These top 5 tips will help you kick start your healthy lifestyle. Most importantly they are sustainable steps – this is what we preach & teach at Nutrition Solutions Sydney.
TOP 5 TIPS:
1. Track it – Track your food and drink intake for 1 week. This will help you become aware of what you are doing.
2. Reflect – Reflect on your food diary. Ask yourself:
- Was I prepared? Or did I have to purchase most of my meals?
- Did I eat every 2.5-3 hours? Or did I skip meals?
- Am I meeting my intake of fruit, vegetables, milk and alternatives, meat and alternatives and whole grains daily?
- Did I consuming 1.5-2.5L of water daily?
After reflecting on your diary make 1-2 goals that you can focus on over the next 4-6 weeks. Small realistic goals are what you should aim for. This will help to improve your nutrition & lifestyle in a sustainable way.
3. Hydration – 
did you consume enough water daily? Water is important to stay hydrated particularly in the warmer months of Australia. It is also important to consume between 1.5-2.5 litres as a goal. Commonly people become confused between the hunger and thirst cessation leading to consuming more food rather than water. This leads to more energy in and potential weight gain. It’s a simple step! Using such apps as “Drink Water Reminder” are great ways to get you into a routine. Importantly water is the best source of fluid. So ditch the sugar-free cordial, soft drink and juice. This will help with sustained energy levels, reduce sugar cravings and potentially even reduce bloating.
4. Sleep 
– ensuring you get adequate sleep will prevent overeating the next day. Aim for between 7-8 hours. Try best not to watch a screen or phone within 30 minutes before bed. The blue light emitted is designed to keep you awake. Another trick to help improve your sleep is to cease caffeinated beverages after approximately 4pm. I know for many this seems like an unfair or unrealistic goal however you will notice a drastic difference in depth of sleep. So after 4pm opt for camomile, herbal teas or decaf options. Note Green Tea is high in caffeine.
5. Be Active –
being active shouldn’t be a chore. We are built to be active so it is important to get moving – especially if you have a desk job. Recommendations are to do 45-60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise daily OR “huff-and-puff” exercise and 10,000 steps daily. If you struggle to get anywhere near that, set yourself small goals i.e. to walk 7,000 steps daily for the next month including weekends. The recommendations could be your long-term goal. Being active isn’t helping to maintain your weight or loss weight but improves your mood, concentration and well being.
So why not try it. Simple. Effective. Sustainable.
