hours, have stressful jobs, sit down for the majority of the day and then come home completely worn out. We are all so busy, trying to tick off the ever increasing number of tasks on our to do lists, how do we find the time, energy and inclination to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle ?
The good news is once you start making small changes the inclination will take care of itself because you will feel so much lighter, fresher, cleaner and more positive.
So that just leaves time and energy to deal with. Surprisingly though we do not need that much time and the small improvements that you make will provide you with the energy you need and then some – you will be positively bursting with energy and enthusiasm within a few weeks !
The main requirement of adopting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is effort, most importantly the effort required to start making small changes, making different food choices, to get up and moving more and to start listening to yourself.
These changes are long-term / lifetime improvements so take small steps, make small changes that fit into your routines and you will find it so much easier to maintain.
Morning
Start the day as you mean to go on – positive and productive. A good morning routine (no matter what time you get up) should have you bouncing out the door rather than rushing or plodding !
Before you physically get up run through a few things that you have in your life that you are grateful for to put you in a great mood as you wake up.
Drink a glass of water before you grab your coffee, tea and breakfast (see diet below) to hydrate and refresh.
Jump up and down – or anything that gets your heart beating a little faster to wake your whole body up (how about a few jumping jacks?).
Get some fresh air. Walk to work / school / shops if you can. If this is not possible just spend a few moments outside and enjoy the clean, fresh, morning air. Being outdoors lifts your mood and clears your mind.
Tip 1 : try hot water and lemon or peppermint tea of a morning for a refreshing start to the day.
Tip 2 : prepare as much as you can the evening before to make your morning easier and calmer (packed lunch, clothes, bag packed etc.)
Diet
Drink water consistently throughout the day to keep you alert, clear headed and help you to focus. Steer clear of fizzy drinks and try to substitute one or two of your normal coffees or teas with fruit tea, hot water (with or without lemon), green tea, peppermint tea etc.
Have a light, nutritious breakfast and steer clear of refined carbohydrates such as white bread and sugary, processed cereals. Smoothies, fruit, yoghurt, oats (if you need something a bit bulky), eggs are great choices to provide you with the energy needed until your next meal.
Prepare your lunch the night before to save you money, time and calories ! Salads, soups, veggie sticks and hummus / salsa, protein such as chicken, eggs and fish, fruit, yoghurt and maybe a little treat such as a mini chocolate bar. Again try not to overload yourself with refined carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, crisps and cakes. This will prevent that post lunch slump and help you remain clear and focussed.
Try not to snack, obviously the odd cake on someone’s birthday is not going to hurt but one every day will ! A lot of us have forgotten what it feels like to be hungry because there is a constant food supply and most of us overeat.
A healthy, nutritious, satisfying dinner does not have to take hours of preparation, 30 minutes is plenty of time to knock up something home-made, tasty and healthy. The free Tesco magazines have some pretty good recipes plus there is a whole host of recipes online. The key is to plan your meals for the week and get all the ingredients in your weekly food shop so that you have everything to hand. Stocking up on herbs and spices is a great way to ensure that your food does not become boring and bland.
Try to stick to having at least 12 hours between the time that you stop eating in the evening and start eating in the morning. During this time you can have black tea, black coffee, fruit teas etc. just no calories. Ideally around 14 hours is fantastic and easier to stick to than you think (it just stops you snacking of an evening !).
Have the odd splurge or day off – this is a lifestyle choice and as such, it is for your lifetime. Meals out, days out, family and friends gatherings should not fill you with dread because of ruining your good work – it is fine to have a short break, in fact it will help you keep going in the long-term. Just make sure you get back to your healthy ways as soon as you can.
Tip 1 : carry a water bottle with you at all times to encourage you to drink more – they are becoming the new fashion accessory !
Tip 2 : switch to brown rice, pasta and bread – you get used to it really quickly and it is less refined.
Fitness
Walking wherever and whenever you can is the easiest way to increase your activity levels, particularly if you make an effort to walk fast, add some hills and use the stairs. If you have to drive try parking a bit further away – this could also save you a fortune in parking if you find some free parking a little way away !
