Small Adjustments To Live A Healthier Lifestyle

Getting healthy is a process we're not all too eager about. Most individuals tend to shift from eating microwavable meals daily to engaging in a juice cleanse overnight. Truth is, yo-yoing dieting will do no favours for your body, it will only slow down your metabolism and encourage fat storage. Getting healthy is all about adopting a new lifestyle! Here are 8 approaches you can incorporate to your routine, to build up to a healthy you.

Get those 10,000 steps in

If your job is located within walking distance from your house, ditch your car and walk to work! A 15-minute walk a day won't make you shed pounds but it will start off your day on a positive note. Walking to work will avoid you the stress that comes with traffic jams, parking problems and general road rage. Pop some earphones in your ears and listen to some white noise or music throughout your walk to make it a more pleasurable experience, we guarantee you'll be walking into your office with a smile on your face every single morning!


Don't be tempted to call the elevator

Don't you just hate being the person waiting for the elevator while someone walks into the office building and takes the stairs? Let's face it, going up a few flight of stairs can only do you well. Who needs to go to the gym and hop onto the stepping machine when you can take the stairs at school or work, right? Apart from burning extra calories, stair climbing targets the muscles in the buttocks, hips, calves and thighs. Remember, every stair you climb will get you one step closer to your summer body.


Play some mind games

Did you know that your brain and stomach register feelings of fullness after about 20 minutes? That's right! Your body might be satisfied with half the portion you load your plate with but your body will only register that information 20 minutes after you've eaten your entire serving. Scoop your food into smaller plates so that you can trick your brain into feeling fuller without having to consume as much food. This will not only teach you what a true serving looks like but will also help you reduce your caloric intake.


Treat your plate like a paint palette

Changing up your diet, completely, overnight will only send your body in a state of shock and force it to grab onto fat storage in order to avoid starvation. You need to incorporate changes gradually. Start by adding vegetables to your plate. Remember, the more colourful your plate looks, the healthier it probably is (no, adding sprinkles to your salad doesn't count…). Once your body has adjusted to the taste of vegetables, start reducing saturated food from your diet slowly, until you've accomplished a perfect balance.


Trade in soda for water

Most people drink their calories. Meaning that while some people may intake around 500 calories of soda, they will feel nowhere near as satisfied as they would after consuming 500 calories worth of a salmon fillet with a side of steamed vegetables and quinoa. Replace your fizzy drinks with water gradually and substitute the calories for healthier meals. If you're not a fan of water, add some fresh fruit to it to give it a fresh, exciting, taste.


Make working out fun

You don't need to sign up to a gym to get fit! Trade out your night out at the club for a long walk at least once a week. Remember, it's all about making small adjustments that will make you healthier than the day before. If you're not into hiking, invite your friends to join you in a session of rock climbing or a game of laser tag. These active sports will have you exercising without you knowing it!


No more of that sedentary lifestyle

Again, you don't need a gym membership to get on track, your desk can be your personal studio if you allow it to be. There are a few desk exercises you can engage in to break the sedentary routine, without really needing you to move away from your desk, or stand up really. Check out these5 desk exercises that will help you stay active throughout the most stagnant of days.


Get your beauty sleep

This tip doesn't even require you to be active, quite the opposite actually. Sleeping an extra hour a day can help improve your immunity, control your weight and offer a clearer and more stable mindset. So head to bed an hour earlier than usual from now on and enjoy the perks of the energy boost you'll benefit from the morning after.


Getting healthy isn't about hitting the 10,000 steps daily or eating vegetables and quinoa all day, every small adjustment you make to your lifestyle will make you healthier than the day before. Your only rival is yourself, make sure tomorrow you're a better version of the person you are today.