10 tips for keeping your New Year's health & fitness resolutions

If you’ve resolved to get healthier and fitter this year, we’re here to help! LivingWell Personal Trainer Paul Manning has put together these tips to help you stay on-course to reach your goals.

1. Select Lean Protein

Eating high-fat protein sources such as ribs and lamb, add unnecessary calories to your diet. Meat such as turkey is a leaner choice.

2. Eat to lose weight

People tend to starve themselves when trying to lose weight. When you do this the metabolism slows down, the body then tends to burn muscle as fuel not fat.

3. Avoid late-night snacking

Eating high-calorie foods before you go to bed causes the body to raise its insulin levels, promoting fat storage while you sleep.

4. Watch the Booze

Alcohol suppresses the body’s fat burning ability and promotes fat storage around the belly.

5. Keep your fruit real

Eat real fruits instead of drinking fruit juices, which are a poor substitute.

6. Aim for 7-8 hours sleep per night

When we don’t get enough sleep, the body’s production of testosterone and growth hormone drops, which can cause us to gain weight over time.

7. Make time to Relax

If your stress levels are high, so to will your Cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone that promotes fat storage, especially around the mid-section and bottom.

8. Eat smaller, more regular meals

If you leave it to long between meals and healthy snacks, you’ll tend to binge eat later in the day.

9. Change your fitness routine regularly

If you stay on the same routine for too long, the body will stop progressing. Try to change it every 6-8 weeks. At LivingWell, as part of our Personalised fitness for life promise, we regularly review your fitness plan to make sure you’re getting the most out of your workouts.

10. Vary your meals

If you keep eating the same meals, you get bored, leading to cravings or bingeing. Try to vary your eating plan every couple of weeks.

What fitness resolutions have you made this year? We’d love to hear all about them!