Posted by kathryn in A Balanced Diet

It’s too easy to put off making diet and lifestyle changes. As I wrote in my post on how to change your diet, we tend to concentrate on the obstacles to eating well and being more active, but you can make changes today.

Here are five things you can do this lunch-time or this afternoon. Five steps you can take, to make your health better.

Do them all, or pick just one. But do something today for yourself and for your health.

1. Take a break at lunch-time:

Instead of eating your lunch at your desk, get away from the office during your lunch break. Walk around for 15 minutes, enjoy being outside, clear your head.

2. Put down the chocolate:

Try having a piece of fruit and a handful of almonds, instead of snacking on chips, lollies or chocolate this afternoon. You can pick these up during your lunch-time walk. Fruit is high in fibre, antioxidants, as well as vitamins, while almonds have essential fatty acids, minerals and protein. They’re much better for your health than the junk.

3. Have a cup of tea

Not only is tea full of antioxidants, but the process of making a cuppa gets you away from your desk, phone and inbox – even if it’s only for a few minutes. While boiling the kettle, take the opportunity to stand still and take a few long slow breaths.

4. Eat slowly

In the rush, rush, rush of the day, there’s a tendency to gobble down your food, so you can move onto the next thing. This evening, eat your dinner more slowly. Put down your knife and fork between each mouthful. Chew and savour your food.

5. Go to bed early

We all benefit from a good night’s sleep. The tendency to pack as much into our day, means many people delay going to bed. Why not get an early night tonight, so you can wake refreshed tomorrow?

Improving your health doesn’t have to cost money and it doesn’t have to take up lots of your time. Little things, small changes, the stuff you can do on a regular basis – this is the way to make long-term improvements. This is the way to make your health better.

17 July, 2007