Quick Guide To Healthy Living

So what is healthy living? To me healthy living is making changes to your life that will help contribute in making you happier and healthier. These do not have to be monumental changes; healthy living is not about turning your life up-side-down and making hard work of things. In fact many experts say it is better to make small changes as they are easier to implement and when combined can make a real difference!

For years I have set myself achievable targets and feel much healthier and happier than I ever have before. I used too often feel sluggish and lazy and out of shape. The day I made the decision to improve my health I sat down and thought about what it was I wanted to achieve in the long term and then set about creating smaller goals which would help me get there. Everybody's goals will be different and so too will the time in which they wish to achieve them.

Below are a few Do's and Don'ts which I follow and which I have recommended to friends and family over the years. I have also published several weight loss articles, which included many of these actions, and other readers have said really do work. These points can be applied no matter how healthy you think you feel. If you can get into the habit of following these Do's and Don'ts you will soon notice a big difference in the way you feel.

Things You Should Try And Do

Eat regularly

You should try to eat regular small meals throughout the day instead of starving yourself all day and then having a huge meal a few hours before bed. Re-fuelling when you are hungry is a good idea but you should watch what you eat. If you need to snack then you should aim for fruit, vegetable sticks and low fat dips, scones (watch the butter), sandwiches (whole meal bread is good), rice cakes, smoothies and low fat/diet yogurt.

Take a walk at lunchtime
If it is possible to walk somewhere at lunch time, do it. Over time, walking small distances makes a big difference. Offer to make the tea at work, just walking over to the kettle every day for a few weeks counts! Are you able to take the stairs instead of the lift? Can you walk to the next bus stop or get off the bus a stop early?

Go shopping after you have eaten
I would recommend going shopping after you have had something to eat. Shopping on an empty stomach is a no no! There are two reasons for this:

1) It is proven that hungry shoppers spend more money than shoppers who have just eaten. Eat before shopping and save yourself some money!

2) A growling stomach also leads to naughty items such as chocolate, crisps, cakes etc. finding their way into your trolley. Supermarkets are designed to make you buy on impulse - ever notice the chocolate by the check out? Ever smell the bread from the bakery as soon as you walk through the doors?

Don't be fooled by marketing
Low fat does not necessarily mean low calorie. It's important to keep an eye on the amount of calories in the items you buy.

Get support
If you are going to succeed at losing weight or getting healthier in the long-term this step is very important. Having friends or family who will encourage you along the way is a good move. Family members who are also eating the same foods as you will help make a big difference. If you go to the gym or you are thinking about starting try and find yourself a partner as it really will reduce the number of 'I'll go tomorrow' days! Actually telling friends that you are on a health drive can avoid the 'go on have a drink or dessert' moments that can make you cave in!

Watch your portion sizes
Many people feel they have to finish what is on the plate. This becomes a problem when the plate is big and always full! Try to reduce the amount you put on your plate. Buying smaller plates works psychologically. It is important to eat more fruit and vegetables and less protein, dairy products and fatty and sugary foods.

Set yourself achievable goals
This is important. If you feel your goal is achievable and you can see the finish line you stand a better chance of sticking to it and not giving up. Set yourself realistic goals. Take it step-by-step. You will feel better about yourself when you reach a goal and a little reward to yourself is never a bad thing - maybe a night out to the cinema, a new CD or book.

Rest
Make sure you get enough quality sleep every night. You should aim for at least seven hours uninterrupted. Try not to use the computer at least an hour before bed. Your body needs to wind down in order to get a good quality night's sleep.

Avoid Caffeine first thing in the morning
Many people start the day with a cup of coffee. If you can you should avoid coffee first thing in the morning since your body has gone several hours without fluid and will be dehydrated. Ever notice your urine is a darker yellow in the morning? This is mainly due to lack of water in the body. Coffee will only add to that dehydration. It would be better for you to start the day with some orange juice or grapefruit juice. If you need your morning pick me up that is associated with coffee then try eating an apple instead! It's much better as a wake me up than coffee (and won't dehydrate you or make your breath smell!).

Drink Plenty of Water
Drink at least two litres of water per day, more if you exercise.

Things You Should Avoid Doing

Just rely on changing your food intake to lose weight
A combination of both exercise and altered eating habits is the best way to lose and maintain weight loss.

Thinking a fad diet will be the answer to your weight issue
Many fad diets promise great weight loss but are unbalanced. You should try to have a sensible and realistic approach to weight loss! There are also many bogus supplements out there such as fat burner pills that do not work. Don't waste your hard earned money on them.

Don't miss breakfast!
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. By missing breakfast you are more likely to go for a snack mid-morning and it may not always be a healthy one you reach for! Porridge is an excellent choice of breakfast. It is extremely good for you and will energise you throughout the morning.

Don't become obsessive about your food intake
If you feel you are permanently on a diet then ask yourself why? There is no point going out for a meal and feeling deprived, think of coping strategies to make such occasions as enjoyable as they should be. Why not cut back the day before you go out for that meal or even the day after?

Something I try to tell all my readers, friends and family is that they should try to become as familiar as they can with regards to what they are eating. This way it is easier to understand why you should be eating certain foods and what you should avoid. For example, what is protein? Why do we need it? Where can we find it? When do we need it? What are essential Fatty Acids? Is it good for us? Why do we need it? etc.

If you know why you need a particular nutrient, how much you should be having and where you can find them then you are better equipped to make a sensible, informed choice in what to eat and when to eat it. It doesn't need to involve becoming an expert just a little light reading so you have some basic understanding. Here is a good site to help get you started (hold Ctrl and left click mouse): Nutrients in food

The Do's and Don'ts above are an excellent place to start and I am in no doubt that they will help you reach your goals, what ever they may be. Combine these points with different forms of exercise and other good habits and you will be on to a winner.



One of my most recent goals was to tone and remove a bit of extra fat from around my midsection. I consider myself to be a healthy guy, I watch what I eat and I work out regularly but one place I used to struggle to tone or remove fat was my mid section. I guess many of you can relate to this!

I set myself a goal and set about achieving it. I researched many exercise routines, diets and read up on many theories. I have to say some were good (but not great), many were poor and a few were a complete waste of time and money. I finally ended up using a program that was recommended to me by one of my readers. A friend and I decided to try it out and I have to say the results have been fantastic. The extra fat I was carrying has vanished and for the first time since I was a teenager I can actually see my abs (I am not quite on par with Arnold Schwarzenegger but I reached my initial goal!!). My friend who is a lot larger than me has also noticed a real difference around his mid section and also reached his first target; he has now set himself another goal and is using the program to help him reach it. Some of you have probably used or heard about the The Truth About Abs program so will be well aware of how good it is and the results it can achieve, many of you may not be so familiar with it. If you are looking to not only kick start your healthier life into action but also want a flatter stomach then I can personally recommend The Truth About Abs program combined with the suggestions above.

I hope you follow some of the above suggestions and take action. Good intentions are pointless without action.