TRAINS

When it comes to getting your shit together, health and fitness is an area that many of us want to tackle, and the good news is that you really don’t need to find hours and hours every week to do it. Small changes – when included in your daily routine – can have big results. If you’ve already decluttered your surroundings, you’ll already be feeling lighter and brighter, so imagine how fantastic you’ll feel when you’ve decluttered your diet and organised your fitness regime too.

There are lots of speedy tips and tricks that you can use to tweak your diet and boost your fitness levels – and the more you do, the better you’ll feel. Even if you haven’t yet given your diet or fitness a moment’s notice, don’t despair. You don’t have a mountain to climb – you just have even more fun new things to try.

“IF WE COULD GIVE EVERY INDIVIDUAL THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF NOURISHMENT AND EXERCISE, NOT TOO LITTLE AND NOT TOO MUCH, WE WOULD HAVE FOUND THE SAFEST WAY TO HEALTH.”

Take a few moments to picture the healthiest version of yourself that you can. What’s different about you? Perhaps you have a more toned physique. Your skin is glowing (in a good way) and your hair (assuming you still have some) is glossy. Maybe you’ve got more energy and you’re bounding up the stairs like a gazelle in a high-rise? You’re looking fantastic, and as a result, you’re bursting with confidence, energy and enthusiasm. And maybe, just maybe, you’re feeling a teensy bit happier?! Course you are…

So how do you achieve this picture of health and loveliness? Well, you don’t need to be capable of solving Fermat’s Last Theorem to realise that all you have to do is eat less rubbish and exercise more. But how do you fit that into your busy schedule? Easily! Just:

Changing your diet won’t just have a positive impact on how you look; it will also change how you feel, as a poor diet can leave you feeling tired and drained. With too much processed food to eliminate and not enough good stuff to run on, our bodies will struggle to get us through the day.

The most important thing you can do is to drink more water. You know the facts: our bodies are made up of 70 per cent water, all our bodily functions need it to work properly and if you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Drinking water – around 2 litres (eight glasses) a day – will boost your immune system, brain power, energy levels, looks and mood. It will also prevent illness and headaches. And, yes, you’ll have to pee more, but hey, that’s some extra exercise and a change of scenery, so it’s win–win.

We might not be able to prepare a hearty home-cooked meal every night, but plan ahead and shop carefully to make sure you have more nutritious food options to hand.

Breathe properly: Most of us snatch shallow breaths and do not take in enough oxygen to benefit our body. Practise breathing deep into your lungs and you’ll immediately feel energised.

Laugh: Watch a clip of your favourite comedy or text a friend who always makes you smile. Laughter boosts your mood. (There are even local laughter groups in some areas where you can meet up and laugh yourselves silly… Just saying!)

If your heart sinks at the thought of joining a gym, don’t worry! Here are some alternatives.

Walking or cycling instead of driving: Walk wherever you can – you’ll be surprised at your daily distances. Get a pedometer (or an app on your phone) and watch the kilometres clock up.

Taking the stairs instead of the lift: It’s obvious, but it gets results. Do it regularly and you’ll soon be jogging – not panting – your way up.

Martial arts, trampolining, pole-dancing… Try one of the multitude of fitness classes available. Don’t be shy – your instructor and new comrades will make you feel welcome.

You are feeling shy? Well, why not try out some moves at home first with an online tutorial.

Even half an hour spent working out at home can produce great results. Try these quick fitness fixes while watching your favourite soap. (Don’t forget to warm up with some stretches first.)

Hula hooping: Great for toning. Anyone can do it with the right-sized hoop. (It must be as wide as the distance from your hip to the floor.)

Body blitz: Pick an area of your body to tone and find a 2-minute workout online. Make it part of your daily routine.

Kettlebell: A cheap (and small) piece of equipment for all-over body toning. There are lots of different exercises you can try. Use a lighter weight (3–6 kg) and more reps for toning or a heavier weight (8–12 kg) and fewer reps for building muscle.

You’ll see results in four weeks, your friends will comment in six and in eight weeks you’ll be getting jealous looks from other customers in clothes shops as you try on the latest skintight jeans.

Decluttering our emotions is as important as looking after ourselves physically. Negative feelings are natural reactions to everyday situations, but if you don’t release them, you’ll end up getting so stressed that you’ll blow up in the supermarket when someone jumps the queue.

Venting: Phone a sympathetic friend and have a good rant. (Make sure that they are up for your rant-a-thon first, though.) If your friend is also stressed, encourage them to rant too. It’s the rant rather than the response that helps.

Physical activity: dance around the room, sing along to a favourite track or go for a run.

Experience the great outdoors: Get some fresh air and a fresh perspective. (That squirrel doesn’t look stressed, does he?)

Tapping: Tapping acupressure points releases stress. There are many practitioners around but an effective DIY option is tapping the area just beneath the collarbone.

Ditch the…	Restock with…
Ready meals (a longer ingredients list means lower nutritional value)	Speedy stir-fry ingredients, and steamed fish and veg – or prepare stews and casseroles ahead in a slow cooker.
Crisps, nuts and biscuits (high in saturated fats and salt)	Raisins, unsweetened dried fruit, etc. Chop crudités and serve with hummus – it’s not too much of a faff (but don’t rush and chop your fingers off).
Caffeinated drinks (too much can cause heart problems, insomnia, stress and… I NEED MORE COFFEE!)	Decaf alternatives, herbal teas and… hello, are you drinking more water yet?!
Cakes, sweets, confectionery (loaded with refined sugar)	Plain yogurt and a touch of honey, a square or two of dark chocolate and soft fruit, such as plums and nectarines.