Getting Back to Basics.

No quick fixes, just healthy habits that fit into our everyday lives .

November might seem a strange time to be writing about getting fitter and healthier, but actually I think it's quite a good time to stop and think about how we look after ourselves.

December will soon be here, with Christmas, parties, meals out and all the festivities. And then January arrives, and suddenly we're bombarded with adverts for detoxes, supplements, weight loss programmes and promises that we can drop a dress size in a matter of weeks. But we all know that quick fixes don't really work, certainly not in the long term.

So rather than waiting until January and deciding we need to change everything, why not use November to think about what we can do now? Not necessarily to make big changes, but just to look at how we're living and whether we're getting the basics right. Because, at the end of the day, looking after our health doesn't need to be complicated.

For me, it comes back to four things.

Sleep, nutrition, movement and something that I think is just as important, joy and relaxation.

Sleep - Are we getting enough?

Sleep is so, so important, and yet it's something that often gets neglected in our busy lives. We make time for work, exercise, family, friends and everything else we need to do, but quite often sleep is the thing that gets pushed to the bottom of the list. And really, it should be a priority.

Ideally, we want to be getting around seven to eight hours of good quality sleep each night. We should also try to go to bed at roughly the same time and get up at roughly the same time throughout the week, including weekends.

It's also worth thinking about what we're doing in the evenings. Are we sitting looking at our phones or tablets just before going to sleep? Are we drinking coffee late in the day? Or perhaps having a few glasses of wine?

Alcohol is a real sleep disruptor. We might think it helps us fall asleep, but it can affect the quality of our sleep, particularly later in the night. Drinking water alongside alcohol is important for hydration, but it doesn't stop alcohol affecting our sleep. Caffeine can also stay in our system for several hours, so it's worth being mindful of when we're having that last coffee.

And what about eating late at night? Particularly lots of sugary snacks or large meals just before bed. For some people, these can also interfere with getting a good night's sleep. We don't need to be perfect, but making a few small changes to our evening habits can make a difference.

Nutrition - Food first, supplements second.

There is absolutely no point spending money on the latest supplements, potions and powders if our basic nutrition isn't good. We seem to be constantly bombarded with new products promising to make us healthier, give us more energy, help us lose weight or slow down ageing. But if we're not eating properly, sleeping well or moving enough, we really need to address those things first.

One trend that I do think is a good one is the increased awareness of protein, particularly for women and everyone as we get older. Maintaining our muscle mass is so important as we age, and protein plays a key role in helping us maintain and build muscle, especially if we're doing strength training.

But it's not just about having a protein shake after the gym. We should be trying to include a good source of protein with every meal. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, rather than getting most of it in just one meal.

And protein doesn't have to mean meat. We can get it from fish, eggs, dairy, pulses, nuts, seeds and a variety of plant foods. If you're vegetarian or vegan, it's particularly important to make sure you're eating enough and getting a good variety of protein sources throughout the day.

Of course, these days everything seems to have protein added to it. And actually, protein shakes can be really useful. Many of my clients will know that I often have a protein shake as a snack. I don't eat meat, although I do eat fish & eggs, and sometimes I know that I'm not necessarily getting enough protein from my meals. Also, when I'm working in the gym, I can't really stop and sit down to eat something, whereas I can quite easily drink a shake. It's the same when I'm playing golf. Sometimes it's simply easier and more practical.

So I certainly don't have a problem with protein powders. They can be a really useful addition to our diet, particularly when we're busy or struggling to get enough protein through food. But they shouldn't replace eating proper, balanced meals.

And protein is only one part of good nutrition. We also need to make sure we're eating plenty of vegetables, getting enough fibre and including lots of different colours in our diet. Different vegetables provide different vitamins, minerals and plant compounds, so variety really is important.

And let's not forget carbohydrates. We need carbs. They're an important source of energy, particularly if we're active, so there's no reason to automatically cut them out of our diet.

