In our second installment of ‘Getting back into shape’ we look at the next steps you can be thinking about on the path to a healthy body. No fads, no quick fixes, just good old fashioned common sense.
- Swap sweets and chocolate for fruit
- Swap to low fat versions of food
- Cut down on tea and coffee
- Increase the number of steps you take by a third
Swapping sweets and chocolate for fruit will satisfy your sweet tooth but look after your waist line too. Fruit is naturally sweet and full of vitamins and minerals helping to keep your immune system in tip top condition. The fibre in the fruit will keep you full for longer than the sweets or chocolate.
Swapping to low fat versions of foods will enable you to eat the same quantities of foods for less calories. You shouldn’t totally cut out fat though as it is vital for good health. Saturated fats are bad for you but unsaturated fats are good for you.
Caffeine temporarily raises blood sugar levels and as we learnt in last week’s blog this is not good for your appetite or weight. Swap to water or fruit/herbal teas instead.
Increasing the number of steps you take each day will burn more calories. Walking relieves stress, lowers blood pressure and gets you outside – all excellent for good health. Aim to reach 10,000 steps each day – keep the car keys in your pocket and invest in a pair of walking boots!
