HEHA tips

Healthy Eating Healthy Action Tips

Tip No.	Healthy Eating Tips	Healthy Action Tips
1	Eat breakfast at home for a healthy, low cost way to start the day. Try wheat biscuits and trim milk to boost your energy, wholemeal toast and banana to feed your mind or porridge with milk and honey.	Too busy for exercise? Plan ahead! Schedule realistic amounts of activity into your routine and do your best to stick to it. Set your alarm earlier if you need to, or have some ‘active’ breaks at work.
2	As a general rule, adults need about six to eight glasses of fluid per day, but this doesn’t necessarily have to be just water. You can include milk, fruit and herb teas as well as tea and coffee in moderation.	Choose a sport or activity that is right for you. Take time to consider what will best suit you. Think about convenience, your budget, any existing medical conditions, and what you will enjoy.
3	Milk is a good source of minerals such as calcium. If you have a glass of milk every day, by switching from full fat dark-blue top milk to trim green top will cut out 2800g fat over a year – equivalent to nearly six packs of butter!	Ready to get active and want to find activities in your area? Contact Sport Bay of Plenty (www.sportbop.co.nz) for an up to date directory of physical activity options or sports clubs or call 0800 ACTIVE for advice on getting started.
4	If you don’t have time to make lunch in the morning, make a bit of extra dinner the night before and have leftovers for lunch the next day. Remember food safety! The 4 Cs: clean, cook, cover and chill.	Don’t be a hero! Set realistic goals and celebrate your success. If you’re not used to being active, start with walking for 10 minutes twice a day during your work breaks.
5	Frozen and canned fruit and veggies with no added salt or sugar are just as good as fresh. Plus they’re a great option to have on hand for a quick and healthy snack. So stock up today!	Listen to your body. Getting more active isn’t about ‘no pain no gain’. If an activity causes you pain slow down or stop altogether. If you are worried, consult a health professional before continuing.
6	Cut down on excess salt. Too much salt in the diet is associated with high blood pressure and is a risk factor for stroke. Highly processed foods such as pies, sausages, ready meals and takeaway foods are high in salt. Prepare foods at home with minimal salt but when you do use salt, remember to use Iodised salt.	Short bursts of activity of 10 minutes or more all add up to a healthier lifestyle. Walking is an easy way to get exercise into your day, use a pedometer to set personal goals and celebrate your successes!
7	Fill a bottle of water from the tap and add a slice of fruit such as lemon, orange or apple and store in the freezer overnight. You have a healthy refreshing drink ready for the next day and you’ll be saving money!	Take opportunities to be active during your day. Deciding to take the active option will help you accumulate 30 minutes moderate physical activity each day. Opt for the stairs, walk to the shop, or park further away than normal.
8	Aim for 5 portions or more of fruit and vegetables a day - 3 veg and 2 fruit. This has been shown to help control weight and they contain amazing antioxidants which can help reduce certain cancers. A portion will fit into the palm of your hand.	Children need at least 60 minutes moderate activity each day. That’s twice the daily recommendation for adults. If your child isn’t being regularly active, switch off the telly and go play together!
9	Fish and shellfish are very healthy and make a quick and easy low cost meal. Try steamed fish or mussels with lemon juice, or boiled fish heads with onions.	Having fun with friends and family is a great way to get active. And you’ll be healthier without even realising! Set a time each week to meet up in the park or at the beach for a game of cricket or touch rugby.
10	Take advantage of the wide variety of seasonal fruit available. Look for roadside bargains which are often cheaper than in the shops. Apples, bananas, nectarines, melon and grapes are an ideal snack.	Have fun! Enjoyment is essential for maintaining your commitment to an active lifestyle. Choosing group or family based activities can help you stay motivated and positive. You are worth the effort!
11	When choosing meat, look for trimmed or lean meats. Animal fat contains a lot of saturated fat which causes heart disease. Why pay for fat that you will cut off? Chicken breasts and fish are naturally lower in fat - as long as they are not fried!	Make the most of the longer daylight hours during the summer with friends and family. Kick a ball around, throw a Frisbee in the park or have some fun inventing a new game. And remember to slip, slop, slap and wrap.
12	Snacks don’t need to come in packets. When making dinner, chop some extra carrot, celery and cucumber sticks and have them with a low fat dip the next day - a quick and healthy snack.	Challenge yourself. If you are already regularly active, including activity that makes you ‘huff and puff’ will provide additional health benefits as well as a new challenge. As well, can you help someone inactive to get started?
13	Eat a range of different coloured fruits and vegetables. Colourful vegetables contain nutrients needed for health, protect against aging and can help reduce the risk of some cancers. Different coloured foods such as green, red, yellow, orange, purple and white provide different nutrients. Ideally eat from each colour group every day.	In terms of making goals for activity, adults should achieve at least 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity on five or more days of the week. The 30 minutes can be achieved either by doing all the daily activity in one session, or through several shorter bursts of activity of 10 minutes or more.
14	Canned tuna is great to keep in your desk draw at work for lunch or a snack, and it’s an easy way to get your 2 portions of fish per week. Tuna is full of goodness; it’s high in quality protein, low in saturated fat and is great for your heart. Stock up on some cans today!	If you are working all day think about how you can fit some physical activity into your day. Perhaps you could walk or cycle to and from work. Try to make time to go for a walk with a friend or colleague at lunchtime. A pedometer is useful to keep motivated and help celebrate your successes!
15	Don’t go to the supermarket when you’re hungry! You are much more likely to reach for the packet of chips or biscuits! Shopping for snacks should be the same as other food shopping, write a list and stick to it.	Getting active doesn’t have to mean dragging yourself to the gym every day. Explore new areas on foot or by bike. Tauranga City has over 40 kilometres of walkways which are open to the public covering stunning coastal areas, estuaries and inland reserves.
16	Buy fresh fruit and veggies in season. They are cheaper and often better quality when grown locally. Avoid the supermarket rush and take advantage of roadside stalls and farmers markets for cheap, quality produce.	Be an active family. Choosing activities you can all do together is great way to include exercise into a busy routine. Brainstorm new ideas while eating dinner together. Perhaps even challenge your neighbours!
17	Have a selection of healthy snacks to hand in the cupboard at home. Ideal snacks for someone watching their weight include home made popcorn; carrot, cucumber and celery sticks, mini muffin with fruit such as blueberry, lower fat biscuits such as arrowroot, low fat yoghurt.	Lots of things you do each day count as exercise such as walking, gardening, climbing stairs, cycling and even housework! Short bursts of activity of 10 minutes or more all add up to a healthier lifestyle, so just keep moving!
18	When choosing a cereal it is important to check the ingredients. Look for cereals marked as ‘high fibre’ or ‘contains whole grains’. These types of cereals are more slowly digested and will help you to feel full for longer.	It’s never too late to start. There is no such thing as being too old or too out of shape to be active. Everyone can enjoy the benefits of regular activity. If you are apprehensive about getting started talk to your health professional about a Green Prescription.
19	Eating a little and often, such as regular meals and snacks, can help keep blood sugar levels stable and reduce the risk of over eating at meal times. Plan your snacks at regular intervals and stick to them, rather than grazing all day.	Parking a little further away from the shops, work or school and walking the final stretch is a great way to get some quick and easy exercise into your day, and it doesn’t take that much longer. If you take the bus, get off a stop or two earlier.
20	Hunger can be confused with dehydration which causes tiredness and headaches. Keep a water bottle to hand to remind yourself to stay hydrated and alert.	Keep at it. There may be periods when you go off track in reaching your physical activity goals. Try hard to get back on track by fitting in some activity when you can and don’t give up.