ON THE COVER Get Fit, Feel Great With Dr Ranj
ThisMorning’s resident doctor offers his realistic tips for gently transforming your lifestyle…
GET THE HEALTHY HABIT Getting healthy is not just about eating better and moving more. It’s also a change in state of mind – being healthy needs to become a habit, and that takes time. Make small, realistic changes to improve your diet over time and exercise a bit more every week. Likewise, cut down on alcohol and stop smoking. Also, make sure you get plenty of sleep as a lack of it can cause some people to eat more. Slowly, you’ll see the effects kicking in and you’ll be able to keep it up more easily! BOOST YOUR HEART RATE Try to get your heart rate up for 30 minutes every day – that could be going out and exercising, playing a sport or simply doing some vigorous activities around the house. If you can’t go for the full 30 minutes, start slowly and build yourself up by 5 minutes every day. It’s easier than you think!
KNOW YOUR LIMITS We all tend to over-indulge at times, but it’s important to get back to normal eating. Try not to be too restrictive with what you eat, but be sensible. Nothing is technically off limits – just know your limits! Wean yourself off sweet treats and increase your intake of complex carbohydrates and protein, which will keep you feeling fuller for longer. Also drink plenty of fluids to help stop you snacking. If you do snack, a handful of nuts or some fruit is a great idea.
GET BUSY! Boost your mood and motivation by building your own mental resilience. Do things that make you smile and give you a sense of satisfaction. Try to get involved in more social activities as contact with other people is vital to helping us all cope. Get out and get active, as exercise is known to help improve mood. Take up a new hobby and you can do all of those in one go!