Hydration is another basic that we sometimes overlook. Making sure we're drinking enough water throughout the day is important, especially when we're exercising or it's warm.

None of this is particularly complicated. It's about eating a good variety of food, getting enough of what our bodies need and not being distracted by every new nutrition trend that comes along.

Movement - It doesn't have to be complicated.

I'm hoping that by now we all understand the importance of maintaining, and where possible increasing, our muscle mass as we get older. Strength training is one of the best things we can do to help maintain our strength, our mobility and our independence as we age.

But that doesn't mean we all need to be in the gym lifting super heavy weights. We just need to be doing something that challenges our muscles. And it doesn't need to mean spending hours exercising either.

Twenty minutes of strength training two or three times a week can be a great starting point. It's about making those minutes count, challenging the muscles appropriately and finding something that fits into your day to day life. Because if you set yourself a programme that's impossible to maintain, you're probably not going to keep doing it.

And then there's general movement. Walking is one of the best things we can do for our overall health, and it's something that's accessible to so many of us.

We've all heard about the magic 10,000 steps a day, but did you know that figure actually came from a Japanese pedometer marketing campaign back in the 1960s? It wasn't originally a scientifically established target.

More recent research suggests that around 7,000 steps a day is associated with substantial health benefits, although it's not a magic number or a minimum that everyone has to reach.

If you're managing 10,000 or 12,000 steps a day, that's great. If you're doing 7,000, that's great too. And if you're currently only managing 3,000 or 4,000, then gradually increasing that is still going to be beneficial.

As with everything, it's about doing what you can and making it fit your life. The important thing is that we're moving regularly and not spending most of our day sitting down.

Joy,relaxation and Vitamin L.

And finally, something I think is just as important as all the other things I've talked about. We need to bring some joy into our lives. We need to laugh. Vitamin L.

We need to make time to have fun, spend time with friends, laugh, enjoy ourselves and do the things that make us happy. Because surely that's part of what looking after our health is all about?

And we also need to learn to relax. I know that for some of you, particularly those who are retired and living here in the Algarve, this can actually be quite difficult. You feel that you should always be doing something. That you should be busy, being productive, getting things done. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with taking an afternoon to sit and read a book, relax or simply do nothing for a while.

We all need downtime. We all need some time away from the busyness of everyday life, time to unwind, be calm and just enjoy being.

Relaxation isn't something we should feel guilty about. It's an important part of looking after ourselves. And neither is having fun. Life is there to be enjoyed.

So why not start now?

I think sometimes we make looking after ourselves far more complicated than it needs to be. We look for the latest product, the newest diet, the best exercise programme or something that's going to give us results quickly.

But really, we need to come back to the basics. Are we sleeping enough? Are we eating well? Are we moving regularly? And are we making time to enjoy our lives?

And we don't have to get everything right all the time. There will be days when we don't exercise, nights when we stay out late, meals where we eat more than usual and weeks when life just gets in the way.

That's normal. It's what we do most of the time that matters.

And that's why I think November is such a good time to think about this. Rather than waiting until January and feeling that we need to make some huge change, why not just look at what we're doing now?

Maybe you could go to bed half an hour earlier. Start including some protein with your breakfast. Get out for a walk every day, even if it's only a short one. Make time for a couple of strength sessions each week. Or perhaps simply allow yourself some time to relax without feeling guilty.

You don't have to change everything at once. Just start with something that's achievable, something that fits into your life and something you can keep doing.

And when Christmas comes, enjoy it. Enjoy the meals, the celebrations, the time with family and friends. You don't need to spend January trying to undo December.

For me, that's what Fit2loveLife has always been about. It's not about chasing the latest trends, looking a certain way or trying to achieve some unrealistic idea of fitness.

It's about looking after ourselves, staying strong, healthy and capable, and being able to enjoy the things we love doing for as long as possible.

Being fit to love life.