9 Ways to improve your Health & Movement

Plain and simple today team, just 9 things you can do, to help you improve your general health and movement.

This is short, sweet and to the point so I hope you get something out of it.

1. 10,000 steps a day. Good for the body, good for your head. I understand it isn’t easy in this weather, but do what you can do, when you can do it. If you can get outside to do your walking, you will get the added bonus of soaking up a little bit of Vitamin D too.

2. Plate full of veg – You need the nutrients, it’ll help you feel fuller and in terms of health, this is an important one. Try to add some quality veg with every meal. Yes… try and fit it in at breakfast, give yourself a head start in your daily veg intake. I'm not going to list off the benefits here, we all know how good they are for us. Just try at least 2.5 cups of veg everyday, it's truly worth doing.

3. Start stretching – I can only assume like most of the population, you tend to sit a lot! Dedicating some time to stretching out your chest, hips, wrists… look I know the list goes on cos you are saying “I am tight everywhere” but you just need to start somewhere. Do some stretches before you go to bed, do some more intermittently if you having been sitting at a desk. 

4. Strength training twice a week – When you can, fit in some quality lifts or exercises like the deadlift or squat and work on your bodyweight exercises such as the push up. I’d say it’s important to get quite a few horizontal pull exercises like Inverted Row or Bent over barbell row. Let’s not forget some core training too! Quality strength training brings many benefits from increasing bone density to building bigger muscles to help you burn fat more effectively. Prepare yourself as best as possible for whatever life throws at you and get yourself nice and strong.

5. Get some sleep – We are so bad at this aren’t we!?! Your physical and I believe your mental health can be improved with decent sleep. The hours as well as the quality is important too. In short, we just need to get to bed, (including yours truly here) so start switching off those face melting screens and get yourself under those cosy sheets.

6. Do some weird movement stuffsss! - If you attend our boxing class, you’d already be familiar with our warm up before boxing. We use some of the Intuflow system and add in some of our own movements. It’s great for the joints and you need seriously need to starting having a real good shot at it. Have a look at http://www.intu-flow.com/ for more info. Focus on moving well now, your future you will thank you for it

7. Commit to less alcohol in your life – You knew I was getting to this. I don’t need to relay different articles or research to you now do I? If you want to be healthier, if weight loss is your desire then cut the drinks. It makes you feel you like sh*t! It probably is a contributing factor to those niggles or injuries that just keep “popping up” time and time again. Also if you are trying to lose weight, it certainly isn’t helping you now is it? Less booze peoples, yeah you can!

8. Cut the processed foods – Your brain loves it, your body hates it. We don’t feel full or satisfied when we eat them and it affects our gut health. Put simply, (and we all know it) processed foods do us no favours. Food needs to be simple (i.e. the ingredient is the ingredient). Hope that makes sense?

9. Work on your attitude – Seems a little harsh now doesn’t it? In all seriousness, find more ways to say “yes” rather than “no I can’t do that”. I could go into more details about some of our excuses, but you don’t need to hear that from me. What I will say is this… Just find a way and do that a whole lot more often. The health gains will be more bountiful, and I can only assume such a change, will have a positive knock on effect in other areas of life too.