Brought to you by Centra Live Well Restart Week.
Are you struggling to stay motivated?
Sometimes following a healthy lifestyle can seem a lot like hard work. After a long day at the office, fighting the temptation to skip the gym and just get a takeaway for dinner can become all too real.
Listen, it's not easy but it is achievable.
And the good news is once you start reaping the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle you will never want to go back to your old habits.
So, we decided to combine all of our tops tips for staying on track. Hopefully, some of these might help.
Don't be too drastic
One of the biggest mistakes people make when starting a new health kick is trying to change too much too fast. Don't expect to be able to run at 5k straight away. It is all about making small positive changes every day that will all add up in the long run. Baby steps ladies.
Choose foods you actually like
If you hate fish then don't follow a meal plan that has fish three nights a week. It will only make you miserable. Choose healthy foods that you actually enjoy eating and you will be so much happier. Try all foods three times and if you still don't like them then they just aren't for you.
Be prepared
As the saying goes 'Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.' Do one big weekly shop or 2 medium shops throughout the week and get everything you need. If you know what you are having for dinner each night you are much less likely to stop in at the chipper on your way home from work. Plan what days you are going to go to the gym or go for a walk and make sure you stick to them.
Don't allow yourself to get hungry
Because that is when you are most likely to nip into the shops and buy yourself a packet of crisps or a salt-laden microwave meal. Always carry some healthy snacks with you like bananas or almonds. They will be absolute lifesavers when the 3pm slump kicks in at work.
If you want a treat, have it
At the end of the day, life is too short to deny yourself all the little pleasures. If you really fancy a bar of chocolate then have one. You can make your treats guilt-free by finding out the healthiest options in advance or making your own.
Do you have any other tips? Let us know in the comments.
This article is brought to you by Centra Live Well Restart Week.
It's not always easy to stay on track when it comes to living well but with the right help you can restart and get back on track much quicker. Sign up to Centra's 21-day challenge and meal planner here.
Centra also have lots of great offers and inspiration in store for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Share your progress using #livewell to be in with a chance of winning a personal training session with Pat Divilly and 1 night's stay for two in the G hotel.
