To ask for your best small changes to improve health and lifestyle?

[Tiamaria86]

I have been feeling so rubbish lately and really just want to start to be a bit healthier but whenever I have made changes in the past I think I have gone to big and just not been consistent.

So what are your best tips for small changes that I can be consistent with?

Find a short you tube workout you can do at home and do it every day. You will notice an improvement over time if you keep at it. I started this way over lockdown and now I can do around an hour each day with ease.

And drink more water. As soon as you wake up, down a pint. You’ll be amazed how rubbish dehydration can make you feel.

Eating more healthy is a good start... cut out the crap (if you eat it) and cook 1 healthy meal a day... batch cook so keep for other portions in freezer.
Get a good 8 hours sleep.
Switch off mobile when go to bed.

Great tips @AFmammaG thats exactly the type of thing I'm looking for. A short workout sounds great, something little but everyday.

Drink more water

Try the "Just one thing" podcasts on BBC Sounds. They're full of this kind of thing in individual 10 min episodes.

I dropped all soft drinks (full sugar and diet) apart from very occasional treats.

I reduced my intake of sugar and crap carbs.

Stopped drinking coffee after noon.

Try to eliminate UPFs (ultra processed foods).

Regular exercise.

(Avoiding UPFs is hardly a small change for most people!)

Daily walk, headphones in, 30 mins. Brisk enough to feel a bit out of puff but nothing too exertive.

Been totally transformational, in my sleep, weight, appetite and general mood

It’s free and I don’t have to leave the house. Sometimes I do it in my PJ’s 😆

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Adding one fruit or vegetable to each meal. I generally find that eating more veg means I eat less junk, but it doesn't feel restrictive (eg if I tell myself to cut down on chocolate all I think about is chocolate!)

Having a small portion of fat with my coffee in the morning. Caffeine on an empty stomach raises cortisol levels.
I have a slice cheese, baby bel, few spoon fulls of Greek yogurt before drinking it

I no longer get an energy crash before lunch and only have the one coffee in the morning.

I've found Dr Michael Mosley's podcast on bbc sounds really interesting for ideas of little changes you can do. It's called just one thing. There's loads of ideas and it gives you the science behind the benefits you'd get. Pick the ones you think you can manage or would be interested in.

Aim for 8 fruit and veg a day. Eat them religiously and before you allow yourself any less nutritious foods. So if you want chocolate make yourself eat carrot sticks first. You'll probably be too full to eat as much of the less good stuff.

More water, walk and sleep.
Better diet (more vegetables, less sugar and processed food).
Meditation/ time for yourself (could combine this with walk/ exercise), trying to reduce stress
Skincare routine

Don’t drink in the week, unless there’s a good reason. Feel so much better in the week and sleep better.

Go to bed earlier.
Have a good bedtime routine
Get more sleep.

For me, getting outside to exercise is key.
What about downloading a ‘couch to 5K’ App?

I also buy very dark chocolate and have a few squares of this when i need a bit of something sweet.

Prioritise sleep. Sleep as much as you can. Go to bed early. The ‘stuff’ can wait until tomorrow.

Wallsit whilst brushing my teeth. 2 mins twice using the electric toothbrush timer.

Treat yourself to a nice water bottle, one that keeps water cold. I use this even round the house.

Only drink water after 10am

Don't drink alcohol in the week.

Take a good magnesium when you brush your teeth at night.

The above = more energy, better sleep, great skin.

Set a bedtime and stick to it. Same with waking up. I feel better if I wake up and get up at the same time every day.

Exercising outdoors too so you can benefit from the fresh air.

Oh and Keto dark chocolate chips. When you really need something sweet. (No sugar in them)

Honestly cutting back on anything with sugar makes a massive difference

Just one thing is great.

The plank one for example. So easy.

The biggest improvement to my health I ever saw was getting a dog who wouldn't go in the garden.

So I was constantly walking her

Those regular walks got longer and faster and I felt so much healthier. It's the brisk walking that's key. I've started wearing a weighted back pack too to make it a bit more challenging