New Dehli, Jan 2 – New Year resolutions; sounds cliche enough to catch your attention? Alright, write down your morning routine to the last detail. The key to a healthy new year would have to begin with a fitter morning and there you go: change it, and see how your day turns around. We are creatures of habits and we need to break them wisely to make new ones. New year resolutions tend to not go beyond our to- do- list. This year, let’s not fall for lofty goals, instead take small, steady steps to a fitter us. And we shall do it, by going for small swaps here and there.
After all, reforming your life can only begin by changing that tiny moment whether it’s five minutes of yoga, or five minutes of simply staring into space.
At first, it might seem funny, the idea of including a five minute change into your routine; no novelty there, you may think. But then, it is exactly this ‘bump off something teeny and push in something else’ rule that can change your whole day. Most eating plans fail because they are unrealistic, and either you give up or cheat on them. So go slow and steady. Make healthy choices one at a time.
If you falter, don’t be discouraged as every healthy choice you make would go a long way in keeping up with your ‘ fit’ dreams. Not radical approaches but sane and sustainable ones. We must believe in the impact of small changes, making good choices every moment, as much as we could.
1. Instead of: A Plain Plate
SWAP: Colourful plate of ingredients
WHY: It is simple. Instead of going the boring and laborious way of counting calories and portion sizes, go for colour. Choose fresh, assorted and brightly coloured foods. Every meal should have fruits and veggies. They are high in fibre, but not calories and keep you full for long. It would help brighten not just your plate but energise you for the tough day ahead.
2. Instead of: Butter
SWAP: Olive oil
WHY: It is simply a matter of picking up a different bottle. Canola or olive oil contains unsaturated fats unlike butter. It has good fats, lots of antioxidants, vitamin E and will reduce your risk for heart diseases.
3. Instead of: Flavoured Yoghurt
SWAP: Home- made curd
WHY: This way you would add less sugar into your diet than what the packaged flavoured yoghurts come with. They are known to contain additional sugar, excess fat, and meagre protein. Plain curd is the best source for probiotics which help instill healthy gut organisms. It will also help counter the effects of eating too many processed foods and lack of vegetables and fruits in your diet.
4. Instead of: Three Spoons Of Sugar In Coffee
SWAP: One spoon less.
WHY: This is not much. Do this and you can notice positive changes overall as eating concentrated sweets can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, leading to mood swings and fatigue. You will get used to the lesser sweet taste gradually and in the long term, it would be a beneficial health move.
5. Instead of: 6 Hours Of Sleep
SWAP: Add a bonus hour.
WHY: Sleep holds the nuts and bolts to all the positive changes that you are aspiring for. Adequate sleep can turn you around into a charged up person, cut down the stress levels and help you take decisions in a better way thereby enabling good health.
6. Instead of: Sitting For An Hour At Stretch
SWAP: Take a five minute walk around.
WHY: According to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, if you don’t get the recommended amount of physical activity for your age at some point during the day, the more you sit, the greater is the health risk. So take frequent breaks from sitting and remind yourself to get up for five minutes for every hour you sit.
7. Instead of: Checking Facebook
SWAP: Call up a friend.
WHY: It’s usual to skip the calls and commit to whatsapp or facebook.
But personal communication is anyday better; a warm, loving voice can balm you much better. Call a friend who has a positive spirit, and de- stress instead of keying in the words.
8. Instead of: Gifting Yourself Chocolates
SWAP: Opt for something fun, like going out for game of tennis or swimming with friends.
WHY: It would be very tempting to shower yourself with chocolates and truffles, but instead of that plan fun stuff like movies with friends, or buy a workout gear for yourself.
9. Instead of: Salt
SWAP: Herbs
WHY: They would help make the food more flavourful and also help escape the ill- effects of salt. While herbs like basil, black pepper, oregano or mint might not be the impeccable substitutes for salt, they could be the right distractions. Having too much salt can lead to water retention, bloating, weight gain and other serious problems like hypertension and kidney disorders.
10. Instead of: Calcium
PILL SWAP: Glass of milk WHY: Taking calcium supplements hardly matches the benefits derived from the natural form of it. According to the Journal of American College of Nutrition, milk is not only the richest source of calcium but also of phosphorous, vitamin D and protein which makes it ideal for building bones.
11. Instead of: High Calorie Toppings Like Cheese
SWAP: Veggies like lettuce and tomato.
WHY: It is not the food which makes us fat, most of the times, it’s the loaded toppings. A simple sandwich with tomato and lettuce is a far better choice than with cheese. Go for low- calorie toppings like mustard, salsa, among others.
12. Instead of: Sugary Treats And Desserts
SWAP: Tea and there are so many flavours out there ( peppermint, if you can make it).
WHY: You might not always have to sign out your meal with the dessert.
Artificial sugar sweetened foods have too much of sugar hidden in them. You can switch to juice, or a tea as well, which will not spike your blood sugar levels as much. In fact, tea is officially awesome for your health. Scientific studies have proved that it is full of antioxidants, boost your endurance, helps fight free radicals, and certain flavours like the green tea also help boost the bone mineral density.
13. Instead of: Refined Grains
SWAP: Wholegrains WHY: Refined carbs found in white breads and sweets are bad for your heart whereas wholegrains are known to have lower risk for heart problems and diabetes.
Replace the white flour with softer wholegrains such as barley, millet and brown rice, which are richer in nutrients and fibre.
14. Instead of: Drab Workout Regime
SWAP: For a fun and fab one.
WHY: If your workout is a big drag, and you only clock the minutes through the regime, then chances are that you might not last long at it. So, include variety into your schedule. If you hate the bench press, do the push- ups. Challenge yourself with a variety of exercises.
You can also switch to other fun workout regimes like zumba dancing, or parkour classes, for example. These would be more engaging and would help you blast the calories with ease.
15. Instead of: Working Out Alone
SWAP: Drag a friend.
WHY: When you do it with others, it helps you stay motivated and pushes the boundaries.
16. Instead of: Sugary Cereal
SWAP: Oatmeal
WHY: One bowl of cereal is filled with more sugar and less fibre than the simple heart- healthy oatmeal. It is one of the healthiest ways to start your day and is highly recommended for people with diabetes and hypertension.
17. Instead of: Television And Tablets
SWAP: Books
WHY: Knowledge apart, it is definitely a better company and would assure you sound sleep.
18. Instead of: Frowning
SWAP: Smile
WHY: It will make you happy, cheerful and ofcourse improve the overall health quotient.
19. Instead of: Digging Into The Packet
SWAP: Eat from a bowl.
WHY: You are bound to portion out the food much better this way than digging into the box.
20. Instead of: Fizzy Drink
SWAP: Go for a powernap.
WHY: A fifteen minute snooze is way healthier than that energy drink, which is unhealthy because of its high content of sugar, sodium and calories.
( Inputs by New Delhi based fitness trainer Kiran Sharma and nutritionist Shikha Rai)
-Indiatoday
