B Fit Mum

You know there is no substitute for a healthy diet and lifestyle, but did you know..?

  • Snacking on fruit will help meet your five-a-day and give you slow-release energy that will help keep you going. Less of those ups and downs you want to avoid.
  • A plum is only half a portion of fruit and you should only count one juice as part of your five a day. Good news is that nuts, dried fruits, baked beans and frozen vegetables all count.
  • When starting to exercise you should start slowly and build – it makes you feel so much better to achieve your aims and see your improvements that you do it on a more regular basis, hopefully becoming an enjoyable routine.
  • Warming-up and cooling-down exercises are important, even though they may seem easy. They should help reduce the stiffness, particularly when you start. If you feel stiff, try to do some gentle stretches so as not to damage any muscles. If it starts to hurt, stop!
  • If you can’t find time to go the gym, try to build exercise into your routine. A walk to the shops may take five minutes longer, but the benefits you’ll gain will more than make up for those five minutes spent walking. The perfect pace is when you are not out of breath but have to think about your breathing in order to speak.
  • If you enjoy things, it makes it so much easier. Find a friend and chose an exercise you like; whether it is Zumba or walking a dog.
  • Sleep is crucial. Your mother may have said it to you, but its true; “it’s the hours before midnight that count”. You should aim for a good 8 hours. If you are having difficulty getting to sleep, try to exercise during day, reduce your caffeine intake in products such as tea, coffee and chocolate. Establish a good bedtime routine; most people find reading is a good way to nod off.
  • Alcohol may appear to help you nod off but it will invariably result in you waking during the night and feeling sleepy in the morning. It also has a lot of empty calories and definitely impacts on your sports performance.
  • If you have missed some sleep, power naps really do work. Ten minutes are ideal to keep you going during the day. Any longer may make you fall into a really deep sleep taking you more time to recover and it may affect your night time’s sleep.
  • If you or a member of your family have been ill don’t rush back to exercise. Do rest and drink plenty of fluids. Returning too early to exercise can make the recovery even longer.
  • When studying, regular meals are important to keep your energy up for all that is to come – don’t skip them for the sake of another 5 minutes swotting. You will lose out in the long run.
  • 50 minutes on and 10 minutes off is the best way to learn. In those 10 minutes move away from the study area and do something different – a good time to do some squat thrusts!!

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