Simple Ways To Stay Healthy With A Balanced Diet & Regular Exercise

Let's get straight to it. We all want to be fit and healthy, but most of us can't be bothered or don't feel as though we have the time.

The fact is that spending just 30minutes a day exercising and watching what we eat can make all the difference to living a longer, happier and healthier life.

I used to be a healthy 58kgs prior to getting married, and since getting comfortable in the relationship, going out every weekend, not exercising, etc I saw myself put on 12.5kg over the period of 1.5 years. I know most people will look at the figures and think that it's too small and perhaps that this article is not worth reading, but I am not going to write bogus numbers just for the fun of it.

My story is real and I am writing this to motivate all of you out there who have tried numerous fad diets, are exercising without seeing any read results, or those just keen to get fat. As someone who now weighs 70.5kg and being only 161cm tall puts me at 27.2 on the BMI Scale. Now anything over 25 is considered overweight - which I know I am. Use this calculator from Monash University to calculate your BMI: BMI Calculator

Take the time to change your life. A few simple tips can go a long way in developing a healthy routine to maximise your life and happiness.

Visit your GP and get a health check to check your current blood pressure, cholesterol and risk of cardiovascular and heart diseases. This is vital for those who have not exercised in a while or know that they have high blood pressure so that the doctor can make appropriate recommendations for your exercise routine. The goal is to ensure you do the right exercises that your body can take without you having any serious injuries. Checking if your allergic to any foods can also assist in developing a happier and healthier body.

Writing down your goals and achievements on a daily basis can help you keep track of your health and fitness including your weight loss to date, the amount of time you've exercised and the number of reps you've done in each fitness session. In each of the future dates, write your weight loss or muscle mass that you want to have achieved by that date.

For each day of the week, write down a schedule of exercises you plan to do two weeks in advance. That will help you stay motivated so you're not left wondering where to go or what to do when you wake up in the morning. Keep a record of the amount of work outs you've done and ensure you achieve your set goal at the end of the week.

Join a gym and don't let your membership go to waste. I would recommend 3-4 times a week for those starting out. Focus on cardio and body-weight based exercises.

Start off slow to avoid any injury and if you are extra nervous about not being able to achieve your goal or not finding motivation after the first few weeks, get yourself a personal trainer. Yes, they are expensive, but good personal trainers will get results within 6 weeks. I find doing classes at the gym to be a fun way to get sweaty and feel sore afterwards... Remember the human body is designed to move.

Try out any sport or exercise you think might be fun and give it a go. A few hours per week can make all the difference. Just keep in mind you will only get out what you put in. Take the time and determination to exercise to your full potential.

Healthy eating is something we all know we should be doing, but fail to do it nevertheless. Focus on getting at least 5 serves of vegetables per day. This does not necessarily mean 5 different vegetables (although its best if you can), but 5 actual servings. One serving is approx 30-40grams so having 2 carrots a day would give you your 2 servings right there. Focus on having 2 fruits per day as well. Fruits have a lot of sugar so avoid overdoing fruits because they taste better and are more accessible.

A good tip is to avoid shopping straight after work if you're feeling hungry. This will prevent you from wanting to buy extra snacks and junk food that you don't need.

Avoid the junk food aisles!!

If you can't buy fresh food, try frozen over canned as canned food tends to be high in sodium (which will elevate your blood pressure). A good tip is to avoid shopping straight after work if you're feeling hungry. This will prevent you from wanting to buy extra snacks and junk food that you don't need.

Fast food is the worst thing you could eat. One pack of 3 KFC wings contains 1/4 of your energy requirements. Now if you include one of the burger meals onto of it, along with your breakfast and lunch, I can guarantee that you will be over your recommeneded energy requirements for the day. Some people I know eat 2-3 days worth of food in one seating. Don't do buffets, period. You're guaranted to overeat and feel bad at the end anyway. Save yourself the pain and the calories.

Develop a habit of regularly eating the right food and sticking to a fitness routine. Challenge yourself, stay motivated and keep working on it. Set your goals and change your routine once you've completed your goals. Keep pushing yourself and work hard to achieve all your goals.

Weigh yourself every week and keep a record of any changes. Once you've jumped on the scale, keep a record of the most important factors including current weight, muscle mass, bone density and any other important factors you can consider. Don't forget to write down the date.

Use before and after photos of yourself to help you track your success. Don't be ashamed. Even a small loss of 1kg or a 100grams to begin with is worth celebrating (but not with food!).

Don't use food as a means to comfort yourself or for celebrating. To achieve results, you need to develop a strong will power and you need to stop using food as the means to an end. Only eat when you are hungry. Quench your thirst first as well before a meal as most of us mistake thirst of hunger will leads to more weight gain.

For those wanting to lose weight, get fit and stay motivated in 2012, I strongly encourage you all to use the comments section below and make a promise to yourself that 2012 will be your year to shine! Don't be shy. This is a great way to hold yourself accountable to others especially if you are afraid of telling your family and friends (in case they laugh because this is your tenth try).

Use the comments field to celebrate your successes and also embrace your failures. It is only through trial and error that we humans can only ever learn. None of us are perfect, so embrace your flaws and make a vow to change. A vow to make time to exercise, to not indulge in food that your body doesn't need and best of all to get be that hot, sexy person you have always dreamed to be!