Regardless of if you believe in having a resolution or not, the new year provides a clean slate for you to start making some changes.
I’m not talking straight up wholesale changes.
If you’ve ever tried before, then you’ll know trying to switch up your whole life doesn’t last very long.
I’m talking about easy wins that can put you on a better path to health, wellbeing, and weight loss.
Here are some easy wins to get you started.
Easy Nutrition Wins
Eat Your Damn Vegetables
It’s no secret that vegetables are a constant theme in health and longevity.
But they’re also pretty good for weight loss as they’re high volume and low calorie.
That means feeling fuller for less calories.
Aim to have a portion of vegetables (let’s say a fist size portion at least), with most of your meals throughout the week.
Swap Out Liquid Calories
Liquid calories count too.
If you’re constantly drinking fizzy drinks, fruit juice, smoothies etc (yes fruit juice contains calories); then it can be prudent to swap these out/minimise them.
Why?
Because they’re so easy to consume that your daily calorie intake can quickly skyrocket.
Look for low/0 calorie alternatives for an easy calorie reduction win.
There’s nothing wrong with just drinking plain water you know…
Eat More Protein
Protein is more than just a buzz word for the gym goers.
Whether you go to the gym, do a little jog now and then, or do no activity whatsoever; protein is important.
For health, protein has a bunch of functions in the body such as tissue repair, enzyme function and development, supporting a healthy immune system and development of antibodies.
For weight loss, protein has a high thermic effect (more than any other nutrient), meaning that it costs you calories to digest and absorb it. It’s also satisfying, helping to curb hunger and keep you fuller for longer.
By simply increasing your protein intake, you can out yourself in a better position to promote weight loss and health.
I give individualised recommendations to my clients, but I would say generally 1.2-1.6g/kg of bodyweight is a good place to start.
If you struggle with that, then aim for more than you’re currently eating.
Easy Exercise Wins
Get To Stepping
I will repeat this until the cows come home.
Walk.
Walking is low impact, low effort, and high reward.
Your daily activity isn’t just a driver for losing and maintaining a healthy weight, it’s a driver for your health.
Increasing your step count will help to take you from sedentary to active.
I’ve had clients lose a tonne of weight by simply focusing on steps as a main driver of activity (with a nutrition plan too of course).
Start by finding your baseline, and work to increase it.
The general rule of thumb is to aim for 7-10k steps per day.
This range is where you start to see a decrease in all-cause mortality.
Anymore is a bonus for your health and especially weight loss.
Challenge Yourself
Here we go, another PT telling you to go the gym.
Or is it?…
Admittedly, I would recommend you going to the gym, lifting some weights, and getting stronger.
You really cannot go wrong with getting strong.
But for a lot of you, that isn’t an easy win.
I appreciate starting a gym routine can be daunting, isn’t necessarily accessible, puts you in an uncomfortable position and may intimidate you.
So, I challenge you, to challenge yourself.
Do some sort of physical activity that challenges you.
Whether it’s running, cycling, lifting weights, joining a sports team, going to an exercise class, playing badminton, swimming, doing a couch to 5km; just do something.
Heck, you can even just focus on booking a gym induction or going for a 1km run.
Pick something, boil it down to the simplest first step required and do that.
You won’t regret it.
Easy Lifestyle Wins
Stop Smoking
There I said it.
It’s bad for you.
No one ever regrets stopping.
Just stop it.
Prioritise Sleep
Sleep is where all the good stuff happens.
Sure, it’s boring.
Sure, it may seem like a waste of time.
But it’s not.
Sleep allows you to function and perform at your best.
It also puts you in a better position to lose and maintain a healthy weight.
Why?
Well, a lack of sleep can mess with your hunger hormones to make you crave certain foods and leave you less satisfied with the food you do eat.
It’s also important for your mental health, cognitive function, and managing stress.
Think back to a time you woke up after a really good night’s sleep.
I’ll take a guess and say you felt pretty darn good right?
Typically, we’re looking for around 7-9 hours per night. The older you get, the less sleep you need.
If you’re struggling to get that, try tuning off your electronics 30-60 minutes prior to sleep time, get off Tiktok, sleep in a cool room, create a sleep schedule (similar sleep and wake times each day), and cut out caffeine consumption after 2pm.
Do Something You Enjoy
Life is tough.
It’s also quite short.
Whilst I am huge advocate of preserving and extending the quality and length of life through Nutrition and Exercise; I’m also an advocate of enjoying it whilst you’re here.
If you do anything in 2023, stop getting caught up in the endless cycle of work, work, and more work.
Take time for yourself to do something you enjoy.
Unless it’s smoking, stop that.
Take back time for yourself.
Try something new.
Do something you always wanted to do but never felt confident or capable of doing.
If you can tie that in with some sort of physical activity then even better.
You only get one go at the game, don’t waste it.
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