Creating new healthy habits will help you look and feel your best
If there’s ever a time for a fresh start, it’s now. There’s no better way to embrace spring than with a mind and body reboot. That means tweaking your sleep and diet, adjusting your activity levels and creating more time and space for mindfulness. Not only will you have a youthful bounce in your step, but also you’ll reduce your risk of developing health problems long term.
‘By making changes to your daily routine, you should notice improvements within a few weeks. You’ll have more energy, feel calmer and more alert, sleep better, think more clearly, work more effectively, your digestion will improve and it will be easier to maintain your optimum weight,’ says Dr Satchin Panda, author of The Circadian Code (£14.99, Vermilion). Here’s how to have a reset…
Start small
What healthy little shifts can you make this week? ‘This may be getting up 20 minutes earlier so you have time to walk to work, or setting a reminder on your phone to take 10 minutes out of your day to do something you enjoy,’ suggests GP and mindfulness expert Dr Nikki Curtis.
Get in tune with yourself
Good self-care is more than scented candles and soaks in the bath – it involves regularly checking in with yourself, so that you know what your body needs.
‘Start being more aware of how you feel at different times of the day and night. Notice regular aches, pains or other symptoms. Begin understanding how your daily choices and lifestyle affect your health,’ says Dr Curtis.
Rethink your mealtimes
If you suffer with tummy troubles or are worried about gaining weight in the run up to summer, now’s the time to adjust your eating pattern.
‘Your digestive system works best early on, so eat most of your food at breakfast (7-9am) and lunchtime (12-1pm),’ says Dr Panda. ‘Your insulin response is also better in the first half of the day and eating early helps you burn off more calories.’
Fill up on the good stuff
Almost 90% of UK adults struggle to eat five daily portions of fruit and vegetables**, despite a balanced diet being essential for energy levels and wellbeing. Cut back on meals with meat, suggests nutritionist Suzie Sawyer. ‘You’ll then automatically include more fruits, vegetables and wholegrains.’ Write a meal plan and see where you can go meat-free.
Make time to meditate
One in three Brits prioritises mindfulness, with 49% of people using it to handle a stressful lifestyle***. Focused breathing methods are also proven to reduce anxiety and lower cortisol levels, which left unchecked can lead to burnout. Just 10 minutes
