As the days are starting to get longer and the summer months are on the horizon, we might be starting to think about giving our health routine a little spring clean. The important thing about thinking about new habits is to keep it small and achievable. If you try to incorporate something that doesn’t fit in your schedule or is too much of a change, you won’t be able to stick to it and will feel like you’ve failed before you started. Keep it small, one small change and go from there.
We’ve compiled a few things to think about to get you started. Have a read and then jot down what you feel is doable amongst your current work/life commitments. There is no right or wrong, just what works for you.
Spring clean your daily routine
Do you look at your phone before you’ve even got out of bed? Do you make an effort to drink a glass of water before starting the day? Do you jot down things you are grateful for before you leave the house? The morning is often the most manic part of the day, especially during the week. Why not try a few of these and see if they make a difference?
Switch up your morning routine:
- Keep your phone in another room. Studies show that the blue light of our devices can very much impact our sleep, so swapping out our alarm on our phone for an actual alarm clock and putting our phone in another room is a great way to make a tiny positive change. It means at least the first 10 minutes of your day are all yours.
- Write down 3 things you are grateful for. So simple, but so effective, and such a lovely to start the day.
- Make time for fresh air. Especially as the mornings are lighter, why not try making time for fresh air before you start your day. Either by walking to work or school, or parking your car further away from your place of work to walk. The vitamin D can do wonders and really boost your morning mood.
- Eat a wholesome breakfast. We can all be guilty of grabbing something quick and easy as we run out the door, but making time for a breakfast, even if it’s just fruit or yogurt, is a positive way to start the day and incredibly good for gut health.
- Drink half a pint of water. We get particularly dehydrated overnight, and sometimes we are just too busy in the day to hydrate properly. Try to drink half a pint of water before you leave the house to set you up for the day.
Spring clean your eating habits
Coming into the summer time is a great way to look at what you’re eating and whether there are any changes you could make there. There is always room for us all to improve on the quality, quantity and variety of the foods we eat.
Try to eat 4 or 5 different portions of vegetables every day. This could be as simple as berries in your morning breakfast, lettuce at lunch, apple in the afternoon and some greens in your dinner. It doesn’t have to be something which is difficult to achieve, it can simply be maximising the fruit and veggies you already like to eat.
Try new flavours. We have tonnes of recipes where you can try different flavour combinations – why not give something new a go?
Try healthy snacking. It can be really easy to grab a processed snack when busy, but with a little pre planning, these can easily be swapped for something more wholesome. Swap crisps for corn cakes, chocolate for a healthy flapjack or even try your hand at making some quick and easy protein balls to grab and go.
Eat a more plant-based diet. For the planet and for ourselves, eating more veggie is becoming more and more widespread. Why not try making a conscious effort to eat one new plant-based recipe a week? Check out our recipe page for loads of inspiration.
Try Juice+ Omega blend for a super charge of omega fatty acids.
Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash
Spring clean your exercise routine
If you’re thinking about summer activities, you may also be thinking about getting ‘a summer body’. We should all strive to be as healthy as we can for our physical and mental health, and often coming into summer is a trigger point for this. Ensuring your physical and mental health is at the forefront when thinking about your exercise routine is the most important thing, rather than internal or societal pressure to look a certain way.
- Try a new exercise class. The vastness of classes available now is truly amazing, with everything from ballet, dance, spin, yoga, etc. available across the country. Why not try something different?
- Walk to work. Or walk half way if your work is really far away – either way, get that body moving as part as your daily routine.
- Set achievable and consistent goals that fit with your lifestyle. Whether that’s a run a week or three runs a week, or one yoga class – make sure it works for you.
- Do exercise that makes YOU feel good. Everyone is different, and when it comes to exercise, we all will enjoy something different. Make sure you do what makes you feel good, and in turn, you’re more likely to keep doing it.
- Reward your hard work. If you achieve your goals, celebrate! It could be treating yourself to a new pair of leggings, a water bottle or a nice ingredient for your post work out smoothie. Hard work deserves to be rewarded.
Spring clean your vitamins and minerals
Incorporating vitamins and minerals is a great way to support your health with very minimal effort. Every single one of us is different, but taking a multivitamin daily can have great health benefits for all of us, as well as regularly taking vitamin D during the darker winter months. You could also think about taking Juice+ Fruit and Vegetable selection, a brilliant addition to a well rounded and balanced lifestyle.
