100’s of ideas to keep you active!
What do your New Year resolutions look like? No doubt, one of them will be to get your wellness on track and like many others you will most probably have trouble sticking to a new healthy regime and stopping those old habits from falling back into place.
Don’t despair. There are lots of ways out there that can help you to stick to your wellness goals, whether that is focussing on weight management, detoxing your body, boosting your immune system or becoming more active through exercise and sport.
Weight Management
Losing body fat can be challenging and you may have to change both your exercise routine and your diet to get the results that you are after.
Strength training is a good way to burn fat and is designed to improve strength and endurance with repeated resistance movements, including lifting weights as well as using your body weight for squats, push ups and planks.
Adding more protein to your diet can help to keep you feeling fuller for longer, which will decrease your appetite and therefore reduce your calorie intake. Add more fat burning foods such as lean meat, seafood, eggs and dairy products to your diet or add a protein supplement. Upping your protein intake could help you reach your fitness goals faster. Protein is a ‘macronutrient’, meaning the body requires large amounts of it as part of a balanced diet. Try Precision Engineered Whey Protein Sticky Toffee shake from Holland & Barrett to assist growth of muscle mass, strength and performance.
Cutting down on sugar is another good way to assist your weight management as eating foods containing sugar increases your cravings for more sugary foods. Instead, try low calorie, naturally sweet foods such as dates, figs and pears or sugar free snacks.
Fitness
Regular exercise has also been proven to reduce your risk of developing long-term health conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and some cancers. If you haven’t exercised before, don’t panic, it’s all about getting moving that little bit more and finding something you enjoy doing, whether that is taking the stairs instead of the lift, walking to work or getting off the bus a few stops earlier than usual, taking the dog out for extra walks or getting involved in a local walking group.
Swimming is another great way to keep fit. Start by spacing your swimming sessions out and then make them more frequent and longer.
Jogging and/or running may be not be for everyone but you can build up slowly. Aim to go for a 20 to 30 minute jog three to four times a week, and start on softer surfaces, such as grass, to make it easier on your joints. The same advice goes for skipping; start steadily and build up the skips. If you get really good, you may want to swap your normal rope for a weighted skipping rope.
Immune System
Immunity is the ability of an organism to defend you from foreign substances or toxins and that means our immune system is constantly on high alert for any germs or other dangerous foreign substances. Upon detecting these potential dangers, the immune system gets to work at eliminating them to keep us safe.
Certain vitamins and minerals can support the normal functioning of your immune system but your immune system cannot go above its normal working ability and your immunity cannot be increased or ‘boosted’ beyond normal expected levels.
These vitamins and minerals include:
Vitamin C can support the normal function of your natural immune system and can help restore natural immunity in people lacking in vitamin C, including older people and those taking part in severe physical exercise. Natural sources of vitamin C include red and green peppers, oranges and orange juice, Brussels sprouts, berries, melons, cauliflower, tomatoes and leafy green vegetables.
Vitamin C Supplements such as Holland & Barrett Vitamin C can help to keep your skin healthy as well as supporting your immune system, normal psychological function and normal energy-yielding metabolism.
Vitamin D is often prescribed as one of the best immune boosting supplements. Now, while it can’t ‘boost’ anything, it has been shown to support your immune system function, as well as many other health benefits. When it comes to immunity, vitamin D plays a regulatory role – meaning that it is involved in functions that ensure your immune system is operating properly. You can get more Vitamin D in your life by spending time outside with direct sunlight on your skin – this is how your body makes vitamin D by itself, and eating the following: oily fish, eggs, meat, fortified plant milks, fortified cereals and mushrooms. You can also take Vitamin D supplements, such as Vitabiotics Ultra Vitamin D3 tablets from Holland & Barrett.
Vitamin B6 supports nervous system function, protein and glycogen metabolism, normal red blood cell formation and our immune systems. You can get more vitamin B6 into your life by eating pork, poultry, fish and eggs. Holland & Barrett Complete Vitamin B Complex provides an excellent source of B vitamins to support normal energy yielding metabolism and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
Healthy Lifestyle
Remember that your first line of defence to get your wellness on track and to keep your immune system working properly is to choose a healthy lifestyle and implement some healthy living strategies into your life such as stopping smoking and drinking alcohol only in moderation.
Advisory Information:
Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking any medications or are under medical supervision, please consult a doctor or healthcare professional and always read the label before use.
