Feel like you’ve fallen off the health wagon one too many times? Don’t hang up those reins just yet! We spoke to former Winter Olympic snowboarder and health and wellbeing golden girl, Steph Prem, and have your (health) ticket to ride! The elite athlete has taken on the world’s best snowboarders and has overcome a few of her own hurdles along the way. Now the lover of all things fitness, sports and feeling good is helping others be their best, healthiest self through her role as Priceline’s Fitness Expert and as a personal trainer, Pilates It-Girl and spokesperson. So who better to get you back on track and scoring gold when it comes to your health? Here, Steph shares her top health tips and the secret to overcoming those common health saboteurs…
Q. What are the essential ingredients to good health?
“The key to true good health is when all of these healthy components are in check:
Physical health: Physical activity and a healthy diet.
Mental health: Coping with the demands and stresses of day-to-day life.
Emotional health: Having a positive outlook and approach, and not being self-sabotaging.
Social health: Your relationships with friends and family.
Core values or spirituality: Being connected and true to your beliefs and values.”
Q. What are the most common health saboteurs?
Time: “Allowing your work, family, friends to get in the way of making time for your health and fitness.
Excuses: Allowing yourself (or others around you) to make excuses.
Ability: Believing you don’t have the ability, skill set or knowledge to have a go.
Lack of priority: Not prioritising your own health. If you don’t do it, why should those around you? Set an example for yourself and others.”
How To Overcome Health Saboteurs
1. Set Yourself Up For Success, Not Failure!
“Setting achievable goals is the key to success. There’s no point aiming to lose 10kg yesterday – it’s unrealistic and unhealthy to shock your body and be reactive with your weight management, like when you have an event coming up or you know summer is just around the corner. Instead, think baby steps and take a proactive approach in good time! A healthy weight management plan is crucial for losing weight and keeping it off long-term, so make it easy, realistic and manageable. Using a weekly meal planner is a great way to be accountable and organised. I recommend trying the Priceline Pharmacy Health Tracker, which has free nutritional meal plans. It’s perfect for any one looking to kick start a healthy eating plan.”
2. Think Solutions, Not Excuses!
“It’s easy to skip the outdoor exercise class when it’s pouring with rain, but what if you identified your common excuses in advance and created solutions to manage them? Instead of missing out on an hour of studio yoga, or boot camp at the park, you could exercise in the comfort of your own living room instead! Don’t think you’ve got what it takes to get a workout done commando style in the living room? Well, think again! The Priceline Pharmacy Activity Planner is a great solution for any time poor, busy bee that can’t make it to the gym. Pop on your favourite tunes, jump online to the activity planner and set yourself up a customised workout based on the equipment and time restraints you have – the activity planner will do the rest for you. Solution, TICK!”
3. Prioritise Your Health
“Investing in yourself and your health and wellness is like having insurance on your body! Know what works for you and trust that. According to a recent Priceline Pharmacy Health Tracker survey, 30% of people don’t get enough sleep, 50% don’t know their cholesterol level and 55% don’t know their blood glucose level. It’s easy to let our health slip when we lead busy lives, but not identifying medical issues early can have long term repercussions. Poor nutrition and lack of exercise can be so detrimental to your health and wellbeing. If you personally know you are stressed or anxious, tired and finding it hard to find the time or motivation to get moving and take control of your diet then Priceline Pharmacy’s Health Tracker is a really great place to start. I love the Health Tracker because it not just your average health test results; it analyses vital health statistics (including your standard blood pressure, BMI and cholesterol levels), and also focuses on lifestyle, emotional and social behaviours, which I believe are underestimated in peoples own views of health, wellness and overall happiness.”
Kick-start your health at the free online resource, Priceline Health Tracker. Once registered, you can access free meal plans and activity planners to help keep you on track, motivated and more. Join the conversation at @pricelineau #pricelineau
This is a sponsored post by Priceline. All opinions expressed by the author are authentic and written in their own words.
