by Keith Tucker | Jan 31, 2019 | Health and Fitness Fundamentals
Here are some great tips to help you keep your whole family fit.
1.) Make it mandatory
Getting the family out and active isn’t a choice. If you give children the option to come on a hike or stay inside and play on their computer, you know what they’ll choose. Instead, make it mandatory. Consider including the family outing with other errands. For example, go for a family hike and then go to the grocery store or out to lunch.
2.) Make it a family activity
Children are much more likely to engage in fitness activities if everyone is doing it. Create regular family outings. For example, ride your bikes, go for an evening walk as a family. On the weekends, engage in larger activities. such as going on hikes, go to a climbing centre, swimming pool or a bike ride. If you have a dog, you can all go out for a dog walk.
3.) Continue to model good fitness behaviour
Children really do pay attention to what you do. When you are active they’ll be more likely to adopt an active lifestyle. Avs and I will always have a very active weekend. Avs trains in front of the kids at home, they even join in with whatever exercise she does.
When you head out to exercise, remember to keep your language positive. If your children think you view exercise as a chore, they will too.
4.) Limit screen time
If your television, computer and gaming systems are turned off, your children will likely be at a loss for what to do. They’ll be more likely to go outside or to engage in active play.
Consider giving them a screen time allowance. They’re allowed 1 hour a day, 6 hours a week, depending on their age – whatever seems realistic for your family. That way when they use their allowance up, they’re done. No more screen time!
5.) Make it fun
Remember to find activities that your children enjoy. If you love hiking and your children really dislike it, then hiking is going to become a chore. If they love playing football or running around at the playground or soft Playcentre, then make time for those activities.
When you pay attention to the likes and dislikes of everyone, they’ll have a much more positive attitude about exercise.
Getting active as a family is about changing habits. Look for ways you can get people off the sofa and moving. Walk or ride bikes to school. Go to the park. Engage in activities that everyone loves. Have fun!
Keith
by Keith Tucker | Jan 8, 2019 | Health and Fitness Fundamentals
Healthy New Year’s Resolutions You Will Want to Keep
Well it’s that time of year again! The yearly tradition of making new years resolutions that majority don’t end up keeping. The one that so many people all over the world make is to take better care of themeselves, living a healthier lifestyle through diet and exercise.
So why is so hard to keep this resolution?
They are just not specific enough to follow through on. If you’re looking for a healthy New Year’s resolution you will want to keep, consider these seven resolutions.
Photo by Anna Pelzer on Unsplash
1.) I will stop drinking soft and sugary drinks –
There is so so much sugar in soft drinks! Yes even the ones that zero sugar are going to pile on the pounds! We consume so much sugar through what we drink, that it’s often not even thought about, and adds unnecessary weight as well as affecting blood sugar levels.
So put down the soft drinks and replace it with water! If you need a bit more flavour add some natural flavouring, such as mint leaves, lemon, or fruit.
2.) I will eat fruits and vegetables with every meal and as a snack –
Many of us still don’t eat very much fruit and vegetables.
It’s not as difficult as you might think. You can have fruits or veggies for your snacks. Add an apple or berries to your breakfast. A smoothie can have as many as three servings of fruit or vegetables.
Add greens to lunch and dinner and you’re well on your way to getting the nutrients your body needs each day.
3.) I will try a new fruit or vegetable each month –
This one is definietly one that we could do in our house! It so easy to get stuck in a rut with fruit and veg. Eating a variety of different furiut and vegetables is much healthier. When you add a new one to your diet each month, you’re broadening your nutritional horizons.
4.) I will switch to wholemeal bread –
Swap your white bread for wholemeal bread. This is an easy change to make and it’ll add more healthy whole grains to your diet. If you really want to make a change, try cutting out bread all together! It will make a huge difference.
5.) I will eat fewer sugary treats –
Reducing your sugary snacks is probably one of the toughest challenges as sugar is incredibly addictive. If you eat sugary treats a couple of times a day, as many do. Try reducing to one a day, then every other day until you reach one a week. Switch those sugar filled snacks with healthier alternatives.
