Spring is a great time to kickstart healthy habits so that you can feel fresh, focused and energetic daily.

You may be feeling tired and uninspired coming out of winter, and perhaps allthat comfort food has taken its toll on your waistline and affected your eatinghabits.

And like many of my clients, you probably ready to start fine-tuning your well being habits as the weather warms up.

So, before you consider another fad diet that can make you feel deprived and encourage Emotional Eating… let’s talk about some practical, realistic steps you can take to shed your winter skin. Begin slowly…. You don’t have to make huge, sweeping lifestyle changes. When it comes to success it’s about a fewsimple disciplines practised daily.

Step 1: Clean Up Your Diet- Don’t Go On A Diet

Diets-who wants deprivation?

A large body of research data suggests that traditional dietary habits and lifestyle unique to the Mediterranean region (Mediterranean diet, MD) lower the incidence of chronic diseases and improve longevity. I am talking about eating a Mediterranean style diet-whole foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains, plus healthy proteins and fats. Here are some simple basics to follow:

• Stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables (these can boost your mentalhealth)
• Try and include fresh veggies and fruit in every meal and snack
• Stay hydrated (sometimes hunger signals are mistaken for thirst)
• Try and get your sugar intake from fruit and eliminate added sugar or processed sweets (biscuits, cakes etc)
• Include fish two to three times a week
• Eliminate processed foods (ready-made meals, industrial products,etc.)
• Eat home cooked meals or opt for a healthy version if ordering out
• Prepare your meals and snacks in advance
• Limit red meat consumption

Step 2 – Spring into action

Take a walk – ease yourself into exercise…

Exercise regulates brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin that controlmood, cravingsand appetite.

Regular exercising can assist you building this behaviour into a healthy habit. Find an activity that you enjoy and you will be more likely to stick to it.

The benefits of exercise:

• More Energy
• Boosted metabolism
• Helps to manageinsulin (hormone that can drive cravings for sweet, carbohydrate-rich foods)
• Improved bone density
• More Muscle mass
• Stress reduction
• Better mood
• Better focus and productivity

Here are some simple tips forstarting:

• Start slowly maybe with two walks/workouts a week
• And when you feel up to it, increase to three sessions
• Avoid overdoing it andstick to a leve lyou can maintain
• Doing too much too fast, when your body has been in hibernation allwinter, can increase your chances of injury and dampen your motivation

Step 3 – Develop Consistency

Consistency is the key to your long-term success!

Nothing is more effective than consistency when it comes to building new habits.

Consistency requires repetition of certain behaviours and leads to habit formation.

Repetition: for a behaviour to become a true habit, it needs to be performed frequently and repeated many times over.

“Repetition is the mother of skill–and results.”

Here are some tips to develop consistency:

• Pick the things you enjoy and you are more likely to be consistent withthese with.
• Create one habit/behaviour at a time and be consistent with it. It will become second nature after a while.
• Set a goal for practicing that particular behaviour.
• You can use a calendar to track your behaviour over 1 month.
• Reward yourself for being consistent.

And lastly – take it all in, start moving forward slowly, and enjoy the experience in your own special way.

There is no better time than NOW to kick-start some good physical and mental habits for Spring that will help you to feel confident and energized.

Are you ready to take control of your eating and feel lighter, cleaner and clearer for spring? I often hear clients say “I know what to do-but I just can’t seem to do it on my own.” What you need is support and accountability to help you build the confidence and motivation to KICKSTART your healthy habits and transition into spring as a healthier, happier you.

If you’re feeling stuck right now, and ready to get help, let’s chat to talk about your next steps…. book a free 15-minute mini-coaching session with me and I’ll show you how to transform your life.

It’s free. And it might change your life.

If you’d like some inspiration to chew on instead of whatever’s in your fridge or pantry, consider reading my regular posts.