It’s that time again: New Year. A time for you to reflect on the past 12 months and set some goals for the year ahead. If you’re making some health and fitness goals, they might include something to do with weight management. There’s a lot of information out there, and it can be overwhelming finding out the best way to achieve your goals. Now, we’d like to stress here: we’re not here to promote miracle solutions or diets that deprive you of your favourite foods. We’re here to give you some guidance about how you can manage your weight in a healthy and sustainable way. Read on for our simple list of tips.
1. Plan your meals ahead of time
Planning your meals in advance makes a big difference. When you’re rushing home from a long day of work or study, the last thing you’ll want to think about is what you’re going to cook – and so you might end up making some unhealthy food choices. It’s a lot easier, healthier (and cheaper!) to plan your meals and prepare them before you need them. For inspo, check out our Instagram where we post loads of easy, healthy recipes.
2. Stay hydrated
We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again: Hydration. Is. Key. We should all be aiming for about 1.5-2 litres of water per day. Not only is it super important for your body to function properly, but it will make you less likely to overeat and potentially could have beneficial effects on your metabolism as well.
3. Get your steps in
It can be daunting thinking about starting a whole new exercise regime – but the good news is, you don’t have to. Walking is one of the easiest ways to get active: it’s simple, it’s accessible for nearly anyone, and best of all, it’s free. It’s also really good for you. The benefits of walking include improved mental health, increasing cardiovascular fitness and maintaining a healthy body weight.
So before you splash out on a new gym membership or expensive exercise classes, consider adding in even just 10 minutes of brisk walking per day and build up to 30 minutes per day. You could try some of the classic tips and tricks – getting off the bus a stop earlier, taking the stairs instead of the lift – or you could try adding in small walks throughout the day. The minutes will soon add up.
4. Eat more whole foods
You should never try and cut out an entire food group (that’s just asking for food cravings to happen), but it’s always useful to focus on trying to include MORE of a certain food. Whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains and lean animal products are all nutritionally dense and will deliver you a load of fibre and protein as well, which means they’ll keep you fuller for longer. Try to prioritise these types of foods in your diet and find ways to add more of them into your meals. Processed foods and foods that are high in sugar and saturated fats should be eaten in moderation – and watch out for sneaky hidden ingredients in things like ready-made sauces.
5. Start with a healthy breakfast
‘Start the day off right’ might sound cliche, but it works. Starting your day off with a breakfast that’s high in protein, fibre and nutrients not only sets the tone for the day, but will give your body everything it needs to function and keep you full until lunch. If you’re keen on a sweet breakfast, try out our protein pancakes or protein porridge. Or try out an egg white omelette with veggies for a more savoury option.
6. Find a gym buddy or a group that works for you
There are so many reasons why having a workout buddy or a group to exercise with will help keep your momentum going. You’ll have someone, or a group of people, to keep you accountable – they’re counting on you to turn up. Having someone to exercise with also makes it more fun and adds variety to your workouts. Plus, there’s nothing wrong with a little friendly competition, right?
7. Think long term
It’s never a good idea to expect immediate results if you’re trying to make a change to your lifestyle. These things take time. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see results. Remember the core reasons why you’ve made a change, and also: consistency is key.
Hopefully now you feel a bit more prepared to tackle the New Year. Let us know what your New Year goals are by tagging #TeamBulk and @bulk in your social media posts. We want to hear from you!
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