Top 10 Health Hacks

When people want to start getting healthier, everyone seems to think that they need a complete lifestyle overhaul, but it’s exactly the opposite that’s going to get you results. Here are my Top 10 Health Hacks:

#One – Desk Water

No matter what, have a bottle or glass of water on your desk at all times. When you finish it, go and fill it up again (this will give you a nice little desk break as well). Thirst can very easily be mistaken for hunger, leading to mindless snacking and excessive calorie intake, so have a sip of water before reaching for a snack.

#Two – Shrink Your Plate Size

See a big plate – fill a big plate. That’s pretty much what happens in every meal situation. Make a simple swap to smaller plates and bowls to ensure smaller portion sizes. Firstly, you will only be able to fit a certain amount on there in the first place, and secondly, the smaller crockery will trick your mind into thinking you still have a mountain of food. Clever!

#Three - Prep, Prep, Prep!

[caption id="attachment_3763" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Prepare many meals at once to make your life easier![/caption] Food prep is one of the most important things to do to keep yourself on track, and one of the easiest things to do as well. While you’re preparing your dinner, prepare tomorrow’s breakfast, lunch and snacks. This means you’ll never be rushed when choosing your nibbles, and will never go hungry at the office. Also always make sure you have your supplements prepared. Extra hack: Portion up your smoothie ingredients and bag them up in the freezer – you’ll easily be able to whizz something up on those rushed mornings.

#Four – Portion Control

When prepping at the beginning of the week, get that big bag of mixed nuts or tasty treats and portion them out into small (25-50g) bags. This makes it impossible to under or over estimate what you’re eating. It also means that you don’t have extras whilst sitting at your desk munching mindlessly.

#Five – Keep a Packed Gym Bag

[caption id="attachment_3764" align="aligncenter" width="633"] If your gym bag's prepared, so are you[/caption] Whether you’re planning on exercising or not, having a full gym bag by your front door or in your car is a massive help. You won’t feel rushed in the morning if you fancy the gym before work, and you’ll have a bag ready to go in your car if you wanted a session afterwards.

#Six – Gym First Thing

There’s nothing worse than finishing your 8 hours at work, and then having to go to the gym. Get there beforehand, and by the time you’re sat down at your desk, you would have forgotten all about rolling out of bed in the dark, and you’ll feel stupidly energised for your day ahead. (Pssst. It helps you make better food choices too)

#Seven – Train Hard, Not Long

Get bored in the gym? You don’t need to be there for hours on end to get the results you need. Leave your phone in your locker to avoid distractions, get in there and smash out those sets. Throw in some HIIT training and you’ll be in and out within 45 minutes!

#Eight - Create YOUR Playlist

[caption id="attachment_3765" align="aligncenter" width="500"] The right songs can help put you in the zone[/caption] Are you a runner? Find out your running speed and make your music match. Jog.fm is a great app for going through your own music library and matching your tunes to the speed of your feet. If you’re not hitting the cardio, make sure you’ve got a playlist to keep you pumping. Slow, quiet songs really aren’t going to motivate you to push out those last reps.

#Nine – Plan Ahead

Does your gym have a class schedule? Book your week in advance, mentally preparing yourself and gearing yourself up for the week ahead. Encourage a friend or colleague to do the same, so you won’t feel alone heading to the gym after your work day. Make sure you write them down on your calendar or in your diary as well – it cements that promise that you’ve made to yourself.

#Ten – Recover

Most people think that training 24/7, 365 days a year is what they need to do to become fit and healthy. WRONG! Make sure you take the time out to relax, recuperate and repair those hard working muscles. Start off by training 3 or 4 days a week, with rest in between the days rather than 4 days on, 3 days off. This will aid your recovery and give you the best results.

In Conclusion…

It’s the small changes that make the big difference. Use these simple health and fitness hacks to switch up your normal routine and start reaping the benefits!