30 Day Fitness Challenge: WEEK 1

Week 1: Setting the ground rules!

This week, we're looking at food. For you to really make a change to your lifestyle, the way to get started is to shake off bad eating habits. Even making these little changes can make a big difference to your long-term fitness and health goals, so stick to these throughout the duration of the challenge for the best results.

1. Clear out the fridge and make way for the whole foods.
An easy way to start is to swap white bread, pasta and rice for whole grains and wholemeal products, and stock up on fresh greens and lean proteins. It's easy to be tempted by treat foods - so make sure there aren't any ice creams, frozen pizzas or French fries in your kitchen, because they're packed with sugar, refined carbs and saturated fats.

2. Say no to takeaways and ready meals.
Save your money and your health! But don't worry, you're not missing out. We have some really tasty recipes that can easily replace your favourite meal cravings, but are packed full of goodness instead of grease. If it's homemade, you know its contents are clean and fresh - so stick with what you know.

3. Don't always believe what you read.
You may see some of your favourite foods with LOW FAT, REDUCED FAT or FAT-FREE written on the labels. When taking out fat from food, usually the levels of sugar, salt and additives increase to improve the taste. It's these high levels of sugar and salt in food that damages health and leads to weight gain, so be careful and always check twice.

Here are a couple of easy and tasty fresh recipes to get you started:

Stuffed peppers:

Shrimp and pineapple salad: 

Fruity tuna salad pita sandwich:

We'd love to know how you're getting on - tell us (or even better, send us a photo) on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #DMLiveHealthy!