Ciaran Russell

There are 6 months gone in 2022, already! I have 6 simple ways for you to get back on track with your health goals and make some progress toward achieving them by the end of this year. My advice here is to implement these over the course of July and not all at once. If you try to go all-in at the start of the month, you may get overwhelmed and give up, leaving you back at the start again.First, start keeping a food diary. Not with the aim of reducing what you’re eating straight away but to create awareness of what food and how much of it you are consuming. Include everything you eat and drink. Then at the end of the first week take some time to read it. Next, increase your water intake. Being hydrated is very important for many bodily functions and will improve your energy levels. Get a water bottle and keep it beside you all the time. Aim for 1 litre of water for every 25kg that you weigh.Then start to walk more. You don’t have to hits 10,000 steps a day but gradually increase your step count from where it is now.Next, start taking a look at your sleep. Aim for at least 7 hours per night. And if you want 7 hours you’ll probably have to give yourself an 8-hour window to get it. Once you’ve implemented these 4 habits, then you can start to look at exercise and protein. Find some sort of exercise you enjoy doing and do it 2-4 times per week. Whether it’s going to the gym, playing a sport or something else. Do something you find challenging and gets your heart rate up. Protein is generally not eaten enough by most people. Things like greek yoghurt, eggs, lean meat, beans & lentils and fish. If you are over 60, 1.2 grams per kg of body weight would suffice. However, if you are younger and are exercising regularly, especially in the gym you should aim for between 1.6g - 2.2g of protein per kg of bodyweight. If nothing else taking care of the first 4 things above will have a big impact on how you feel and your health.Follow me on Instagram for more tips for simplifying weight loss and improving fitness, @ciaranrussellcoaching.