If you have a sedentary job try to get up every hour for a few minutes and have a stretch, go for a walk in your lunch break if you can then eat at your desk, whilst sitting on your chair – sit up straight and lift each leg off of the chair (one at a time of course!) for a count of 20, do some bum clenches when no-one is looking (!).
You need to be including at least 30 minutes of activity that raises your heart beat, at least 3 times a week – walking fast / uphill, jogging and running, sports etc. The key to starting and maintaining this is to find things that you enjoy doing, that are not a chore and to schedule them into your diary. This is slightly time-consuming but this type of exercise actually energises you so that half an hour or so you spend getting sweaty, hot and out of breath will actually come back to you in the way of energy to do more and stay awake longer !
Include regular bodyweight exercises a few times a week – this does not have to be time consuming at all. They can be done at anytime, anywhere. I prefer to do mine of a morning – I do around 15 minutes in total of squats, press ups, sit ups, planks, lunges and stretches 5 mornings a week (Monday – Friday). But you can do them at any point during the day, ad hoc if needs be – a few lunges here, a few squats there.
Tip 1 : use a pedometer, fitbit or the step counter on your phone and aim for 10000 steps a day.
Tip 2 : stretch whilst watching your favourite TV show and squat whilst brushing your teeth and waiting for the kettle to boil !
Outlook / Mindset :
I have already mentioned the morning gratitude habit which puts you in a positive, “lucky” frame of mind.
You should also be aware of your thoughts and self-talk during the day. Try to stop yourself spiralling into negativity and berating and criticising yourself. When you find yourself doing this do something to change your focus – get up and have a quick break, get a glass of water. How can you turn this around ? Beware of workplace gossip – it is rarely positive and often breeds resentment and uncomfortable atmospheres.
Focus on one thing at a time by using the time chunking method – divide your day into time slots and allocate one task per time slot. Studies have shown that multi-tasking has been seriously overrated (and I always prided myself on my great multi-tasking ability!) and that focussing on one thing at a time is more productive.
Do not forget to put time aside for you – self care time, time with family and friends and time to exercise and plan your meals !
Get enough sleep. Sleep is really underrated and there seems to be kudos in working all night and surviving on 2 hours of sleep – this is definitely not healthy ! You know how much sleep you need so try to get to bed early enough to get that many hours. Tiredness affects your patience and tolerance levels, causing stress and negativity and reduces your willpower meaning that you are more likely to grab for something naughty !
Tip 1 : find something that you love doing, that requires your full attention and indulge regularly. This really helps to calm your mind and helps prevent it from overheating ! This is particularly good when you have something on your mind that you are struggling to figure out – stop thinking about it for a while. (Puzzles are my thing.)
Tip 2 : it’s good to talk ! Talking through your worries and struggles helps you look at them more objectively and therefore see them more clearly, without your heightened emotions clouding your vision.
There you go – your healthy lifestyle can be achieved and maintained by making a few different choices, taking a few small steps, making a few small changes and putting in a bit of effort. With just a little bit of time and effort you will start to feel lighter, fresher and cleaner, your energy levels will increase and you will find yourself becoming more positive and able to tackle the inevitable challenges and struggles that pop up now and again. Take on just a few tasks at a time so that you do not feel overwhelmed which would jeopardise your progress and motivation.
Just a last few tips to help you on your healthy way ;
Tip 1 : grab a friend /colleague / family member and embark on your healthy lifestyle journeys together for encouragement and motivation.
Tip 2 : stop and breathe when things get a bit hectic. Slow down your breathing and focus on taking a few deep breaths.
Tip 3 : start right now, don’t wait until Monday (unless you are reading this Sunday night!).
If you feel that you need a bit more help to get going and / or stick to your new healthy lifestyle, have a look at my Pearl Lifestyles Online Healthy Lifestyle Club. As a member you will receive daily motivation and inspiration, tools and resources to help you stay focussed, advice and support plus weekly and monthly tasks and challenges. https://www.pearllifestyles.com/membership
Here’s to the new happy, healthy you !
Lisa Johnson
Pearl Lifestyles