Who doesn’t wait to feel happier and healthier? From clinical experience, I’ve seen that our nutrition and lifestyle choices have a direct influence on our mood and overall wellbeing. That’s why I encourage gentle lifestyle practices in addition to nutrition tips. Here are seven of my tried-and-tested ways to boost your feel-good factor every day.
1. Move your body:
I recommend exercising every day for 30 to 40 minutes. Alternate between walking, HIIT, yoga, Pilates and weight training. Ensure that you rest one or two days each week. Tune into your body and how you’re feeling. Also, avoid over-exercising, as it can place a burden on the adrenals and can lead to burn out.
2. Have a nutrient-packed breakfast:
It’s so important to have a nutritionally balanced breakfast every morning. A satiating breaky should consist of protein and healthy fats. Think my power protein smoothie, chia pudding or overnight oats with fresh berries. There are plenty of delicious recipe ideas in my app.
3. Do the ACV trick:
My secret trick to beat sugar cravings is to put one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (ACV) in a two-litre water bottle and sipping it throughout the day. ACV contains citric acid, which stimulates the gastric juices, aiding digestion.
4. Drink up:
Yep, that means two litres of filtered water each and every day! If you struggle to drink plain water, try adding some citrus fruits, mint and strawberries to add a natural flavour. You might also like to sip on herbal tea or mineral water with lemon.
5. Stick to one coffee a day:
I love my coffee but I try to have one cup a day before 10am. While studies show that caffeine can benefit our health, I find that too many people rely on it as an energy booster. Excess caffeine can cause a spike in cortisol, which – in addition to our increasingly busy lives – can put us into a ‘fight or flight mode’ which makes it harder to maintain a healthy balanced weight and get adequate shut-eye.
6. Enjoy healthy snacks:
If you’re familiar with my philosophy, you’ll know that I’m a big advocate for nutritious snacks. Every day, I have two snacks: one around 11am and the other around 4-5pm. These snacks are always rich in protein, which aid with concentration levels and prevent you from overeating at your next meal. I love Greek yoghurt with protein powder and berries, my sugar-free protein balls or homemade muesli slice.
7. Repeat positive affirmations:
Stay with me here. Western scientists are now understanding the effect that our thoughts have on our physiology. While it may seem odd at first, if you make it a habit, you’ll soon start to turn affirmations into core beliefs. Every day, I say things such as, “I am constantly attracting abundance”, “I am grateful for my body” and “I am thankful for the blessings in my life.” Slowly, over time, you’ll start to experience the transformation unfold.
Jessica Sepel is a clinical nutritionist, best-selling author, international health blogger and the beloved voice behind JSHealth and @jshealth. She is passionate about helping people overcome fad dieting and disordered eating, having gone through her own struggles with food. Her philosophy is focused around balance, rest and building a healthy relationship with food. She recently launched the JSHealth App, which features a world-first nutrition clinic, hundreds of healthy recipes, a daily meal planner, health guides, body love support and much more.
