Written by Sophie
Rachael Attard is someone who I’ve followed for a while, because of her attitude towards health & fitness and her informative blog posts. It can be quite confusing in this world of internet and social media to find the best thing to do for health & fitness….I’m constantly questioning whether I should cut out different things and become vegan, start juice detoxing, run everyday or adopt the Crossfit lifestyle – there are just so many choices that seem to work for so many different people! It gets so confusing and sometimes disheartening to know what you should be doing, or feeling like you’re doing the wrong thing.
What I love about Rachael is that she recognises that everyone is different and therefore you can’t always do and eat exactly the same things to get in the best shape for you. Her programmes are easy to follow and flexible…..we have both recently been following one of her guides and it really all makes sense and is useful and down-to-earth advice. It’s all backed up by simple principles and takes into account that you may want to have an indulgent meal every now and then! Her blog posts always resonate with things that I wonder about (e.g. what are macros?!) so I always love scouring her blogs for trusted advice.
Anyway……we asked Rachael if she would share her top tips on being healthy. So if you don’t have time to do everything on the list that comes up when you google ‘how to be healthy’….these are the ones that should and can easily become a priority.
Top Tips On Starting Your New Healthy Lifestyle
Everyone needs to start somewhere. You don’t just become a healthy person overnight! If you’re just starting out, here are my top tips to help you transition into a healthy lifestyle.
1. Do something active everyday
Make sure you get moving! It doesn’t matter what it is – whether you prefer to go for a walk, do a gym class, play sport, or do your own circuit at home. But make sure it’s something that you enjoy doing. If you don’t like the exercise, it won’t be sustainable for you, and you’ll eventually give up. If you hate running, don’t do it! Go for a power walk or do a fun gym class instead. If you really want to step it, find an exercise buddy to help keep you on track!
2. Eat breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Overnight your body enters a mini fast because you haven’t eaten for around 11-12 hours. Having breakfast kick starts your metabolism, and will prevent you from bingeing out at morning tea / lunch. Your breakfast should include a good mix of carbs, protein and fats. Some of my favourite options are a protein smoothie with ½ banana, berries, almond milk, protein powder and chia seeds. Another favourite is salmon / bacon, eggs and avocado on toast.
3. Avoid eating out
When you eat out, you are much more likely to eat foods that are bad for you. But if you do have good will power and you choose the healthy options, you don’t have much choice as to how it’s cooked and prepared. Often the food will have lots more calories in it than you would expect. I’m not saying to never eat out, but try to limit to a few times per week. This means you will need to pack your own lunch – good for your health and your wallet. If you do eat out, avoid anything that contains white carbs (white potato, white bread, white pasta) or is deep fried.
4. Water
One of the worst habits you can have is not drinking enough water! Water is an absolutely vital part of any healthy lifestyle. Aim for at least 2-3L of water per day, excluding water that you drink during your workout. Remember that if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.
5. Sleep
Aim for at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night; even if that means going to bed an extra hour earlier. When you do not get this required amount of sleep, the hormones that control your appetite and the feeling of fullness are affected. This means you’ll feel hungrier and you’ll be more likely to overeat.
I have lots more health, fitness and nutrition tips on my blog www.rachaelattard.com Come check it out! xx
Squirrel Sisters 
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