6.) I will reduce the amount of caffine i drink-
Caffine can be another tough one for many. Cutting back on caffine can be difficult especially with early mornings and a lot of desk work, so switch your caffine for herbal teas or water.
As you’re looking forward to your New Year and contemplating resolutions, be specific. Help yourself achieve success by setting specific goals designed to help you lose weight and get healthier.
Keith
by Keith Tucker | Nov 14, 2018 | Health and Fitness Fundamentals
Essential Oils to Help Beat the Blues
Over the last six months my family and I have been using essential oils around the house and at the gym, and I must say it has been amazing!
They can stimulate you into action. It can also relax you and induce sleep. If you struggle with the blues, you can use aromatherapy to improve your mood.
What Is Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is the use of scents to alter mood. You can use essential oils through a diffuser or even place them in diluted form directly on your skin. You can also use lotions or creams on your skin. Another option is to burn a candle with your favorite scent. Finally, some people like to steep the scent or brew a tea.
Scents Commonly Used to Treat Depression
While there are a number of combinations and scents used to elevate mood, relax, diffuse anger or create calm, these scents are commonly used specifically for depression:
- Basil
- Bergamot
- Cedarwood
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
- Clary sage
- Frankincense
- Geranium
- Grapefruit
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Jasmine
- Myrrh
- Neroli
- Rose
- Sandalwood
- Spruce
- Orange
- Ylang ylang
The citrusy scents elevate mood and awaken the senses. Scents like jasmine and lavender induce a state of calm and relaxation. You may want to play with various scents to find which works best. Of course, you’ll also have personal preferences.
As mentioned you can use aromatherapy in a number of ways. You can combine essential oils into a bottle. With a dropper you can place the oils on the edge of your pillow or on clothing you’re wearing.
Alternatively, you can add the essential oils to a lotion base or fractionated coconut oil. This will diffuse the strength of the oils so it’s safe for skin application, this is especially important for sensitive skin and childrens skin.
There are a number of ways to enjoy aromatherapy and to reap the mood-enhancing benefits. You can also find blends or recipes on how to blend scents online.
As well as emotional benefits, essential oils work brilliantly at relieving colds, stomach aches and headaches, and has been a life saver as the cold and flu season as begun.
Essential oil are great,but remember they work hand in hand with nutrition. So make sure you are also fuelling your body with nutrient dense foods and beat those winter blues.
Keith
by Keith Tucker | Oct 13, 2018 | Food, Health and Fitness Fundamentals
Snack Attacks
The key is to snack right – and to snack right, you need to plan ahead. When you’re prepared for snack attacks and have a healthy snack on hand, you’re in control of your diet and your weight loss.
Choosing to diet and change the way you think about food can be very difficult. If you have been eating a certain way for many many years it can be a challenge. Cravings, hunger and the stress of trying to manage a new and healthier diet can lead to snacking on the wrong foods, which will sabotage all of your hard work.
Hummus is great as a healthy snack.
However, if you’re prepared for these potential challenges you can keep your diet on track.
Healthy Snack That Won’t Harm Your Weightloss Goals
Here are seven quick healthy snack ideas that won’t sabotage your weight loss:
- Nuts – A bag of nuts is a great snack because contain the kind of healthy fat your body needs. Grab small snack bags and fill them with a handful of nuts. Almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios and even walnuts are all a fantastic and delicious snack.
- Vegetable crisps and guacamole – vegetable crisps (the healthier option) and homemade guacamole are a great snack. Avocados, like nuts, are rich in healthy fats. A dollop of guacamole and five or six vegetable crisps is a perfectly healthy snack.
- Yogurt – Natural yogurt is perfect as a snack. Add a few nuts and seeds and some fresh berries for a well-rounded and delicious snack. If you aren’t able to eat dairy, we love coconut yogurt from Coconut Collaborative.
- Tuna or sardines – Fish is full of omega fatty acids and it’s high in protein. Tuna and sardines with crackers is a healthy snack.
- Nut butters – Almond and Cashew butter is great on top of celery, apples, bananas or even in a spoonful in small smoothie.
