For those of you who know me, (Paul Miller Bootcamp Hawkes Bay), know that I am pretty healthy for most part. I eat a nutrient dense diet…yes I do enjoy the occasional wine or fish and chips but I would say that 80% of the time I do alright. Rewind back in time to about 10 years ago or so and things were very different.
When I first left home, I moved into a flat with a bunch of guys. I don’t think anyone in the flat could cook and if they could they certainly weren’t bothered too. I will spare you the details but in brief I lived on takeaways and beer. Every morning it was a battle to find the energy to even get out of bed. My skin looked like crap and though I trained I definitely looked a little soft around the edges.
In this blog post I thought I would outline some of the things I did and the habits I have adopted to make those necessary changes
1 – I gave up the processed foods
My diet would often consist of cereals for breakfasts, a sandwich for lunch and some kind of takeaway for dinner that included rice, pasta or bread. Just eliminating these from my diet made a huge difference. Not only did I shift the soft edges I was carrying but I suddenly found my energy. If you take one thing from this blog post it’s this – if you want better health, less body fat and more energy give up the nutrient redundant processed crap and eat real food.
2 – I learnt to cook
For those of you that know me you can stop laughing now. I am by no means a chef, far from it but I can put together the basics and make it at least edible. Yes I am pretty lucky to have Krystie who is a great cook and can turn my somewhat plain and dull dishes into something that is a taste sensation. When I left home I had no idea how to even cook an omelette. Through a bit of trial and error and mum on the end of the phone I mastered a few simple dishes
3 – I sleep more
When I was younger I took the attitude of ‘I will sleep when I am dead’ but I really was only a walking zombie. I was waking up at 4:30 to get to work for my first client and I was going to bed at 11-12 pm because I was caught up with spending time with friends. Lack of sleep makes you hungry and tired. Not a good combination. These days I am up at 5 which is still early but I am in bed before 9. I know I am wild! I truly value my sleep and now know what an integral part it plays in ones health.
4 – I eat more fish – especially oily fish
Growing up I hated fish. I have always known of the healthy benefits of fish but for whatever reason I just could not get myself to eat it. I remember once covering tuna in ketchup and putting a clothes peg on my nose just to try and force some fish down but that didn’t even work.
So what changed you ask?
I went travelling. Being in the fitness industry I have always known about the importance of protein in the diet. So when I went travelling I wanted protein rich meals. The only problem was I wasn’t rich. Chicken and beef were just too expensive. It was a choice between tinned fish or no protein. After a matter of months forcing myself to eat tuna, sardines, mackerel and other fish, I suddenly found myself in New Zealand ordering Monk fish out of choice and absolutely loving it. I now love fish and reap the nutritional rewards on a regular bases.
5 – I get outside more
It may have been that when I lived in London it seemed like it was dark for at least half the year 🙂 When it’s dark, most of us have a tendency to hibernate. Often my training would be in a basement gym with no windows, natural light or fresh air. Now I love being outside amongst the elements, weather it be hiking the peak, biking the Tuki or kayaking out at the beach. Being outside is great for topping up much needed Vitamin D and it’s a great way to discover some of the gems of NZ.
So there you have it 5 habits that have truly changed my life. Pretty simple stuff but if you want more energy, get up and go and less body fat these habits work. Give them a try and see for yourself
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