Why healthy doesn’t equal boring
There is often a misconception surrounding clean eating and fitness, namely that it’s boring, full of bland tasting food and chore-like workouts. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
To me there is absolutely nothing dull about waking up early, going for a morning swim, then following that with a colourful, fresh fruit & veg juice. I couldn’t think of a better way to start my day – it’s refreshing, positive and active!
However, I do think for many, one of the main barriers to healthy eating is the fear of missing out on those delectable foods like chocolate and cheese, and giving up sleep or relaxation time to exercise. This doesn’t need to be the case. You can still have a slice of cheesecake here or there and wake up at regular hours because there are so many other ways you can integrate activity and wholesome eating into your life.
So, if you’re like me and have a dislike for anything mundane, here’s how to spice up your healthy lifestyle:
1. Try a new exercise
There are plenty of exciting new group exercises variations where time (and sometimes you) will fly, and your body will hurt in places you didn’t know you had muscles! Trapeze classes, silk or acro yoga and barre pilates are four exercise forms that are trending at the moment, not only are they different from the regular cardio classes available, they also challenge your mind just as much as your body.
2. Take a raw food cooking class
Get creative in the kitchen by coming up with unique raw food recipes. This might sound tricky at first, so I would suggest taking a raw food cooking class to learn the basics. After that, let your imagination run wild – you’ll never be able to look at cooked food the same again. If you’re like me, you’ll constantly be wondering how to emulate a meal as a raw recipe. Think raw pizza or fake cheesecake. When it comes to raw cooking, start with food you love. I even make my own chocolates, so I know what’s in them and I can eat them guilt-free!
3. Make a healthy rewards program
If you’ve recently started a new exercise or eating regime, it’s important to acknowledge and celebrate your personal achievements. Create a rewards program for yourself that integrates the elements of your new healthy lifestyle, for example instead of treating yourself to a pedicure go for a stand-up paddle, or swap cocktails with friends for a beach picnic and game of volleyball.
4. Dress up your food!
Eating is an activity that truly uses all your senses, and how a meal looks certainly contributes to the enjoyment of eating it. When preparing a meal try and use as many colourful foods as possible – grated carrot and beetroot, edible flowers, vibrant leafy greens, hot red chillies. Not only are these things really good for you, they look great too!
Need to drink more water? May as well make it appetising! Adding berries, citrus fruits, mint or cucumber to your daily glass of water adds a refreshing touch and looks delicious and summery.
With autumn underway, we are now blessed with beautiful early mornings and amazing sunrises. Time to get outside, try these tips out, and take the ‘chore’ out of your healthy lifestyle!
