Hablis Hotel Chennai Elaborates On The Power Of One Small Change Towards A Fitter You

By Weena Pradhan, HabLife Evangelist

Some people are fit always or at least most of the time. They look the same over time or better than they did a while ago. They have a glow that never seems to fade. If you are thinking this is too good to be true, you could be there too, but only after being let into their ‘small secret’. They have incorporated healthy choices in their lifestyle, one at a time, slow and steady and realised the power of one small change towards a fitter body.

You do not need an overhaul of your lifestyle all at once. For most of us, starting small is a smart and practical approach that ensures a greater likelihood of success with our wellness goals. Small, it turns out, is big when it comes to changing our health habits.

A little tweak – switch over to whole grain bread from white; move on to rock salt and palm sugar from refined white sugar; order an unsweetened iced tea instead of that fizzy drink. Add 10 minutes of exercise into a busy day. Small changes these, but without a doubt carving your path to wellness and a fitter you.

Avoid processed food poster at the Hablis Hotel

Some facts from health researches:

A brisk walk 3 times a day can reduce mild, moderate and even severe depression.
Cutting out 1 hour of TV watching from the usual several hours will reduce the risk of pre-diabetic condition called the metabolic syndrome by 19%.
Choosing to eat whole grain bread, brown rice and whole grain breakfast cereal can lower the risk of diabetes by 33%, say German scientists.
Shedding just ½ kg or 1 lb of weight will lighten the load on knees by 2 kg (4 lb) with every step.

How To Make Small Changes In Healthy Eating Habits:

Aim for one change per week, no more.
Eat in smaller portions, stop before you start feeling full.
Add an extra portion of vegetables to each meal.
Cut down on potatoes with dinner.
Have fruits instead of biscuits for mid-morning snacks.
Cut back on sugar in your tea/coffee. Replace it with jaggery or palm sugar.
Keep regular eating and drinking hours.

You will see your digestion and energy levels improve in a few weeks. Things that you don’t see will improve too – immunity, blood fats and blood sugar.

Eat natural food poster at the Hablis Hotel

When the Medical University of South Carolina tracked the health of a target group of people that made changes to their lifestyle and stuck by them, they saw that after 4 years, their risk of heart disease had been cut by 35% !

Train Your Brain:

Rewire your brain. Forming a new habit and making it stay requires at least 2 weeks of faithful repetition. Your brain may actually go into withdrawal, but outsmart it by substituting another feel-good activity. Soon you will be well on your way to looking forward to the new exercise routine or that delicious honey and cinnamon over brown bread!

Choose exercise options that make you feel energised and match your body type or health conditions. In wellness, there is no free-size. This is where mindfulness comes in, in stopping to see what works best for you in terms of your diet, exercise and other wellness activities.

If you have made a change, it should energise you and make you feel good. You may feel a little tired after a new exercise, but do not let it exhaust you. Its good to feel light on your stomach after you have started eating smaller portions, but do not allow yourself to almost starve. New hobbies and relaxation activities should let you unwind and not overwhelm you. Because stress brought on by a change of habit can interfere with the new healthy choices. So do tread gently and at your own pace.

Traits Of People Living Fit Forever:

They are patient.
They take it seriously.
They get support.
They make small changes.
They make more good choices than bad ones.
They are always looking to sleep healthy.
They do some form of resistance training along with cardio exercises.
They eat lean protein and simple vegetables in every meal.
They do something with fitness everyday.
They eat mindfully and enjoy every morsel.
They drink water the right way.
They eat the right breakfast, never skip it.
They focus on nutrition rather than give in to taste-buds.
They say No to binging.
They eat early dinners.
They eat lot of fibre and right amount of carbohydrates.
They keep cravings in control.
They stop sitting for long and move around more.
They make fitness fun.

Most often, wellness practices begun at home go for a toss when you eat out, its hard to keep them going. At Hablis Hotel Chennai, we encourage you to walk that healthy path. Beginning with using natural ingredients for cooking, we take a step further by serving moderate portions. Seasonal fruits and vegetables (no tinned/canned ingredients ever) procured locally translate to serving food that is tasty on the palate and easy on the stomach. The dishes you order are taken up for cooking only after the order has been placed, no pre-cooked food is ever served to their guests.

If you haven’t already, we urge you to begin making one small change per week and you will see the power of that one small change towards a fitter you sparking more as you go by. Be part of this change and welcome a fitter version of you as you stay at one of the top hotels in Chennai.

Stay Healthy and Celebrate Life ! That is what Hab Life is all about.