Wouldn’t it be fantastic if the only thing that you needed to do to improve your general health and fitness was to take out a cheap gym membership? We’d all be looking fit and healthy in no time. But, just in case you were wondering, there is so much more to achieve your fitness goals than a cheap gym membership. Here we look at ways in which you can improve your overall health and fitness without breaking the bank at the same time. How incorporating little things into your everyday life can boost results and how the food you consume is as important, if not more so, than the exercise you undertake. So if you’re prepared to invest a little time and effort, read on to see where to start.

 

The best place to start is with the language that you use. For example, one of the most intimidating words that you’ll use is diet, followed closely by exercise. Immediately you are filled with dread as you envisage small plates of so-called rabbit food, combined with hours of pounding away on the treadmill. Forget these two words and consider using one instead – lifestyle. Your lifestyle choices include the food that you consume together with the energy that you expend. If you consume more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight, and if you burn more calories than you consume you’ll likely lose it. However, you may be looking to build muscle, in which case you’ll “gain” weight, and you’ll need to be in surplus of (the right) calories. Most people, however, are looking to lose a few pounds and therefore they will need to eat a little less and do a little more. Trying to suddenly introduce a massively calorie deficient lifestyle through starvation or over-exercising is equally as dangerous as doing too little. Start to introduce changes slowly and not all at once, you will end up feeling less like you are being punished and you are in fact more likely to succeed.

 

There are ways in which you can incorporate positive steps into your everyday lifestyle to improve your health and fitness in addition to the basic mantra of eat-less-do-more, and there follow a few of the ways in which you can make small changes. In time these small changes will all add up and you’ll see definite change, but you have to stick with it, so commit to a plan and stick with it.

 

Stand Up

We spend far too much time sat down, with bad posture, often at our desks in the office or on the couch. By standing up with a proper posture we are engaging more of our muscles and can immediately give the impression of looking slimmer. Stand tall and proud, do not curl yourself up. Also, a little movement burns more calories than sitting still, and you are less likely to snack when not slumped in from of the television.

 

Plan

Rather than simply intending to do something, make a commitment or a plan. This way you are less likely to miss it for something else. Perhaps you could go for a walk at lunchtime every other day (small steps remember) and this will incorporate both a little exercise and some mental relaxation – remember good health means both physical and mental. It is always good to take a break, you’ll feel refreshed and ready for the afternoon that way.

 

Stairs and Stops

Given a choice, always opt for steps and stairs over a lift or elevator. If the elevator is the only option, you do not have to stand still on it do you? Get off the bus a stop early and walk that extra half mile, done four times a week that’s an additional 2 miles gained.

 

Friends

You do not have to meet friends in the pub, instead on a nice day, meet them for a little walk, even if it is only a circuit before the pub! Do not forget your four-legged friends either – there are very few dogs who don’t enjoy a little extra walk from time to time.

 

Food and Drink

We all realize what food is good and which is bad, so introduce a little more of the former and remove some of the latter. It isn’t a punishment and healthy food can be tasty food too. Learn to understand ingredients and labels, steer away from refined sugar and trans-fats, and opt instead for fresh produce and natural ingredients. Have a day off the wine or beer also. Alcohol is unfortunately dead calories, it has little nutritional benefit – they are called beer bellies for a reason! Of course, you can drink, but try a glass of water every other round. Hydration is a key element of good health and so you need to watch your water intake. It also helps you feel fuller quicker if drunk with a meal. Water, as they say, is life.

 

Pre-prepared lunches and meals can also get you past a craving for something unhealthy. Taking your lunch to work will probably ensure that you do not make the wrong choices when you dash out to the shops for that five-minute break you have so kindly granted yourself.

 

Breathe

Your world will no doubt be hectic, stress levels constantly rising and demands placed upon you increasing in intensity. Take a moment to focus on your breath, following it from the moment it comes into your nose, to the bottom of your lungs and then back out. At some point each day look to take 10 full breaths, and you’ll lower your blood pressure, clear your mind and relax your heartbeat. If things are getting on top of you at any point, feel free to practice mindful breathing to relax and calm you down.

 

Diary

If it isn’t documented, did it ever happen? One way to notice a change or to find the source of a problem is an honest and open diary. Keeping a full food diary will identify your moments of weakness and your choice of “sins”. It will only work if you are honest to yourself, but it can open your eyes to truths you never imagined. Once identified, you can look to change your habits for the better. Diaries are a great way to document exercise also, keeping a track of what you do and also how well you got on doing it. It will chart progress and plateaus and are a great tool to help bring about change.

 

Selfies Not Scales

Not the vanity based social media ones, but the dairy based ones. At the start of your journey, take a picture of your body shape, and then after say a month take another. This will show you progress better than any set of scales. Feel how your clothes fit also rather than taking out a measuring tape. They can act as a source of motivation as well as a means of documenting change.

 

Partner

Having someone to train with will always be beneficial. You are much less likely to miss sessions if there is somebody waiting for you at the doors to the gym! Likewise, if your family can adopt the healthier eating plan with you, it’ll guarantee better results than battling on alone.

 

Sleep

One of the most overlooked ways of establishing a better and healthier lifestyle is to improve your sleep. You will always feel better after a good night’s sleep, so think about sleep hygiene – less alcohol, not eating so late, less caffeine later on, turning off your phones earlier, and a cool dark bedroom will help.

 

These are just a few little steps that you can take to improve your lifestyle in general. Health means much more than just being physically fit, it means being mentally fresh and healthy too. It should include a wholesome diet, with fewer indulgences and more focus on nutrition. There will be a need to exercise, but that doesn’t have to mean endless hours pounding away on the treadmill.

 

There is more to life than health and fitness but you will get more from your life if you’re fit and healthier yourself. This isn’t a reason to criticize or beat yourself up. Just make an honest assessment of where you are against where you would want to be and then take steps to change. Remember, small steps one at a time and you’ll be much more likely to complete the journey. Be well!