Five Habits Sabotaging your Health Goals

Don’t let these common mistakes derail your progress.

Feeling like you’re on the right track, but not quite getting the results you expected from your training and nutrition?

Tiny tweaks to common mistakes can get you back on track!

Habit #1: Being dehydrated

Too many of us reach for coffee, soft drink, energy drinks or juice instead of water during the day. While these drinks give you a nice boost, they’re also possibly contributing to weight gain and, in the case of sugary drinks, stimulating your appetite. Plus, when you’re dehydrated you can feel tired, dizzy, unable to concentrate and even have headaches. Do yourself a favour and aim for two litres of water a day.

Habit #2: Drinking lots of alcohol

While an evening glass of wine relaxes you, it’s a very easy habit to fall into… and a hard one to get out of! We are all familiar with the how a few bevvies suddenly make unhealthy food more appealing - plus, they add a lot of calories to your day with little to no nutrition for your body. Alcohol compromises your liver’s ability to process energy, meaning you don’t burn fuel as efficiently as you could sober (leading to weight gain!). Try to have at least 3 or 4 alcohol free days in your week, and stick to less than 3 drinks per sitting.

Habit #3: Skimping on sleep

So you’re binging the latest must-watch series on Netflix… next thing you know, it’s 2am and you’re supposed to be up at 6am. Oops! We’ve all been there, but this habit may be behind those irresistible cravings the next day. Be deliberate and set yourself a bedtime to make sure you get at least 7 hours of sleep. Unable to fall asleep? Try reducing your overall caffeine intake, avoiding sugary treats too close to bedtime, and turning off electronics an hour before sleep.

Habit #4: Not eating enough vegetables

We’ve all heard it before - aim for five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit every day. But the reality is, less than 10% of Aussie adults meet this benchmark, and it’s sabotaging our health. Forget diets and eating as little as possible - focus on more fresh produce! Some easy ways to incorporate more veggies into your day include adding greens to smoothies, blending roasted carrots, pumpkin or beetroot into dips, and adding pickled veg to sandwiches or salads.

Habit #5: Sitting for too long

Even if you’ve already smashed a workout, it’s important to keep regularly moving throughout the day. When you sit for prolonged periods, you’re at increased risk for back pain, tight hips, weak glutes and hamstrings, not to mention weight gain and heart disease. Break up your day with movement “snacks” - try setting an alarm on your phone or watch to remind you to get up every hour for a little walk and stretch.