While junk food is tasty, a drink after work is tempting and exercise may be the last thing on your mind, there has to be a balance between the occasional treat and a healthy lifestyle.  If you can adapt your life to include these tips, you’ll be making a great start. 
 
Small Changes

While there’s plenty of big things you can do to change your lifestyle to a healthier one, the day-to-day smaller life decisions will make a difference in the long run too.  Regardless of the heat, the sun’s rays can harm skin without us even realising.  Experts recommend using sun cream every day (those pesky rays can even get through clouds!), and particularly when you’ll be outside for a longer time.  Don’t underestimate the power of the sun; it may be far away but it can make skin age pretty quickly.  Another tip is enjoying yourself; having fun and laughing are literally good for you!  Laughing triggers the release of happy endorphins and decreases stress, so make the effort to spend time with friends and family that will put you in a great mood and add to your wellbeing too.  Finding time to relax with a good book or a warm bath will keep your stress levels down, and try to spend time outside in the fresh air if possible. 
 
Exercise

It may be the most labour-intensive tip, but exercise is important if you want to get in shape, and it can be enjoyable too!  The problem many people have is not finding the right exercise for them.  If you need to take out some aggression then try a contact sport like football or rugby, while those who need to relax and centre themselves will find that yoga does the trick.  If you’re struggling to motivate yourself then an organised class at your local gym should push you into shape and introduce you to some workout buddies too!  While the recommended amount of exercise is three 30 minute sessions a week, you can tailor this to your needs and your energy levels.  Try to keep to a routine once you’ve found the right exercise for you; it’ll help you to stick to it.  Pick early morning classes to energise you, or evening sessions on the way home from work to de-stress.  By trying out different sports and work outs you’ll find out what suits you best and be looking forward to your exercise routine in no time!
 
Diet

While we’ve all heard it before, a healthy diet is crucial to our wellbeing.  Keeping your intake of sugar, salt and processed food down is important, and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables keep your energy levels high.  Try adding some fruit or vegetables to as many meals as you can – it’s surprising how easy it is!  Simply a handful counts as one of your five a day, so have one at breakfast, one at lunch, one portion for an afternoon snack and then two in your dinner.  Plan out your meals in advance to keep track of how often you’re eating particular ingredients so you can vary your diet more.  If you’ve got a sweet tooth, stick to fruit or dark chocolate for the occasional treat.  Another trick is switching to brown or wheat options.  Easy to implement; brown rice, pasta and bread will make a difference to your digestion and keep you fuller for longer.  Reward yourself with the occasional healthy treat to recognise the effort you’ve made and you’ll be even keener to stick to the changes! 
 
Habits

It’s all very well to implement health improvements, but there are plenty of bad habits that are incredibly hard to break.  If you’re prone to an occasional cigarette, a few beers or chocolates then you could have trouble switching these habits off.  This is even harder to resist after a particularly bad day!  Of course, these habits exist because a routine has been built up around doing them, so they won’t disappear overnight.  Instead, try and swap your guilty pleasures; promise yourself a cinema trip or a catch up with a friend for treats you won’t regret afterwards.  Part of the problem with these bad habits is that they often end up making you feel worse if you do give in, so trying to find alternatives means that you can ‘transfer’ the desire to something healthier.  Having said that, try not to let the occasional slip get you down too much; if you’re recognising your bad habits more than you used to then you’ve already started the process of reducing them or even getting rid of them entirely!  

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