Ten tips to a healthier you

Stop telling yourself you are fat. If you focus on fat, you will feel fat. You will feel hopeless and helpless. Do your self esteem a favour and stop calling yourself names.

Start the day feeling positive and that sets the tone for the rest of your day. Get into the habit of being grateful for all the beautiful things in your life and you will begin to love yourself and your life. The parts you don’t like so much, like those extra couple of pounds will disappear in time.

Eat fresh fruit and vegetables to clear out your insides. You will be amazed at the difference in the way you feel after a week or two. You will be able to think more clearly and move more easily. You don’t have to be overweight to feel the difference. Our bodies cope with the stress of daily living much better if they don’t have to process the wrong types of food. Do yourself a favour and try at least two weeks of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Throw out your frypan to give your body a major boost. There’s very little value in fried food. The heat destroys the best of the vitamins and we really don’t need more fat in our diets. After eating well for a while, you will come to detest fatty, fried food. It really does spoil the taste of good food.

Fresh food is best but if you want to cook your food, steaming or grilling is far better than fried. It preserves the flavour and does not use extra fat. Baking is all right as long as the food is not swimming in fat. A baking rack can help lift the food from the fat.

Thirty minutes per day of gentle exercise will make you feel fantastic. You should also do a little more intense cardio- type exercise but if you are unused to exercise, it’s best to start gently. You are trying to feel good so you won’t want to pull anything and end up in pain. Take it slowly but gently increase your level of activity each week. You will come to love exercising and if you have to skip a day, you will really miss it. It will become a fun part of your daily routine.

To be truly happy you need to enjoy the company of friends. It is great for your health too. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. A coffee and a chat are enough. Make some regular time to get together with friends. Tell them it’s great for their health too.

Laughter is really the best medicine. You need to laugh every day. It releases endorphins and its helps lower blood pressure. It feels pretty great too.

If you get a good night’s Sleep you are better able to cope with all the day throws at you. You work more efficiently and your body works better too. If you don’t get enough sleep, you can put on weight. It’s best to have a regular routine so try to get ready for bed a t the same time every night and get up at the same time each morning. The amount of sleep you need each day varies from person to person; everyone is different, so listen to your body.

Water is vital to your body so if you want to be healthy you need to replenish your supply every day. Eight glasses is the usual suggested quantity. You don’t have to be fanatical but try replacing some of those coffees with water. A big glass of water is good start to the day, and a glass before each meal helps you to feel full so you eat less food.

When you eat and drink sensibly, get enough exercise and sleep, everything else falls into place. Your body weight should stabilise and your moods with be brighter, your thinking will be clear and you will enjoy your life. It’s all about balance.