Research into healthy eating and healthy exercise have given us a pretty good idea of the habits that have helped people stay healthy for longer. And the great news is, that these habits do not break the bank, include foods you find in your local grocery shop and do not involve a complete diet overhaul!

The keys to getting fitter and losing weight are not really quite as glamorous as you may think. There is no need to buy that diet tea, train for the next strong man competition or “detox” our bodies! There is no magic involved in getting healthier. Instead, we should focus on building healthy habits, which yes I know, take some hard work and determination, but pay off big time in the long run!

Let’s take a look at some of the simple changes that research tells us may ACTUALLY help you to achieve your goals!

Number 1: Keep a food diary!

How does food fit into your day? A food and exercise diary is a great way to help us identify what habits we have, and which habits we might want to change.

Try to write down all the foods you eat for three days (including a weekend day if possible). Include all meals, drinks and snacks.

Keep some small notes on the exercise you took on these days. Did you walk to the shop, do some gardening/house cleaning or did you walk the dog?

Studies show that using a food diary may help us to not only set goals but also monitor them. And one study showed that people who kept regular food diaries were more likely to lose weight.

I have linked a great food diary here that you can download for free today!

Number 2: Eat the rainbow!

Filling up your plate with veggies is a great way to help you get all your daily vitamins, minerals and fibre. But not only that – veggies are low in calories and fill you up quickly, making them great to snack on and a fantastic way to bulk up your meals.

I always recommend my clients to fill up half of their plate with vegetables for every meal. Then fill one quarter of the plate with lean proteins such as chicken breast, lean meat, eggs, beans, tofu. And then to fill the last quarter with wholegrain carbohydrates such as brown rice, brown pasta or potatoes.

And try to eat the rainbow, meaning chose a wide variety of colours and types of vegetables, to help you get a healthy mix of all your vitamins and minerals!

Number 3: Quick swaps!

What better way to build a healthy habit than to build it from something you are already doing! Simply swapping something you are already eating with a similar but healthier option can make a big difference!

Swap from full fat dairy to lower fat diary to cut your calorie intake. And chose whole grain carbohydrates where you can, such as choosing brown rice, brown bread and brown pasta. This helps you to feel fuller for longer (and there for keeps the snacking at bay), and has fantastic benefits on your gut health too.

Number 4:  Enjoy your healthy snacks.

What?! A dietitian recommending us to eat REGULAR snacks? Yes, indeed!

Snacks help us to keep our energy levels going throughout the day, and can be a great way to squeeze in those extra fruits and veggies.

The trick is to keep your snacks less than 150kcal per snack, and keep to a max of 2-3 snacks a day. Around 150kcal of a snack could be: a low fat yoghurt and a piece of fruit, 2 rice crackers and 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or 1 matchbox size of cheese and a small handful of grapes.

If you’re out and about, just read the backs of the packs you pick up and try to keep it below 150kcal per portion.

Number 5: Plan ahead.

A lot of the time, unhealthy foods sneak into our diet because we simply did not plan our meals and snacks ahead of time. Getting caught out without a healthy snack at hand when you’re hungry means that your stomach will do the deli shop, not your head!

So try to plan your meals and snacks ahead for the week and do your groceries with a shopping list. I guarantee, your head is a lot better at picking healthy meals than your rumbling stomach will ever be!

Number 6:  Exercise when it suits YOU!

Exercise does not have to mean running on a treadmill for an hour a day after work. I get it, we have busy lives, busy homes. I dare you now to get creative with your exercise this year!

Our goal should be to make up at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, for 5 days a week. Aiming for an hour a day will help you to even shift a few pounds.

Any exercise that gets you breathing a little faster counts, and that includes hoovering, mowing the lawn, walking home from the grocery store at a slightly faster pace than usual! And if you have 15 minutes to spare any time of the day, look for some nice workout videos online, or take a quick stroll around the block.

Ofcourse, speak to your doctor before taking on exercise at a higher intensity than you are used to.

Number 7: Level up your step count!

Many of us have a way of counting our steps now-a-days, whether it be an app on our phone, an exercise bracelet or a pedometer. I dare you to level up your stepping game this year!

How many steps do you take on an average day? Now, this week try to up those steps by 1,000 MORE to “Level up”. Research shows that those of us who take 10,000 steps a day are more likely to be a healthy weight. So aim for “Level 10” or higher to beat the sedentary blues!

Number 8: Mind your meal.

How many of us take our meal to the couch in the evening to watch TV? Is our phone taking all our focus during lunchtime?

Turning the focus back to what we are eating and how it is making us feel can be a key to both healthy diets and healthy weights. By focussing on what we are eating and what we’re feeling, we are more likely to listen to our hunger cues and there-for are less likely to over-eat.

So, turn off the tv, leave the phone locked, and bring those meals back to a table – where you can sit down and focus on your meal.

Number 9: Are you thirsty or hungry?

Again, by allowing our minds to be anywhere except focussed on our meals, we might be missing important cues our body is trying to give us. Often, people are tuned out of their hunger and thirst cues, leading to people mistaking their sense of thirst – for a sense of hunger.

Few of us get to our recommended daily intake of 2 litres of fluids a day. This can lead to fatigue, headaches, reduced ability to focus – the list goes on!

Now and again, when a craving for a nibble of something starts creeping in, stop yourself from reaching for the press for a snack. Instead, fill a glass with water and drink that first. If you still feel hungry after 15 minutes, then maybe have that healthy snack you had prepared. But often, you may have been thirsty instead, and having that glass of water quenched the craving.

Number 10: Fight the Fads

Fad diets may promise the world, but very rarely do they deliver the health benefits they describe in the long-term. By starting these diets, you are often signing yourself up for a cycle of yo-yo dieting.

The cycle may go something like this: You may start the difficult fad diet and see some results. However, soon you grow sick of your green smoothie diet and start craving solid food again. You treat yourself to some chocolate and but not long after, feel a sense of guilt and failure. You then go back to your old eating habits and regain the weight you have lost.

If instead, you had focused your time and energy into building smaller habits you may have seen possibly less of a dramatic result in the short term, but would reap the benefits for years to come.

Which of these goals do you feel would fit into your schedule today?

We have plenty to choose from. And start small. Adopt one of the habits, and once you have mastered it, look into picking up the next one.

If you already follow one or more of these habits, then comment “Habit” below. And let me know which habit you will pick up in the next few days!

And click here for my next post that will help you to put all your fantastic goals and plans into action!

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