Expert reveals how daily walks are the key to unlocking a healthier lifestyle this year

• Sports nutrition expert reveals how simple daily walks are the secret key to a healthier lifestyle
• An expert has revealed five simple tips to ease back into healthy eating and fitness after the holidays – elevating your lifestyle
• The expert highlights the risks of unhealthy post-Christmas habits – and provides advice on how to kick these habits now the festivities are over

 As the 2023 holiday has now come to an end, many people have begun to feel the effects of their Christmas activities. Weeks of over-eating, over-drinking, and sitting back on the sofa are fun for a while but come January many will be looking to get back to a healthier lifestyle.

With that in mind, sports nutrition experts, from Bulk.com have offered some super easy tips to implement in the new year – helping to wipe away the effects of everyone’s Christmas indulgences.

These simple tips are small changes that can be made to help improve your health such as short daily walks and it’s clear people are interested since Google searches for ‘walking workouts’ and ‘calories burned walking’ are up over the beginning of the new year.

So, since plenty of people are looking to change their lifestyle habits and achieve their New Year’s resolutions to be healthier, an expert from Bulk.com has revealed five tips for easing back into a healthier lifestyle after Christmas – including the benefits of walking!

The expert says: “It can be easy to get wrapped up in the festive cheer and celebrations, but for those looking to kick unhealthy habits once the festivities have ended, there are some simple and easy ways to get you feeling your best self again.”

Top five expert fitness and nutrition tips for easing back into healthy habits:

1. Walk everywhere

Walking is arguably the simplest and cheapest exercise available to us all. It’s almost entirely free since all you need is a pair of trainers or shoes that you’re comfortable in.

Swapping out short drives to the shops or your daily commute is a great way to sneak exercise into your day without really noticing.

Walking has many benefits to your health: it builds stamina, burns excess calories, and is great for a healthy heart. Experts say that a brisk walking pace is best for your fitness – making this a simple and effective way to feel healthier.

2. Drink less alcohol

After Christmas, it can be difficult to reduce the amount of alcohol we consume, but it’s crucially important if you want to improve your health.

An effective strategy for cutting back on alcohol intake is substituting alcoholic drinks with alcohol-free alternatives. These are not only delicious but also contribute to better overall health, helping to reduce the negative side effects your body feels from alcohol consumption.

3. Fill up on vegetables

Processed foods are dangerous, as it can become easy to consume hundreds of calories in small meals. Vegetables are generally much bulkier and less calorie-dense than other foods, they’re also full of essential fibre, vitamins, and minerals.

Filling up your plate with plenty of vegetables can be an easy way to control your calorie intake without feeling like you’re eating less. It can be hard to improve your diet without feeling hungry, but by bulking up your plate with veg you’ll still feel like your stomach is full.

Sweet potatoes, broccoli, carrots, and brussels sprouts are among the most filling and lowest-calorie vegetables, consider filling up your plate with these.

4. Avoid secret sugars

Sucrose, fructose, and dextrose are all scientific names for different types of sugar, easily missed by the undiscerning consumer. You might also see high-fructose corn syrup, barley malt, and molasses hidden in the ingredients list, which are all just sugars in a different form.

What’s more, natural sugars are presented as being much less unhealthy, but they’re all still just as calorie-dense and potentially harmful. Watch out for products filled with fruit juices and honey which claim to be a healthy option but can have just as many calories in.

5. Start slowly with exercise – everything in moderation!The hardest part of exercising regularly is often not getting started but having the strength to maintain a regular routine. This is often due to aches and pains, which can be much worse after taking a Christmas break.

To avoid overworking yourself at the beginning heart rate-based workouts can be a great way to ensure that you’re only pushing yourself as hard as you’re ready for. Start your exercise plan with a frank and honest assessment of your fitness to avoid injuring yourself.

At-home exercise videos are an excellent way to get into fitness in a comfortable and convenient way. There are also many great apps and online services to help guide your fitness journey.

Finally, don’t forget to stretch! Stretching is essential to avoid injury and to reduce the amount of aching you’ll feel in the days after exercise, consider following a stretching tutorial online after every exercise session.