Welcome to the Kulture Tonic blog where we discuss all things as part of a healthy lifestyle

Figuring out your priorities is an important factor, if you want to maintain an exercise routine and a healthy lifestyle you must put that first over certain other things. The common phrase we all use in our life is ‘I don’t have time’ but you have to figure out how to make time to fit it in. Getting up an hour earlier for example. It isn’t easy by any means but it’s about being focused and committed to it. Emanuelle commits to exercising 3 times a week. Then on the ‘rest days’ making time to fit in a light 20 minute cardio session which could be something as simple as taking the dog for a walk. The main benefit to sticking to a regular exercise routine is feeling happier and more energetic - the more you stick to that the more of those feelings you’ll get and the more you’ll want to keep going with it. I definitely resonate with that. As someone who’s recently starting training for the London Marathon I’m getting out running more than I have been over the past 6 months and definitely feel more energetic the more runs I do regularly a week. The first day of training was tough, I’ve committed to waking up an hour earlier from now on to be able to fit in a regular running routine. I did not want to wake up that first morning but now my body has gotten into the routine and it’s absolutely fine. Sticking to a routine can sometimes be the hardest bit. We’ve all woken up on a Monday morning and think to ourselves ‘I’m going to try and be healthy this week’. I know I do after a busy week of eating rubbish and drinking with friends which normally goes hand in hand with a few late nights. But always swinging one way to another makes it harder to maintain. We can all enjoy our life - go out for that drink, have that takeaway - but as Emanuelle mentions to me ‘it’s all about moderation’. Which leads us onto food - The other most important factor when committing to a healthy lifestyle. Food and exercise go hand in hand; it’s all linked as Emanuelle tells me.

Her top tips when it comes to food and drink as part of a healthy lifestyle are:

• Drink lots of water - the recommended amount is around 2 litres a day. I know I don’t drink enough water and with my training I know I’ve got to drink more so I’ve started to log how much water I’ve consumed on my Fitbit app which I find helps me keep track and motivates me to keep it up.

• Good nutritional meals - don’t cut anything out but be mindful of what’s on your plate and the quantity. If you are focused on losing weight then maybe cut back slightly on the amount of carbs you eat. Having a colourful plate as well - getting that fruit & veg in is so important. Protein will become your best friend when sticking to a regular exercise routine; it keeps you satisfied for much longer and helps keep you going.

• But also acknowledging that if you burn you have to consume. So what does Emanuelle eat on an exercise day? ‘I normally have porridge in the morning with chopped up banana and cinnamon, which helps boost my metabolism. Then one of my Kombucha’s after my morning workout, but it depends on how I feel’. For lunch Emanuelle favours grilled salmon with salad and sweet potato then chicken with grilled vegetables for dinner - very simple and nutritional. Which brings me onto the next part of our conversation - listening and engaging with your body & mind and checking in on yourself. You have to know your body well and know what it wants and needs. That goes for food and exercise. Like me Emanuelle’s favourite form of exercise is running; ‘it cleanses and de-stresses my mind’ she says. But some days Emanuelle will go to the gym instead. ‘It’s important to balance out what parts of the body you are exercising’. You can’t just always do leg days in the gym, even if you’re not wanting to focus on toning your arms as much as you might for example your glutes. When I spoke to Emanuelle about her tips and advice for sticking to a regular exercise routine I loved the phrase she used ‘I look at it like I’ve at least done something for myself each day’. That’s such a wonderful positive way to look at exercise. It’s not a chore it’s a treat. You’re doing something for yourself, being kind to yourself each day by moving your body. I am definitely going to try and view my exercise like that from now on!

Love from the Kulture Tonic team x

Author: Harriet at It’s a Girl Thing
Follow: itsagirlthing.net