21 Small Changes For A Healthier Lifestyle

Small Changes, Big Differences

When firing up your fitness venture, remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Focus on tackling the small changes rather than the bigger jumps. Create a foundation of healthy habits that after a while require no thought or attention. Read on to see how small changes can lead to big differences.

We’ve separated these changes into categories so you can start crushing every aspect of your life!

Activity

• Park further away from work/shops/school - get those steps up by walking that bit further.
• Take the stairs over the escalator or lift - stairs should be the most utilised structure when trying to get fit. Their abundance s pretty phenomenal. Get that heart rate up, those steps in and that respiratory system pumping.
• Try to be on your feet, moving every hour - sitting for prolonged periods of time is not ideal for the mind or body.
• When training in the gym, make sure all reps and sets are being performed correctly to the goal number - there’s no point doing a half-hearted rep, stop throwing a strop and get on with it!
• GET CLEANING - cleaning is an activity that so easily overlooked. It’s Flamin’ hard work! Not only are you getting your NEAT up you’re actually achieving something from it.
• Try to walk around when completing tasks that could be done whilst stationary- for example when brushing teeth, if you can not spill your toothpaste all down yourself, or when on the phone.
• Have a set time that you work out each day- stick to it! If it is scheduled into your day rather than when you just fancy it, you’re much more likely to do it.

Eating/Diet

• Swap sugar for sweetener in drinks or cakes - the low calorie or even zero-calorie is a trade that will probably go unnoticed. Reduce that calorie intake, easily, with the smart swap
• Try to pick food and drinks that have no added sugar - things are sweet enough as they are! Added sugar just adds calories and cavities.
• Try to eat leaner cuts of meat- Fat has 9kcal per gram whereas protein has 4kcal per gram. If your meat source is mostly protein, it’ll be lower in calories.
• Swap veggies for carbs- not sounding up your street? Think again. Spiralized vegetables instead of pasta gives an extra element of freshness to dishes. We highly recommend.
• Look for lower calories versions of your favourite food- biscuit fiend? Same. There are plenty of lower-calorie versions. For example, take the humble party ring, 25kcal!
• When you’re eating, try to notice when you’re actually full up, rather than just finishing the plate - this is probably the hardest change to make on the list, it is all about being present whilst eating, slowing down, so you have the capacity to feel full.
• Swap cooking oil for spray cooking oil - we actually prefer cooking with this and it also slices the calories.
• Try grilling your food instead of frying - this method just takes off any unnecessary calories and will also reduce your saturated fat intake.
• PLAN - try to plan ahead what you are eating for the week. Not only does this save time every day when you can’t decide what to munch on. It stops that aimless fridge roaming, that leads to demolishing half a block of cheese. It also means you’re much less likely to buy food out as you’ve already planned your meals.

Lifestyle

• Have a set wake up and bedtime - creating a routine is so important when trying to form habits. If you’re scheduling 7-9 hours of sleep a night, you’re much more likely to achieve what you want to during the day. Your cortisol levels are also going to be lower, meaning you are less likely to start binge eating.
• Have a morning routine - this is essential. Starting your day right is so refreshing. We are well aware that not all of you are early birds, but try to achieve something productive within the first hour of waking up, we’re sure that the rest of your day will follow suit.
• Make your bed - again another crucial thing to do in the mornings that we’d recommend. The act of making your bed is a reflective task. Those who make their beds are more productive and efficient. Put your resting hours to sleep, start the day right, then come back to a perfectly made bed, ready to recharge you.
• Talk to people about your fitness goals/journey- saying goals out loud makes them real. You’re now not just letting yourself down when you slack, you know that others will hold you accountable. Not only that, the support and enthusiasm given by people whilst discussing your fitness goals, will push you to strive harder for them. Trying to include as many people as possible in your new journey is excellent, losing weight, gaining muscle or trying to reach a new PB can be a lonely road. Bring as many people as you can along with you.
• PLAN- of course, it’s back again. Ever feel like your days go 100mph and you haven’t achieved anything? Well plan, set a to-do list. A list of tasks you want to be completed for the day. They don’t even have to be fitness related. We want you to become your most productive and efficient self. If you’re winning in the rest of your life, your fitness goals should be following along nicely.

So hopefully, we’ve listed some ideas of many, that you can start slotting into your life. Although some may feel alien and odd, after a while of doing them daily, they will start to feel habitual. It’ll be strange when you don’t wake up early and make your bed. Strange but nice.

Try to avoid the balls to the wall approach. Going full steam ahead when starting a new fitness journey. Making small changes will give you a solid base to build up your fitness.

The idea we’re trying to hammer home is planning. Become a planner! Get that diary, wall calendar, set alarms, have those sticky notes EVERYWHERE. Organise and plan your life, use your time wisely. Get everything you need to do, done. It’s so fulfilling when you’ve achieved all you were supposed to in a day.

For added support, speak to our of our coaches that can help you start making small changes as well as those big ol’ ones. Take the hassle out of fitness with our plans and recipes.