There are 5 habits we consider the foundation for a healthy life, if you did all of these things daily you would find your health transformed. Without this foundation it doesn’t matter how good your training program is, you are not going to see the results you want.

The good news is all of those things are free and completely within your control to fit into your life.  With our coaching clients we use this simple checklist to bring focus to the small habits that are actually NECESSARY for long term health and wellbeing.

1. Sleep 7-9 hours a night
2. Eat 3-5 real meals (Protein, Fat, Veg, Fruit)
3. Drink 2-3 Liters 
4. 15 min Sun 
5. Daily Step Target (guide 10,000)

Let’s break them down and explain why they are so important.

• Sleep  7-9 hours a night

Sleep is when your body does its healing  - physically and mentally. Earlier in the night you get Deep Sleep and produce growth hormone, this is when the physical healing occurs, later in the night you will get more REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, when you have dreams - it is your brain's way of processing experiences.  These two phases will make up about 50% of your total sleep; the other 50% is light sleep.

Research shows that sleep deprivation has many negative effects on health like: 

memory loss, problems concentrating, weakened immunity, weight gain, increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, lower libido, mood changes.

Aim to be in bed 8-9 hours before you have to wake up. This will define when your bedtime should be.

Obviously if you are a new mum or have specific things that are stopping you like night shifts,  the important thing is to understand its importance and get sleep when you can. 

• Eat 3-5 real meals (Protein, Fat, Veg, Fruit)

As a simple guide 3 full meals and 2 snacks is a basic guide for nutrition.

A meal = 

1 Serving of Protein - The size of your Palm

1 Serving good Fats - Thumb sized

1 Serving Vegetables - think coloured, seasonal and organic if possible

1 Serving Carbs - One cupped Hand - Choose low GI foods like brown rice, whole grain pasta, seed and nut bread, starchy veg like Potatoes or Fruit.

Aim to eat Protein and Veg first. If you don’t want Protein and Veg, you aren’t really hungry.

For an easy guide to a balanced meal watch this Video .

• Drink 2-3 Liters a day

Your body is 60% water and your blood is 90% water!  The general guide is 2-3 liters a day - if you are in a hot climate you may need more.

It is possible to be dehydrated even if you are drinking water, this is very common for many of our clients. To combat this add some Electrolytes. Electrolytes are essential minerals — sodium, calcium, and potassium—that are vital to many key functions in the body.

If you are not getting enough minerals in your water (electrolytes) you will drink a lot and still feel thirsty. Therefore adding electrolytes to your water is a helpful way to ensure you remain hydrated.

Water also lubricates the joints, aids transport of oxygen through the body, improves  skin health, regulates body temp and makes minerals and nutrients accessible.

We suggest drinking a large glass of water first thing upon waking with some electrolytes (at least an hour before your first coffee) and then aim for 2-3 liters of water in the remainder of your day.

• 15 min Sun Daily

Vit D is a nutrient you eat and a hormone your body produces, it is found in some foods and is fat soluble. It is also produced by the body when your skin is exposed to Sunlight - specifically UVB rays.  Vit D helps control infection, fight inflammation, and helps keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy.

Some symptoms of Vit D Deficiency include aching muscles, painful bones, fatigue, reduced endurance, low moods, poor sleep, hair loss. Vit D Deficiency is incredibly common, even here in the MIddle East because people remain indoors the majority of their day or are completely covered when outside. 

Early morning sun exposure is also vital for setting circadian rhythm, which will improve sleep and mood. Aim for at least 15 min of sun as early as possible in the day. 

• Daily Step Target (guide 10,000)

Walking increases your daily energy expenditure, and is one of the easiest and most functional ways to begin changing the Energy In vs Energy Out balance that matters for weight loss. If you aren’t trying to lose weight, the benefits of walking are huge!
Your body is designed to move. Just some of the benefits include improved cardiovascular fitness, reduced stress, lower blood pressure, increased energy levels, improved sleep!

Take your walk outside and get the added benefits of fresh air, sunshine and grounding in nature.

For many of the women I work with, hitting 10,000 steps is an unrealistic target to begin. If you are only getting 2000 steps in a day, then this is too large a change. Instead set a target for 3 or 4000 and focus on consistently hitting your new target for 3-4 weeks, then increase again. 

We have created a printable Habit Tracker to help you build these habits.

To download your free habit tracker click here.