Health & wellbeing

Every little counts

Small tweaks to your routine can help you reach goal, but they’ll also help you hit mini milestones along the way…
Published 4 September, 2017

Eat more veg by bulking up your family’s favourite dishes with fresh produce. You could add grated carrot and courgette to Bolognese, stir spinach into curries and stews, or use puréed butternut squash as a base for a tasty and filling pasta sauce.

Up your fitness level through a bit of healthy competition – with yourself! Aim to include a few more reps in your next workout, or sign up to a challenging (but fun!) run, such as an obstacle course race.

Become more positive with exercise that’s good for body and mind, such as yoga. It’s still a workout, but there’s also a focus on meditation – and yoga’s been shown to help reduce feelings of depression and stress.

Cut down on snacking by including a good source of lean protein, a healthy fat and a wholegrain in every meal, to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Think porridge with berries, skimmed milk and a spoonful of nuts for breakfast; a wholemeal sandwich with grilled chicken breast, salad and ¼ avocado for lunch, and a homemade chickpea, veg and coconut curry with brown rice for dinner.

Want to fall in love with working out? If your current exercise routine seems like a chore, it’s time to find a new activity you really enjoy. Check out our Fitness for all feature for inspiration, then take your focus off results and concentrate on having fun. And if you find you constantly check your fitness tracker, try wearing it somewhere hidden so it’s less of a distraction, and focus on how good the exercise makes you feel rather than how many steps you’ve done.