Was leading an active lifestyle one of your New Year’s resolutions? Have you promised yourself that 2016 will be the year of change? Is it time to be healthier and happier? If you answered “yes” to any of the questions above, then Fuel PR has some tips to help you achieve your goals.
- Drink a glass of water with lemon every morning.
Specialists recommend drinking a glass of lukewarm water with a lemon juice every single morning. Why, because water with lemon helps the digestive system and self-cleans the body of toxins, lowers cholesterol and is useful in hypertension. [i]
- Sleep well.
Insufficient sleep can make you feel tired, angry and it may even decrease focus. Lack of sleep also affects your health (especially the heart). Studies show that the average adult needs eight hours of sleep per night.[ii] However, each of us is different, and these needs can vary from 6 to 10 hours. So if you feel tired at around 4-6 pm it may mean that you sleep too little.
- Stretch after waking up.
Instead of hitting the snooze button everyday why not use the time more effectively? Stretch your back, legs and neck daily as this kind of exercise will wake up your body and increase blood flow to the muscles, providing them with an extra portion of oxygen and preparing for a new day. [iii]
- Prepare yourself some healthy snacks.
Crisps, salted nuts, sweets, cookies and other snacks are fine in moderation however regularly they aren’t great for your overall health & wellbeing. These types of foods contain large amounts of fat, salt and sugar. Instead opt for walnuts and fresh fruits that are rich in vitamins and minerals. [iv]
- Don’t forget about the breakfast!
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially for people who are trying to lose weight. If you miss it, you will quickly become hungry and start looking for greasy, sugary snacks that are often missing key nutrients.[v] Scientists at the conference of the American Heart Association in 2003 found that people who eat breakfast are significantly less likely to be obese and diabetes compared to those who do not eat breakfast.[vi]
- Walk a lot!
We all know the benefits of an active lifestyle, but most of us either do not have the time or cannot find the enthusiasm. For those who do not enjoy the gym why not start with small steps/ Take the stairs instead of the elevator, go for walk at the weekend of after dinner- every opportunity to be active is good choice. Some studies show that an individual need to walk 20 km or 125-200 minutes per week to improve the condition of your heart.
- Nutritional information counts
This is important because it will tell you whether the food that you intend to buy is composed of unnatural or unhealthy ingredients. You are what you eat and it’s important to, first and foremost, make smart food choices. There are many applications available for smartphones and tablets that can offer help and advice.
Fuel PR top tip:
If you are looking for a healthy snack on-the-go, we suggest trying a Pulsin protein bar. The range is suitable for vegans, gluten free and there is no added sugar. They are also high in protein and make the perfect lunch-break or post gym snack.
http://www.pulsin.co.uk/pulsin-snack-bars
References:
[i] http://tasty-yummies.com/2013/03/18/10-benefits-to-drinking-warm-lemon-water-every-morning/
[ii] https://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need
[iii] http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/importance-stretching-after-waking-up-4495.html
[iv] http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/Pages/healthy-snacks.aspx
[v] http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/Pages/healthy-snacks.aspx
[vi] http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-03/aha-ebm022803.php
For more information, please contact Gillian Waddell at Fuel PR (Gillian@fuelrefuel.com)