Springtime is the right time to build new habits
Why anybody thinks it’s a good idea to make resolutions in January I’ll never know. It’s cold and dark and as far as I’m concerned the best you can do is keep yourself warm and as contented as possible and wait for the lighter, warmer, sunny days. That’s the time for rebirth, surely. As we come out of winter we often find our energy levels are low, we’ve gained a few extra pounds and left our exercise routines well behind. We are probably not feeling or looking our best. But spring is officially upon us and the clocks are about to go forward. The days are getting longer and soon we’ll point our faces toward the sun once again. Now is a good time to start to build some good habits to carry through the summer.
Habits need to be enjoyable if they are to endure, perhaps this is where the residents of the Blue Zones, the areas of the world where people live the longest, get it so right and us so wrong. They are not off buying lycra and getting up an hour earlier to hit the gym. Their lives are filled with small actions, enjoyable activities which in total add up to a healthy life.
If you’re thinking of getting back on track this spring, here are 5 things to do to make a start, practise them for a month and see how they impact your overall health and happiness. Keep them up for longer and you can ditch the diet, reduce inflammation and prevent chronic illness.
Disclaimer: this is not rocket science.
Eat mainly real whole foods
Don’t think about calories or even massively about portion sizes, by eating whole foods and mainly (or all) plant based whole foods you pretty much guarantee that you’re on the right track and you’ll remove decision making around eating. There’s no hack here or secret diet tip. It’s just that these foods are good for you, will nourish you and give you energy and vitality. When you’re out shopping, head for the fruit and vegetables, then pulses and beans, nut and seeds and whole grains. Avoid anything in a packet with more that 3 or 4 ingredients, especially if you can’t pronounce them or they sound like they’ve been made in a lab. When choosing grains go for whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa and oats which will be more nutrient dense, contain more fibre and keep you fuller for longer. Good quality animal protein can be added sparingly, fish two to three times a week and meat once per week.
If you see the words ‘diet’ or ‘light’ read ‘chemical s*** storm’. ‘Diet’ and ‘light’ products tend to be highly processed with artificial sweeteners and flavourings replacing sugar. Check out the labels. If in doubt apply the ‘3-4 ingredients, was it made in a lab?’ rule. Artificial sweeteners are not good for you and have been linked to disrupted microbiome [1], increased sugar cravings [2] and a greater risk of type 2 diabetes [3]. Don’t be taken in by the processed food industry, they’ve figured out that salt, sugar and fats light up our dopamine receptors and so leave us craving these foods. They’ve done a number on us. Eat whole foods for a couple of weeks and see how quickly your palette changes.
Get outside and move your body
Did you know that when you walk outside in nature we literally broaden our perception of reality which regulates the nervous system and reduces stress and anxiety [4] AND did you know that walking in natural light for 20mins in the morning light resets your circadian rhythm and so improves sleep and increases weight loss [5]. More than this, being in nature has also been shown to benefit your immune system, heart health and generally make us happier and healthier [6]. If you can get out in nature (maybe a park or next to water), and walk for 30mins daily this will have a remarkable effect on all aspects of your health. For me ‘just’ going out for a walk had always seemed a bit like cheating and then I got a puppy and the morning walk replaced my morning run, and you know what, nothing happened. I just enjoy it more. There’s no requirement to wear lycra or running shoes or get in the car to go to the gym, no massive effort involved, it’s also very unlikely that you’ll injure yourself. It’s free and you can do it alone or with a friend. It just seems like an all round pleasant thing to do, this is very much a no pain for a lot of gain situation. Here are some ways you can get a walk in:
Get off the bus a couple of stops early or park your car a little earlier and walk to end of the way
Take a walk on your lunch hour
Walk to a local grocery store or food market rather than driving to a big out of town supermarket
Walk the kids to and from school
Get a dog
Prioritise relaxation
We’ve become obsessed with doing more, achieving more, we feel guilty for sitting still and have completely devalued relaxation. It seems just too indulgent. But think about it like this, time of ‘active relaxation’ could be the key to shedding a few pounds (we hold onto weight when we are stressed), becoming more productive, building better relationships, improving your mental health and your immune system as well as your digestion and heart health. ‘Active relaxation’ may well be more beneficial to you than going to the gym because stress is so bad for us and getting the body into a parasympathetic state is so important to so many aspects of our health. Result! You need to consciously book some time daily to actively relax. Unfortunately flopping in front of the telly with as glass of wine or sitting scrolling through insta are not really what we’re looking for here. Both actually activate your sympathetic nervous system and put you into a state of stress. It’s best to find something alcohol and screen free, try to introduce or re introduce something you love doing, here are some examples:
Reading a book or a magazine
Listening to music (just listening to music)
Sitting in a cafe alone
Having a bath
Going for a walk (2 birds, 3 birds, one stone)
Yoga or pilates or meditation
Gardening
Tinkering with a car engine
Whatever floats your boat
Reclaim your sleep
There’s a sense in today’s culture that ‘sleep is for wimps’, 2/3 of adults in the developed world fail to get the 8 hours of sleep recommended by the World Health Organisation [7].
