10 Steps to a Healthier You

I'm totally stealing, er, I mean, paraphrasing all of these from an article in June's Hello! Canada magazine. The article states that the first step is to stop measuring your progress in pounds, instead focus on how loose your clothes are becoming; and that by sticking to these 10 tips for two weeks, you should lose both inches and weight.

1. Veg out and get fruity
Fresh fruit and veggies at every meal are hydrating and nourishing; they provide vitamin C and beta carotene, two antioxidants that fend off free radicals that cause aging. Avoid an overload of the sweeter fruits such as bananas, melon, mango and pineapple, instead mix them up with lighter ones such as apples, pears, berries or citrus fruits like oranges.

2. Begin with breakfast
To sustain you until lunch, try a bowl of fresh fruit with a couple tablespoons of yogurt, with or without a sprinkling of unsalted nuts such as walnuts or hazelnuts.

3. Eat protein and salads
Both lunch and dinner should be based around lean red meat, fish, chicken, eggs, seafood, lentils or beans. Make sure your meal is balanced by accompanying it with a big salad or a selection of non-root or non-legume veggies like spinach or tomatoes.

4. Get fat wise
You get the most nutrients from salads if they are lightly dressed in olive, hemp, canola or walnut oil, which are rich in essential fatty acids. Then add a squeeze of lemon juice, fresh herbs and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

5. Stop the starch
Try to avoid eating bread, rice, pasta, potatoes and couscous so that your body feels slimmer and less prone to fluid retention. As a general rule, instead of carbs, eat some protein or dairy food such as fresh mozzarella or crumbled feta cheese, accompanied by a big salad.

6. Say no to salt
Reduce your intake of salt and salty foods such as french fries, chips, convenience foods, smoked fish, cured meats such as bacon and anything pickled. Instead, eat fresh, seasonal, potassium-rich fruits and vegetables. Potassium works with sodium to balance the body's fluid levels properly. Tomatoes are particularly rich in potassium, while citrus fruits, melon, cucumber, watercress, carrots, salad leaves and celery also have mild natural diuretic effects.

7. Beat the bloat
Too many fizzy drinks and milky lattes or cappuccinos may make you feel bloated. Drink plain water instead, its the most hydrating, thirst-quenching fluid there is.

8. Stay off sweet stuff
Ditch the chocolates, cookies, cakes and sugar in your hot drinks and reach for fresh or dried fruits, which will satisfy sweet cravings and are full of body-friendly vitamins.

9. Wade into water.
Ensure that you drink a good 2.5 litres of fluid a day. Herbal teas such as nettle, dandelion, fennel and parsley will prevent fluid retention.

10. Try a supplement
Aloe vera juice is great for cleansing your digestive system; drink 30mL three times a day, half an hour before having anything to eat or drink. It is available from many health-food stores.