Many of us take our health for granted. But if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s to cherish and prioritise our health and do whatever we can to preserve it. Sadly, lockdown, home working, and long periods of isolation have left many of us at the mercy of fast food, sugary drinks, and sedentary lifestyles. 

If this sounds familiar, then there’s never been a better time to put your health first and start looking after yourself. Here we’ll explore how you can kickstart your health this month with these awesome health tips.

Stop smoking

If you’re a smoker, then it’s time to quit. Smoking is incredibly harmful to your health, and you’re dramatically increasing the likelihood of developing cancers, respiratory diseases, and other debilitating health problems every time you light up. Many smokers opt for smoking alternatives to help them cut down on nicotine and as a way to remove the presence of toxic chemicals, smoke, and tar from their lives. One of the most popular and effective smoking alternatives is vaping. You can easily control the levels of nicotine you’re consuming and be in full control of your quitting journey. Check out 88vape.co.uk for everything you’ll need to get started. 

Lift weights 3-4x per week

If you want to get fit, burn fat, and improve your body shape, then make sure to hit the weights 3-4 days per week. Weight training is one of the best things you can do as it targets multiple areas of your body and gets your heart rate pumping. There are lots of bodyweight exercises you can do, but nothing compares to dumbbell and barbell exercises. Make sure to do ‘compound movements’ that work lots of muscle groups all at once. Compound lifts include:

• Squats
• Push-ups
• Chin-ups
• Lunges
• Bent over rows

If in doubt, then why not hire a personal trainer? A qualified fitness coach will be able to get your results faster and design a custom workout program that’s suitable for your current level of fitness.  

Reduce your artificial sugar intake

We all enjoy a bit of sugar now and again, and it’s something we need to keep our energy levels up. However, artificial sweeteners and sugars can have a detrimental impact on your overall health, especially if you’re consuming too much. Sugar in your tea and coffee, chocolate bars, pastries, cakes, and sweets… all of these are fine in controlled amounts, however consuming too much can lead to weight gain, gut problems, and even mood swings! Try to get your sugar intake from fruit or lactose where possible.

You may also want to try a low carb diet. The good thing is that you don’t have to cut out carbs forever. Even just 28 days can see you drop lots of weight. I tried the 28-day keto challenge and lost 16lbs. A keto diet is a great way to cut out artificial sugar for a month, and the physical, mental, and health results can be life-changing. 

Hydrate

Very few of us drink enough water throughout the day, which means we’re dehydrated. Dehydration leads to joint pain, brain fog, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. So, if you want to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, you need to up your water intake. This will help maximise your physical performance, help with brain function, aid your digestion process, and can even assist weight loss! If you can try and drink at least 2 liters of water per day – the more the better! 

Move

Ok, so maybe your local gym is closed right now, that’s understandable, but there are other ways you can exercise without hitting it hard and heavy in the gym. If you’re someone who is intimidated by the gym, then that doesn’t mean you can’t get your recommended 30mins of exercise a day. 

Enjoy a brisk morning walk before work or during your lunch break, have an online PT session, or watch a fitness YouTube video, invest in some simple resistance equipment such as bands or hand weights. Try a little yoga or pilates, or take the dog for an additional walk around the block to get your heart pumping.

And finally, cook from scratch and spice things up!

Cooking food from scratch means you can make healthier choices. Spicing up your favourite dishes with herbs and spices will not only enhance the flavour of your meals, but you’ll also benefit from the antioxidants, anti-inflammatory effects, a boost in your immune system, and if you’re reducing your sugar and salt intake, you won’t have to miss out on any of the flavours! 

LEP Fitness has eight custom recipe books, and we would love to give you one for FREE. If you would like a copy of one of our famous recipe books, then please complete the form below…