J'AIME March 2021

H E A LT H
Easy peasy health hacks
GETTING FIT AND HEALTHY DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN POUNDING THE
TREADMILL. AMY NORBURY TAKES A LOOK AT SOME EASY WAYS TO BOOST
YOUR HEALTH - WITHOUT STEPPING FOOT IN THE GYM
Leading a healthier lifestyle doesn’t have to be
challenging, time consuming or expensive. These
easy-to-implement health hacks will make a big
difference with little effort required.
Take the stairs
One of the easiest changes you can make - and
especially effective if you work in a high rise office
building - is to ditch the lift in favour of the stairs.
The quick exercise you’ll get from powering up stairs
will boost your heart rate - plus, it’s a great glute
workout to boot!
Up your water intake
To stay properly hydrated, the NHS recommends
drinking at least six to eight glasses of water a day,
although some of us find that easier said than done.
Keep a water bottle on your desk so it’s close at hand,
making it easier to track your water consumption.
Ditching fizzy drinks in favour of water will also help
to lower your calorie and sugar intake - a win all
round.
Portion control
Your parents probably always told you to finish your
dinner, but if your portions are on the generous side,
emptying your plate could mean you’re overeating.
Easy ways to curb your excesses include pacing
yourself throughout your meal - put your cutlery
down between bites, and stop for a rest after eating
80% to see if you’re still hungry or just eating out
of habit. Using a smaller plate will also help control
your portions.
Load up on veg
We’ve all heard the ‘five-a-day’ mantra - but how
many of us actually achieve that on a regular basis?
For an adult, one portion is 80g - about one apple,
orange or banana, two broccoli spears or four
tablespoons of cooked leafy greens - so make sure
you get your fill.
Stand up!
Research has shown that prolonged periods of sitting
down can cause poor posture, leading to increased
risk of chronic pain, as well as obesity, so if you
spend all of your working day sitting at a desk - stop!
A standing desk, if you can get one, can make a
huge difference but if you can’t, make sure you stand
regularly - around every 20 minutes, even if it’s just
for a minute or two.
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