Health and wellness expert Lisa Raleigh will be in Kloof this weekend for the Breathe… Health Expo at Makaranga Lodge. If you want to live a healthier life, then this is the place to be!
Whether you want to be more ethical in your choices, or if you want to help your family stay in top condition, you’ll be able to ask local experts for their advice. You’ll also be able to try out yoga and reflexology, plus so much more…
In the spirit of healthy living this winter, Lisa shares her top tips for looking after your body.
Watch your caffeine intake. As temperatures drop, we tend to drink more coffee, tea and hot chocolate, with all the extra milk and sugar that comes with it! Just think, if you have 5 cups of coffee a day, with milk and 2 sugars, that’s a total of 1000 calories a day – the same as 2 meals!
Try replacing your daily cuppa with healthy alternatives, such as herbal teas or coffee substitutes, available at health stores.
Cook in bulk. When you get home from work, it’s dark outside and you’re craving comfort food, make it easy for yourself by preparing a healthy soup, stew or curry in advance.
Next time you’re cooking, double or even quadruple the quantity, then freeze it in single portions to reheat in minutes when you get home. Add extra legumes, barley and quinoa for extra nutrients.
Keep up your exercise regime. Seasonal affective disorder has many people feeling blue during the darker days – fight it by keeping yourself moving. This will increase seratonin levels and the happy hormones that keep you smiling. To ensure you stick to your plans, make a commitment to a personal trainer, an exercise group or a friend.
Stay hydrated. Water is just as important in winter as it is in summer, and all you have to do is sip a glass of water throughout the day. An easy way to work out your minimum water requirement is to divide your bodyweight by 10 – and drink up!
Exercise by mistake! Yes, that’s right. Known as incidental exercise, this is when you burn calories without formal exercise – taking the stairs instead of the lift, parking further from the shop entrance… Increasing the amount of time you spend on your feet could be just as good as a gym session. It might sound insane, but a 60kg woman walking 10 000 steps a day will burn as many calories as if she did an hour of intensive exercise in the gym!
So, keep busy this winter and you’ll be pleasantly surprised when it’s time to hit the beach again!
Find out how Lisa kicked Darren Scott into shape…
Maximise your health and learn more about your body at Breathe… Health Expo at the Makaranga Lodge in Kloof, 10am to 4pm on 16 and 17 July. For more info contact Camilla Railton on 078 339 8300. Tickets are R30 per person. Under 12’s are free.