TIPS & TRICKS

TIPS & TRICKS

TIPS ON GOOD FATS

Good fats are incredible for your heart, your cholesterol, and your overall health.

Good fats:

  • Absorb fat soluble vitamins. Vitamins A, D, E & K require good fats to be consumed with them in order to be absorbed by the body.
  • Helps support and strengthen skin, hair & nails.
  • Increases your metabolism.
  • Promoting normal functions of the brain and nervous system.

THESE FATS CAN ALSO HELP TO:

  • Lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • Lower bad LDL cholesterol levels, while increasing good HDL cholesterol levels.
  • Lower triglycerides associated with heart disease and fight inflammation.
  • Lower blood pressure.
  • Prevent atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries).

THE BEST EXERCISE TIPS

  • Exercise has been proven to improve your mood and decrease anxiety. Studies show that the fitter you are, the better you’ll be at handling the long-term effects of stress. One moderately intense 50-minute aerobic workout has been shown to significantly lower anxiety levels.
  • Warm up and cool down. This will help you to maintain your mobility, flexibility and prevent injury.
  • Don’t cruise through cardio. Increase your intensity by pushing towards your maximum rate of perceived exertion (how hard it feels for you) each set.
  • Lift like you mean it. If you can do the maximum number of suggested reps without feeling fatigued, add more kilograms to your weight.
  • To engage the deepest muscles of your abs during any exercise-or just sitting in a chair-try this: Inhale, then exhale and pull your belly button toward your spine, without hunching your shoulders forward (don’t just suck in your belly).
  • Work out why, don’t just work out. Too often training facilities promotes exercise and fitness by hooking into short-term motivation, guilt and shame. The only way we are going to prioritise time to exercise is if it is going to deliver some kind of benefit that is truly compelling and valuable to our daily life.
  • You don’t have to love exercise. It is helpful not to try to make yourself do things you actively dislike but don’t feel like you have to really enjoy it. A lot of people who stick with their exercise routines say: “I feel better when I do it.” This is the element that you will find enjoyable.

GOAL SETTING TIPS

Setting up goals can mean the difference between success and failure. Realistic, well-planned goals keep you focused and motivated. They provide a plan for change as you transition to a healthier lifestyle. Not all goals are helpful. Unrealistic and overly aggressive goals can undermine your efforts.

If your outcome goal is to lose 7 kilograms in three months, you may break it down into separate goals for each month, perhaps 3 kilograms for the first month and 2 kilograms for each of the last two months because early weight loss is often faster. An example of a process goal might be to walk 30 minutes a day. If you currently don’t walk regularly at all, you may want to walk 15 minutes a day for two weeks and then add five minutes to your walk each week.

NUTRITION TIP: MINIMISE YOUR SUGAR INTAKE

Added sugar is extremely prevalent in modern food and drinks. A high intake is linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. The Dietary Guidelines recommend keeping added sugar intake below 10% of your daily calorie intake, while the World Health Organisation recommends slashing added sugars to 5% or less of your daily calories for optimal health

Do you have any tips that you’ve picked up yourself? We’d love to hear them. Tag us in your tips & tricks in health and nutrition stories on IG at @plc_coaching_