- Veggies and hummus – I love Hummus and is always something that we have in our fridge at home, it makes a great snack, just add celery sticks, carrots and other sliced vegetables and you have a super tasty snack.
Snacks are a healthy part of a diet, if done right. Plan ahead and make sure you have your healthy snack with you or in a convienent spot. Use these healthy snacks to help you keep cravings at bay and get all the nutrients you need to get and stay healthy.
Keith
by Keith Tucker | Oct 12, 2018 | Exercise For Optimum Health, Weight Loss and Performance, Health and Fitness Fundamentals
Change The Way You Think about Exercise and Change Your Life
I personally love a good workout and a good challenge, but a lot of people just don’t, they can’t think of anything worse and consider exercise a form of torture. You may hear how much fun exercise is and envy the ones that can just jump out of bed in the morning, looking forward to their daily gym session.
Changing your exercise mindset, and letting go of the pressure of ‘exercise’ will change your life (and your body).
Exercise Doesn’t Have to Be Painful
Exercise can and should be fun and something you can do each and every day. Because honestly – if you’re not having fun, how likely are you to continue doing it? If it’s not easy to do, how can you find time to fit it into your day?
It’s a whole lot easier to motivate yourself to go for a walk or a bike ride to the store than it is to run five miles, right? And you can fit a walk into your day every day. It’s easier to go play tennis with a friend than to climb on the cross trainer at the local gym. And much more fun, too.
Go Slow, and Just Get Moving
We have been told that to be healthy we need to do a sustained activity for twenty, thirty, or even sixty minutes. That a gym class such as spinning or boxercise or spending 60 minutes on a treadmill is what’s important. This form of staying fit just doesn’t appeal to a lot of people and therefore just isn’t sustainable for many.
If you are new to fitness, start slow, just get moving everyday. During your lunch break, don’t sit at your desk, get up and go for a walk. Instead of getting home and sticking another box set on, go for swim, try a dance class?
Moving your body means walking; it means being physically active. It doesn’t mean an hour in the spin class – unless you enjoy spin class. Exercise is fine as long as it’s part of a daily habit of movement.
Adopting a Healthy, and Active, Mindset
If you dread working out, find an activity that you enjoy and fits in with your lifestyle. The activity should require movement. Do something you enjoy that gets your body moving.
You can do it.
Keith
by Keith Tucker | Oct 11, 2018 | Exercise For Optimum Health, Weight Loss and Performance, Health and Fitness Fundamentals
5 Summer Holiday Tips To Stay Fit
So, it’s that time of year again! Summer holidays!! We’ve all spent months desperatly trying to cut out junk food and hitting the gym every day to get fit and get that summer body that we all want. But as soon we reach that all important holiday, we just let go and all of our hard work goes down the toilet!
Don’t get me wrong, your summer holidays are for relaxing and ejoying yourselves, but does that mean we sacrifice all of our hard work? Here are 5 summer holiday tips to stay fit and keep that body you have worked so hard for.
Here are some tips
Photo by Marion Michele on Unsplash
1 – Plan good nutrious snacks – Make some homemade protein bars, fruit and veg sticks and hummus, nuts and
non-processed meats. When on holiday we tend to go for the cakes and pasties, preparing healthy snacks will make a huge difference to your waisteline while you’re away.
2 – Stay hydrated – Drink plenty of water, staying hydrated is very important, especially if you’re travelling to hotter climates. Choose smoothies and fruit and vegetable juices (if available) to help, and avoid any fizzy drinks.
3 – Be flexible with exercise – You may not be able to continue with your usual fitness routine, but squeeze in short sessions in where you can. Find a spot and do a 15 minute Yoga session or HIIT session, if possible take small weights and a yoga mat. Instead of lazing around on the sunbed for the entire holiday, add in a few activity’s or excursions.
4 -Choose healthy meals – It’s easy to go crazy at the buffet table, but make sure you eat a healthy balance of meat/fish, fruit and vegetables. You don’t need to be 100%, have some treats too but everything in moderation.
5 – Remember you are on holiday, and we all need to relax, so do what you can and again, everything in moderation will help you keep that body you’ve been training for before you’re summer holiday began.
Enjoy the summer everyone!
Keith
