Or Day 23: Something I Need

I don’t know about you but these days I am needing less coffee, less processed foods, more sleep, more activity and less sitting down all day. But with studying, deadlines and working a desk job it’s hard to do all those things – especially for us design folk – coffee is our refuge when creativity is called for. So I’ve compiled a list of 6 things to do to feel healthier when I’m tired and just have no time to hit the gym!

Something I Need: Vitamins!
Acrylic & Watercolour on Paper

1. Move Around!
If I can’t get to the gym at lunchtime I try to start the day with a 15 minute workout before I leave the house. It’s easy to fit in before a shower and wakes you up leaving you feeling so positive for the day ahead! These 15 minute workouts are easily downloadable on Pinterest (Save them to your phone) – 15 minutes is so short but better than nothing and hey, it all counts! And it might just put you in the frame of mind to go to the gym later that day so throw on your favourite tunes and do thoses jumping jacks!

2. Get Outside!
Get out in the sunshine! If you don’t feel like a morning workout, a 20 minute walk in the morning (45 mins if you can) before breakfast does wonders for your mood and concentration that day. Even if it’s rainy, stick on the headphones and jacket and brave the elements! You’ll feel better you did!

2. Fruit and Veg at Every Meal
Start the day with something unprocessed – a piece of fruit or wholemeal toast, spinach and a poached egg. Replacing processed foods with clean foods, even for this one meal, will leave you with so much more energy. For the remaining meals, eat colourfully, so fill up on lots of fruits and veg of every colour making this the largest part of the meal. Thereby decreasing the calorie intake without having to cut your portion size.

Eat colourful! Having a salad? Think of the opposite colour to salad greens (which is red) and add red accents to liven it up such as pomegranate, watermelon or red grapes!

3. Replace your Barista Coffee with a Green Smoothie
Yes I know a green smoothie is not as satisfying as a coffee and cookie when 3.30-itis sets in but you can’t beat that virtuous feeling when you’ve just had a green juice. It’s much the same price as a coffee – why not hand over your $5 for something that’s good for you for a change? Besides 3.30pm is too late to be grabbing a coffee hit. Coffee after 2pm is risking a sleepless night that evening.

4. Drink More water
Obvious but so important. While working at your desk, try to consume 8 tall glasses of water a day. Remember, if it’s not a meal time, you’re not hungry, you’re bored. Go drink a large glass of water and you’ll feel better. Flavour a chilled jug of water with mint leaves and lemon to make it more palateable.

5. A Little Less Sugar
I don’t mind in indulging in a little sugar but for me, lollies and chocolate are addictive. If I have some I will crave more that evening. So I try to challenge myself to go off them for a few days at a time and replace them with a snack like an apple or nectarine. It just takes 3 days for the addiction to leave me and before long even the smell of lollies and sugar is sickly*. Go on, challenge yourself and see how long you can go without your usual sugary vices!

6. Bed Before 10
I’m the worst culprit for late nights but it makes such a difference to how I feel next day if I get to bed before 10pm. You’ll also sleep better as you’ve had less coffees and had your last coffee before 2pm. Try it for one week and see how much easier it is to wake before your alarm in the mornings.

* Authors note: I can’t stay that I stay in this healthy state for more than a few days!

Hope you’ve enjoyed my tips to a healthier day – now I need to stick by these rules and keep up the good habits!