As January is all about self-improvement, this post is the first in a short series that will cover money, healthy living, blogging, wardrobe planning beauty related self care and finding joy. I'm finishing with joy as it's positive and making changes is easier with the odd treat on the way.
I'm going to include other posts along the way because there is only so much self-improvement a woman can stand! (Yes, I am a blogger with an editorial calendar! I'm not good at following it). I hope it's helpful and if there's something else you'd like me to talk about, let me know.
First up ... healthy living ... It seems the blogosphere agrees with me. All the Linky posts I've clicked on recently have been about diet and exercise. Unless they've been about blogging. It looks like having looked at its navel, the blogosphere has decided it would like it to be fitter and more toned. It's that time of year ...
I want to keep the weight off and keep fit. Here are some ways to do this in a healthy, productive way without a radical lifestyle overhaul.
I know cupcakes aren't remotely healthy. But it's a lovely photo isn't it? Ah wellI'm going to include other posts along the way because there is only so much self-improvement a woman can stand! (Yes, I am a blogger with an editorial calendar! I'm not good at following it). I hope it's helpful and if there's something else you'd like me to talk about, let me know.
First up ... healthy living ... It seems the blogosphere agrees with me. All the Linky posts I've clicked on recently have been about diet and exercise. Unless they've been about blogging. It looks like having looked at its navel, the blogosphere has decided it would like it to be fitter and more toned. It's that time of year ...
I want to keep the weight off and keep fit. Here are some ways to do this in a healthy, productive way without a radical lifestyle overhaul.
- Start small. Make small changes, like switching to wholemeal bread from white. That way it won't seem so much of a challenge.
- Balanced meals. Think about the nutrients going into your body. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables and less animal, sugar, dairy and carbs.
- Drink more water. Studies have found that sometimes when you think you're hungry, you're actually thirsty. Anyway, hydration is good.
- Exercise. A body that spends a long time sitting in an office needs to move, sweat and stretch. I do yoga when Rev T is safely out of the house. I'm try to use the exercise bike for what it was made for rather than as a clothes rack. I get off a bus stop early and walk. I take the stairs instead of the lift at work.
- Eat breakfast. Not eating breakfast screws up your metabolism. The old saying, "Eat like a king at breakfast, a prince at lunch and a pauper at dinner" is true.
- Don't drink your calories. Wine and MochaChocoaLattes are full of tasty, empty calories. Damn them! Substituting fizzy drinks for water also helps.
- Snack on fruit, not sweets. Makes getting your five a day easier!
- This one doesn't apply to me, but if it does to you, then Give up smoking. Having chimneyed my way through university, then given up afterwards as I didn't have the cash to carry on, I realise that this is easy to say and so hard to do.
- Do what works for you. Your mate may be loving the whole clean eating, paleo diet, but that may not work for you or fit in with your life. The basic rule of thumb is to listen to your body and see how it reacts to what you're putting in (or not putting in). But if you're giving it good stuff, then you should see positive results.
Any extra healthy things that I could try?
Sharing with all these great Linkys
I'm taking little steps too. I've started with making small changes, no snacking & loosely following the slimming world rules. Drinking more water. Taking more steps & starting my exercise DVD again. Good luck! #mmwbh
ReplyDeleteGood luck to you too! :)
DeleteGeezzeeee...I need to do all of the above, but am writing this whilst eating a dirty, dirty, but delicious dessert. Good on you!!! #bestandworst
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the dessert! Why are they so tasty ...?!
DeleteI find that a 15-minute job every day really helps. It doesn't feel like a great deal at the time, but it makes it so much easier to bounce out of bed in the morning.
ReplyDeleteWell done! Respect as I hate jogging but I do walk most places and that helps.
Deleteno snacking on sweets! ugh so hard so difficult. but yes. fruit (while i munch away on chocolate....) #bestandworst
ReplyDeleteIt is! I can't quite convince myself that fruit is better than chocolate ...! Enjoy yours :)
DeleteThe trouble is wine is just so nice! Great tipsx
ReplyDeleteIt is! Darn the nice wine!
DeleteThose are really great, doable - everyday things we all should be doing! I need to get back to exercise & I've been saying that for months now. I'm doing my best but then posted my brownie recipe lol it's not easy! x
ReplyDeleteThose brownies looked so lovely! Way better than the contents of my fruit bowl
DeleteI'm 40 weeks pregnant, so my navel will have to wait to get slim and trim :) Nothing I can do there before the baby is out!
ReplyDeleteI do eat lots of fruit, and so does my toddler. We're not so good with vegetables though. I do cook healthy, balanced meals, but my toddler often is not interested in having dinner.
I am Polish and the traditional meals in Poland are more or less in the healthy order you describe: filling breakfast, snack, lunch as main hot meal (soup usually followed by main course), snack and sandwiches or so for dinner. When I moved to UK my food habits changed for worse and the evening meal become the main meal. Might need to reconsider...
#sharewithme
Congratulations and all the best! It's hard eating in the right order when you're working. Having your main meal in the evening is easier as you can cook properly. As for not eating carbs after 6pm ... I don't get home until 7pm some nights! Even when you know what to do, it isn't always possible. Good luck finding something that works for you
DeleteI'm nodding along, agreeing all the way in principle, whilst eating chocolate! I'm rubbish! Never been a smoker though! Go me! Great advice for healthy living, however - I am simply beyond help! #MMWBH
ReplyDeleteIf they discovered tobacco now, I reckon they'd ban it as it is so addictive. My uni days are long gone and my dad gave up in the mid-seventies. Even now we both occasionally still fancy a smoke.
DeleteAbsolutely! Going to take control of my water intake ASAP #coolmumclub
ReplyDeleteGood luck and thank you for commenting
DeleteAll great advice for healthy living and I agree that starting small is definitely the way to go forward. So far I've cut down my sugar intake in caffeinated drinks and now I'm looking into my rubbish sleeping pattern. Good luck with all the changes Mrs Tubbs x
ReplyDeleteGood luck. Running away from the DIY will help with the getting exercise thing. Thank you for commenting
DeleteSuch a good idea to make small changes first makes it easier to make the changes. Thanks for linking up! #bestandworst
ReplyDeleteEverything in moderation- including healthy things. Thank you for hosting each week
DeleteI sometimes feel good for switching the wine for a fizzy drink! Maybe I need to go one step further (joke, I'm not all that bad!). I love the motivation a new year brings...thanks for spurring us all on at #coolmumclub xxx
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure! Thank you for hosting each week
DeleteI think it's a great idea to do it by little steps it helps not go over board feel overwhelmed and stressed out about it. I try to do this too this year as last year felt chaotic for me. Simplifying life and baby steps for me too this year. Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me. #sharewithme
ReplyDeleteIt is. I'm thinking of how I can make myself accountable as that'll make it more likely I'll stick to it! Good luck with your goals this year and thank you for hosting
DeleteBaby steps is always a great start for anything - every little step gets you closer to your goal! Thanks for linking up to the Mad Mid Week Blog Hop! #MMWBH
ReplyDeleteTrue! You've got to start somewhere. Thank you for hosting each week
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