Cutting back on sleep is total false economy, especially if we are looking to be more productive, lose weight, improve mental health and strengthen your immune system, according to neuroscientist Matthew Walker (University of California, Berkeley), who’s book ‘Why we Sleep’, cites some of the implications of not getting enough sleep (routinely less than 6 hours) as:
Increased risk of type 2 diabetes
Increased risk of being overweight
Decreased productivity and poor performance at work
Increased inflammation
Increased gut permeability (leaky gut)
Increased risk of Alzheimer’s
Increased risk of cancer
Does it really make sense to miss an hour’s sleep to fit it the gym?
Here are some tips for improving the quality and length of your sleep:
Keep the same bedtime and waking time throughout the week, and don’t make big changes at the weekend
Get outside into the daylight in the morning to reset your circadian rhythm
Make sure the bedroom is sufficiently dark, darkness triggers the brain to know it’s time to sleep
Have a 60min phone and device free period before sleep
Remove caffeine after noon
Stop rigorous exercise 3 hours before bed
Start to dim the lights for a couple of hours before bed to signal to the brain it is night time
Cultivate a calming night time routine which might include a warm bath, reading in bed or listening to soothing music, lavender and essential oils
Try adding epsom salts in your bath or using a magnesium body butter or cream before bed, magnesium is very calming and will induce sleep
Go alcohol free for a bit
If you’ve ever done a dry January or sober October you’ll know how much better you feel by the end of it. Give your liver a rest and have an alcohol-free stint . We all know that alcohol is bad for your liver but it’s also toxic for the brain, damages the gut, is harmful to your heart and causes cancer. Generally it’s not the best thing you can do for yourself. If you’re wondering why you feel so sluggish after a period of increased alcohol intake, it’s not only because your body is trying to detoxify the alcohol, which uses up a lot of energy but it’s also because alcohol is a neurotoxin, which means it’s toxic to the brain and can result in brain fog, anxiety and depression. Alcohol is also a sleep disruptor and is part of the reason why we can come out of what should be a restful period such as Christmas or a holiday abroad feeling like we need another holiday.
There are plenty of 30 day alcohol free challenges out there which can help you to abstain. Look at “One Year No Beer”, an online alcohol free community or Annie Grace’s “The Alcohol Experiment, 30 days to take control, cut down or give up for good”.
Building new habits
Be specific about when and where you’ll do your activity and plan how it will fit into your life, put it in your diary if that’s the kind of person you are, or try tagging it onto another activity which you already do. Be prepared; pack a bag the night before, get your yoga mat out ready and remove any obstacles. Make achieving your goal as easy as possible. James Clear’s “Atomic Habits” is the bestselling guide to habit formation and is highly recommended if this is something you need extra support with. In any case I find that the most effective way to ensure that you maintain a commitment is to do something you really enjoy and then you’ll be able to reframe from it “I have to” to “I get to”. Small changes are the way to go, and you can build from there. And, don’t forget to be kind to yourself.
