Ready, steady, go!
Oh, if only it was that easy.
It is so hard to escape those unhealthy habits when you are living on 4-hour blocks of sleep at night, have zero will power anymore and besides, who will mind the baby if you hit the gym?
But don’t fear – sometimes taking the first few steps is the hardest part of all.
We were delighted to speak to personal trainer and all-round superfit genius, Pat Divilly who gave us these super easy tips and tricks to getting our A into gear without it being too much of a chore. He suggests giving yourself an easy goal like 21 days to start off with and then continue off in blocks.
1. Start with drinking 2 and a half litres of water every day. Make it easier for yourself by adding lime or lemons and mint. Pop it beside the front door so you remember to take it with you when you are leaving the house or keep it by your computer at work and sip it throughout the day.
2. Next trick is to get use a pedometer app on our phones or get a wrist ‘fit bit’ type bracelet that measures your steps. It is amazing how much more motivational it can be to try and beat your steps each day and before you know it you will be pulling on those runners just to beat your personal best.
3. Try to build in a few easy activities to your daily routine. We all know we should take the stairs instead of the lift when out and about but why not hold the plank at home during the ads when watching your favourite TV shows in the evenings.
4. Get your friends and family on board. Arrange to go walking with pals instead of going for coffee or a drink. Encourage your sister, cousin or friend to share your new healthy habits.
5. If you want to be stronger, slimmer, and healthier make sure you are consuming protein at every meal. It helps to control blood sugar control, it gives you weight loss support and helps grow lean muscle. Try shoot for 25-30g at each of your meals!
6. Most of us know that getting a good night’s sleep is important, but too few of us actually make those eight or so hours between the sheets a priority. For many of us with sleep debt, we’ve forgotten what “being really, truly rested” feels like. Getting a full night’s sleep can help reduce stress levels, help with body composition goals such as weight loss/build muscle and increase life expectancy.
7. Cook with coconut oil. It is one of the few foods that can be classified as a real ‘superfood’ Benefits include prevention of heart disease and high blood pressure, reduction of inflammation and arthritis as well as improved energy. And it’s great for your skin!
8. Start writing yourself love letters. No really, sometimes you need to write out your goal to actually realise it. Start off writing “I will be healthier if……” and fill it in accordingly.
9. Chew each mouthful of your food 25 times. This helps you become more ‘mindful’ about how much you are eating and aids digestion.
Good luck, ladies.
It’s not always easy to stay on track when it comes to living well but with the right help you can restart and get back on track much quicker. Sign up to Centra’s 21-day challenge and meal planner here. Centra also have lots of great offers and inspiration in store for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Share your progress using #livewell to be in with a chance of winning a personal training session with Pat Divilly and 1 night’s stay for two in the G hotel
