Step into spring

As the daffodils burst with colour and the evenings get lighter, this is a good time to put some seasonal spring in your step.

Put some spring in your step

You might have started the year with good intentions but, even with the best will in the world, healthy plans don’t always become habits. Here are some ideas to help you stay on track.

What you eat affects your energy levels, so try out our three simple steps to help you get back in touch with the energetic part of yourself this spring.
1. Try to eat regular meals and start your day with breakfast. It’s best to go for healthier breakfast choices such as wholegrain bread with a sliced banana or wholegrain cereal (choose one that is lower in salt and sugar) with semi-skimmed or 1% fat milk. You could also have a glass of fruit juice to help you on your way to 5-a-day.
2. Try to eat a variety of foods to give your body all the nutrients it needs. Aim to fit in more fruit as snacks and desserts and always base your meals on starchy foods such as rice, pasta, bread or potatoes (choosing wholegrains when you can) and don’t forget to have some vegetables with your main meals. Eating healthily is all about eating a range of different foods in the proportions shown in the eatwell plate.
3. Remember to drink plenty of water. Aim for six to eight glasses of fluid each day. You might need to drink more as you become more active or as the weather gets warmer.

Spring clean your lifestyle

Spring is traditionally a time for renewal so why not renew your lifestyle by giving it a spring clean? Now’s the time to cast aside the TV remote and start getting into some healthier habits. You’ve got some ideas on getting your energy levels up through what you’re eating (from the Put some spring in your step section above) but if you want to feel fitter, you need to get active!

Start off by choosing an activity you enjoy doing. Go for something you can fit into your day and build up into a regular routine. You’re not likely to stick to it if you don’t enjoy it.

Make a commitment to yourself – or friends and family – and make changes that are realistic and manageable. You could try gardening, dancing or just walking briskly in the fresh air. Try to make being more active as everyday as brushing your teeth.

Get to know your eating habits

Try to take some time to really notice what you’re eating.

You could try writing down everything you eat for a couple of days. This should help you spot when you go for choices that are less healthy.

Knowing what you’re eating, and when, can help you understand what influences the choices you make, and so help you to make changes that are right for you.

Maybe you always go for a less-healthy snack at certain times of day, or when you’re doing certain things? Try to be prepared by making sure you’ve got a healthy snack with you.

Top tips for springing into healthy eating

Check out our top tips:

• Make it easier to resist temptation by clearing your kitchen cupboards of the less-healthy foods, these are the ones high in fat especially saturated fat, added sugars and/or salt.
• Why not use the spring to start a new way of shopping? You could try going through your weekly shopping list and cross off the less-healthy foods and go for some healthier options instead. Sometimes buying certain foods is just a habit we get into without even noticing.
• Make sure your fridge is full of veg, fish, lean meat and lower fat milk and dairy products such as cheese and yoghurts. This way you have the ingredients to hand to create healthier meals and snacks from scratch.
• Dust off your fruit bowl and make sure it’s brimming with fresh seasonal fruit for snacking. And don’t forget that tinned, frozen, juiced and dried fruit and veg all count towards your 5-a-day too. Keeping a stock of these to hand also makes it easier to top up the fruit and veg in your meals.
• You can help yourself by looking at the labels when you’re food shopping. Just compare similar products to help you find out which ones are lower in fat, especially saturated fat, added sugars and/or salt. Keep a look out for traffic light colours on some products to help you choose.

Tuck into some spring greens

Experimenting with fruit and vegetables is a great way to start including more variety in your diet. And, if they’re in season in the UK, it could even help save you money. If you’re a bit stuck with what to do with spring greens, here are some tasty ideas.

• Dish up some spring green side dishes. These don’t need to be dull and dreary. Cabbage tastes great with garlic, and a little balsamic vinegar gives leeks a real twist.
• Or how about spicing up your greens? You could stir-fry some sliced kale, sliced spring onions, and finely chopped deseeded chilli in a little vegetable oil.
• Mix lightly steamed spinach with ricotta cheese (a lower fat alternative to cream cheese) flavoured with herbs and black pepper and stuff this tasty mixture into some cooked pasta shapes such as cannelloni tubes. The kids will love to help out as this can get quite messy! Smother in your favourite tomato-based pasta sauce and bake in the oven.