20 Nutritious Tips for a healthy 2020 Life
The festive season tends to be a time of excess when we overindulge ourselves with all kinds of food and drink and those exercise programmes that we maintained throughout the year also tend be forgotten. Now that the New Year is here, you may have decided to adopt a healthier diet and lifestyle. If you want to succeed, preparation is key. So put some thought into what you want to do and then most importantly put it into practice.
Here are 20 tips, to help you on your way!
- Before starting your diet, clear out your fridge and presses of all unhealthy and out of date foods. Actively think colour when selecting foods you buy for both meals and snacks
- Choose fruits and vegetables from all parts of the colour spectrum, especially berries, tomatoes, orange and yellow fruits, and dark leafy greens – a variety of vegetables should take up half your plate
- Start the day with a glass of warm filtered water and lemon juice
- Eat at regular intervals, do not skip meals
- Eliminate processed and highly refined snack foods such as sweets, crisps or corn chips, cakes, biscuits, and pastries made from white flour and sugar, instead, choose nuts and seeds. Instead of milk chocolate, snack on a couple of squares of dark chocolate that contain at least 70 per cent cocoa solids.
- Grill, steam, stir fry or bake foods – never fry or deep fry
- Eat protein with every meal and snack
- Try to eat 5 portions of vegetable 2 portions of fruit each day, especially green leafy vegetables and vegetables from the onion family
- Eat Healthy Fats – coconut, avocados, butter, olives, nuts and seeds
- Keep yourself adequately hydrated
- Get daily outdoor exposure to natural bright light
- Take a brisk 30-minute walk, even if you don’t feel like it. It will boost your energy and help you sleep better
- Start to Include weight training as part of your fitness routine
- Get at least 7 hours sleep nightly
- Make healthy soups and dinners at the weekend and freeze for use during the week, great for when you come in from work feeling tired
- Herbs and spices are micronutrient powerhouses that contain an abundance of minerals and vitamins, include them in your daily cooking
- Drink green tea daily as it helps the body detoxify and it is also a powerful antioxidant
- Reduce stress, practice relaxation techniques – mindfulness, yoga, tai chi
- Do not crash diet, your body cleverly thinks your in starvation mode and automatically slows down your metabolism
- Above all – set yourself realistic targets
Wishing you a Happy & Healthy 2020!