Make one small change...
diets,healthy eating,fitness
woman standing on the scales
We always start the new year with the best intentions to eat healthier food and exercise more but before long real life and old habits kick in leaving you right back where you were in December. Most people fail within weeks of starting their new year resolutions because they set their goals far too high and put too much pressure on themselves, so failure really is the only realistic option. We\'ve come up with 10 refreshingly simple ways to have a healthier and slimmer 2011 without making any drastic changes to your life so you can lose weight without giving up the things you love, it really is that simple!
Stay hydrated
diets,healthy eating,fitness
woman with a glass of water
Start with the simplest and most important step. Drinking more water will wash toxins out of your body (great if you\'re detoxing), help you to lose weight and give you more energy and increased concentration. If drinking two litres of water a day is proving difficult try adding some flavour to it such as Schweppes Slimline tonic with zesty fruit which is great for a zingy pick-me-up in the middle of the day.
Best foot forward
diets,healthy eating,fitness
MBTs
Swapping your usual heels or trainers for a pair of MBTs on the walk to work or to the shops will help you to burn more calories, tone your calves, thighs and bum and help to improve your posture. MBTs have taken the world by storm due to their fast results and incredible comfort. They work differently to any other shoe thanks to a unique patented sensor located in the sole which provides unique 360-degree instability, meaning that they are unbalanced from front-to-back and side-to-side. This recreates the sensation of walking on natural surfaces such as moss or sand and subsequently, makes your muscles work harder from all angles. Our tester tried them out for a month to see if she could tone up without making big changes; \"I was amazed at the results the MBTs had on my lower body. I try to go running once a week but after spending a week walking and jogging in these I was really aching due to the different muscles I was using. I\'ll definitely be sticking with them to continue to improve my fitness and burn a few extra calories in the process.\"
uk.mbt.com, £149.99
Avoid lifts and escalators
diets,healthy eating,fitness
woman running up the stairs
Walking up (or even just down) the stairs not only burns off calories but works your muscles and lungs. Start off by taking the stairs up to your office once a day then build it up so it becomes second nature. You\'ll be amazed at the toning benefits it will have on your calves and thighs and the amount of extra calories you\'ll burn for only a few minutes of exercise.
Ditch the remote!
diets,healthy eating,fitness
woman with a remote control
Try to substitute an active alternative for every inactive one. Instead of flicking between channels with your remote, get up and switch over the TV or stereo. With this change alone, over the course of a year, you\'ll lose about two pounds in weight!
Eat Fruit
diets,healthy eating,fitness
strawberries and blueberries
We all know we should eat at least five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day but few of us are getting even close to that amount. Aim to have at least one portion of fruit or vegetables with each meal, this saves playing catch up at the end of the day and will help to fill you up and stave off sugar cravings.
Eat fats
diets,healthy eating,fitness
plate of fruit and nuts
Certain fats which can be found in foods like olive oil, nuts, eggs, and oily fish are good for you, can help energy production and speed up your metabolism. Figure out the right fats and you\'ll see the benefits in your skin, hair, nails and figure.
Just the one
diets,healthy eating,fitness
woman rannung on the beach
Joanna Hall, one of the UK\'s leading health and wellbeing experts has teamed up with Schweppes Slimline tonic and she advises allowing yourself a little treat every now and again: \"You don\'t have to give up your favourite things altogether, just a few tweaks here and there can make a big difference and will help to keep you on the road to success. If you\'re looking to lose a little weight, swap your usual alcoholic drink for a vodka and Schweppes Slimline tonic which contains 1/3 of the calories of a glass of white wine. That way you can still have fun, without feeling guilty.\"
Replace your coffee break with a walking break
diets,healthy eating,fitness
woman walking and chatting
We all love to catch up on gossip, so why not use this to your advantage when it comes to exercise? Instead of chatting on the phone, pencil in time for a walk with a friend or colleague and save the gossip until then. That way you\'ll have plenty to catch up on, your workout time will go much quicker and you have an added incentive to meet up.
Eat a good breakfast
diets,healthy eating,fitness
bowl of porridge
Get the day off to the right start - a good breakfast will give you more energy and can actually help you to lose weight. People who eat breakfast are usually slimmer than people who don\'t because a good meal fires up the metabolism and stops you reaching for fattening snacks mid-morning or pigging out at lunch. Have fruit, yoghurt, toast or cereal, juice and herbal tea for a filling, nutritious breakfast. Oatmeal porridge is also delicious and nutritious and can be made in the microwave in less than three minutes.
Come together!
diets,healthy eating,fitness
woman playing hockey
Joining a sports team or club will help to give you the motivation you need when you\'re starting something new and will mean you\'ll have fun while you\'re doing it. Try something new like netball, hockey, rowing, running or fencing, all sports which give you as much of a mental workout as a physical one and are so much fun it won\'t feel like a chore doing them, more like a new social event.
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