How to Reboot your Health in 5 Simple Steps

22 September 2015

We all fluctuate in our eating habits, even the healthiest of us, can be led astray every now and again. Our Sweet cravings can sky rocket, or our need to bury our heads in endless bowls of pasta (even the gluten free variety) can cause a major yearning for more and more carbohydrates. Whether you’re experiencing this on the healthier end or the not so, it just takes a few short and simple steps to re-boot your health and make you feel fabulous again!

1) Cut the C.R.A.P

This may seem a little harsh… but this four letter word is a great way to start purifying your diet and taking it back to basics.

Cut out :

Caffeine

Refined Sugar

Additives

Processed foods

These foods are pretty toxic for our body in large doses, so if you’re not able to cut them out entirely (a coffee a day won’t kill you!) - then do try and limit the amount you have. These foods in particular are highly acidic to the body, creating an inflammatory environment that feeds all illnesses, skin problems and body aches. Anything from acne and eczema to headaches, stomach cramps and even cancer and heart disease all have one thing in common; Inflammation… so don’t help it thrive!

2) Shift Your Mind-Set

There’s no point in trying to embrace healthy living when you are in a negative frame of mind. Celebrate that you are embracing change and moving forward to a much healthier, happier way of living. If you “mess up”, don’t sweat it - don’t punish yourself and get caught up in all the guilt! If you indulged in something you really love, then that’s ok – savour it and enjoy it, and then leave it at that and be sure to get back to eating healthy again.  Take note of what it was that you enjoyed so much and then see if you can create a healthy version of it instead. Keep it in your cupboard in case your sweet tooth hits - or alternatively just make sure there’s nothing lying around the house that creates temptation for you. That way, if you feel like the occasional treat, you will have to go out to get it, which will give you the time to process if you really want it badly enough to go buy it, or if the craving has just popped up because of boredom, stress or fatigue – in which case, work on remedying those instead.  

3) Don’t Go At It Alone

Making changes alone is one of the hardest things to do. We all need a support system, and it’s great to get whoever that is to you involved too! My boyfriend Nick and I are both very into our health, so whenever either of us need a bit more support we lean on each other for that, and it makes all the difference knowing you have someone in your corner who gets it. So get someone who has the same goals as you involved in your healthy journey. If there are many of you, then get a group text chat going, find a friend to work out with, start a hiking or running club, or sign up for a healthy cooking course if you need some extra inspiration! Plan fun evenings by making recipes together – it is really all about reigniting your passion for healthy living

4) Give Your Pantry A Make-Over

Get all the rubbish out of your house and focus on buying the foods you really want to eat! Make some simple swaps by replacing refined goods like pasta, rice and bread for brown rice pasta, brown rice and grain free bread (there are plenty of exciting options now available at many health store across South Africa). Everything has a delicious replacement, so explore the different brands and tastes and get to know the ones you love!

5) Plan Ahead

I like to plan a week’s worth of recipes in advance - this doesn’t just help save time as I stand in front of my cupboard debating what to cook, but it also helps me make sure that I buy only the things I really need, thereby reducing any waste and making my shopping session as affordable as possible. Planning ahead means that you’ll never be lost for what to make, which is often the very cause of last minute fast food or instant meal purchases. I like to create my weekly recipes first by getting inspiration from different food and health blogs (I hear Caralishious isn’t half bad..hehe ), and then making a list of all the ingredients required for each recipe for that week. I also make note of what I already have in my pantry to prevent unnecessary purchases. I then do one big grocery shop for the week. Cooking is so much simpler and delicious this way - a little planning goes a long way and really helps you save too!

Yours in Health Always,

Cara-Lisa

@caralishious

xoxo