Healthy Living Series: Tips and Tricks for Staying Fit

For this reason, I’ve decided to start ‘Health Living Series’ in which I?ll be sharing with you easy-to-follow tips and tricks that I?ve managed to learn the hard way (more about that here) over the years for staying fit and for being content with myself and my body shape.

Also, I?d like to make a little disclaimer that the tips and tricks I?ll be sharing are in no way aimed to persuade anyone into doing anything they don?t want to. What you should know from the very beginning is that I have a firm stance against extreme ?diets?, having been on quite a few and having realised the destructive effect they could eventually have on your mind and body.
So instead, my ultimate goal is to lay the grounds for what I call ?Healthy Living Lifestyle?. And I want to underline the word lifestyle as living healthy doesn?t solely mean eating healthy. It requires developing a certain state of mind and attitude in order to achieve the best possible long-term results.

Also, having mentioned extreme dieting, yes, you may argue that diets do help you lose weight. And, certainly, there is no doubt about that! However, the very moment you finish your diet, it all boomerangs back to you! You slowly start allowing yourself to consumer all these foods and liquids you’ve previously forbidden yourself,  eventually gaining back all the pounds you’ve managed to lose. Yes, the Yo-Yo effect. And the thing is that it all becomes a vicious circle ? you go on a diet ? great results; you finish it ? you gain back the pounds again; you try a new diet ? great results and so on and so forth. So in this series, rather than giving you examples of different and fashionable ‘diets’ I?ll be sharing with you the ?Healthy Lifestyle? I’ve developed, which has proven to be the best for what I?ve always tried to achieve ? glowing and healthy looking skin,body, and mind.

And today, we’ll talk ‘Liquids‘.

1. Stay hydrated! It?s all about water, water, WATER!

Quite basic tip you might think and yes it is. But really how much water do you drink a day? Precisely.
Then now, take a pen and multiply your weight x 0.03 and the result you get is the amount of water your body needs per day. However, if you do regular physical activity and visit the gym more often, then increase the amount of water with at least 500 ml/day as you?ll be sweating out the water you?ve previously consumed.

H2O has definitely turned into my secret weapon for staying fit and is indeed the only liquid I’d normally have when I feel thirsty. Actually yesterday evening on our way home, B. turned to me saying ?Could I have some water??. Puzzled I replied ?Water? How do you know I have any water?.
He laughed while uttering cheerfully ?Well, you always have water on you. No exceptions?.

And indeed that?s absolutely true. I always carry a bottle of water in my bag and you know what? Once you get into the habit of drinking it, you?ll notice that your body will start craving more and more of it. So if you plan on following that tip, my advice is to purchase a nice bottle that you can always carry with you and refill with this holy grail liquid. However, beware that if you are using a regular plastic bottle - you should often change it - as when reusing water bottles they increase their bacterial content. 

Also, ensure that the water you drink is at a room temperature or warmer and forget about adding extra ice in it. 

What If you crave some additional flavour? Well, you can always add some lemons and/or cucumbers in it. 

So probably you wonder ‘Has she stopped drinking all the other soft drinks offered in the supermarket?’ Well, yes, I?ve completely left out the fizzy drinks and concentrated juices from my diet. To be honest, I’ve actually forgotten what they tasted like haven?t had one for more than 10 years now. And you know what? My body and I cannot be happier from that choice. 

And now the ultimate question: ‘Why do I need to drink water?’ Well:

1. Water will speed up your metabolism.
2. Your skin will start glowing.
3. If you have cellulite, eventually it will disappear and when I say disappear I MEAN IT. I?ve tried
massages before, I?ve exercised a lot ? but water turned to be my saviour. My skin elasticity has certainly improved and all these little cellulite bumps - they’re now completely gone!

5. You’ll stop feeling bloated.

6. You’ll be happier than ever.

And if you think that you’ll forget drinking regularly water ? then simply download the application called ‘Aqua Plan’ which will remind you when and how much water you should have.

2. Freshly squeezed juices
Are you a fan of freshly squeezed juices and smoothies?
So there a few things you should bear in mind when you consumer other ?healthy liquids?.
When you decide to have a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice, beware that the drink does not count as water. The amount of water you should drink shouldn’t be altered no matter how much other healthy liquids you consume. Also, ensure that you drunk freshly squeezed juice at least an hour before you have anything to eat and never have them during your meal. Combining fruits and eating savoury is something I avoid as it is against the proper ‘food combining principle’ for which I’ll be talking in detail next week.  

3. Tea 
Do you take your tea with sugar or milk? Or maybe both?
Try to have as much herbal tea as possible as a substitute of the all-time favourite English Breakfast tea with milk. Unfortunately black tea has way to much caffeine in it and in combination with milk, well it isn’t really the best choice you can make (I wrote more about the subject here). To be quite honest - I do love my English Breakfast tea, but I’ve noticed that my body doesn’t respond well to it - so I’ve minimised it’s consumption. But if that’s no the case with you - well, then it’s not really anything you should completely scratch from your diet. Just try and make it healthier by exchanging the sugar with honey - the drink will still be sweet, but at the same time much healthier.

3. Minimise the intake of these lovely flavoured lattes
A month ago I spoke about Milk and coffee and the fact that the combination of both is not the healthiest choice when you resolve to lead a ‘Healthy Lifestyle’. However, if you are too big of a fan of milk and milky beverages, well, at least order them without any additional flavour (vanilla, caramel, etc). Instead add some honey and sprinkle some cinnamon on the top. In this way you’ll be saving calories while still enjoying sweet and nicely flavoured hot beverage (2 healthy recipes for your morning coffee here)

4. Alcohol 

If you’re at a drinking age, well, this point is certainly quite important for you.

Since I graduated I decided to make a major change in my lifestyle and simply stop drinking concentrated alcohol and go with White Wine instead. Having always been a wine-lover - I tend to carefully select the type of wine I’d have so that it will complement my dinner and never drink it for the sake of getting drunk. If you’ve decided to start leading a healthier lifestyle - that’s certainly something you should consider doing - minimising the consumption of alcohol and exchanging it with soft and healthy liquids. 

And if you are still at University, I know that peer pressure is something you can hardly ignore. However, if you start treating your body as temple, I think it will be much easier for you to actually begin doing what will make your body happy rather than your peers.

So, my suggestion is - try to minimise the consumption of any concentrated drinks and overly sweetened cocktails. And if you do want a cocktail go for something lighter like Mojito or Bloody Marry; if you want to go with Vodka, well, mix it solely with soda and lemons rather than with fizzy drinks.

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But, certainly, if you’re decisive enough - leave behind the concentrated alcohol drinks for good, as and I?m telling you - your body will throw a feast to celebrate occasion.