Go Junk Free this June

June is around the corner and with it a chance to signal some changes for the better!

Living junk free is all about making healthier choices. Everyone's junk is different - the goal is to make changes in your diet and lifestyle to feel healthier, more in control, and have more energy. It’s about eliminating the physical things that impact health (including junk food), and the unhealthy behaviours that provide no benefits.

While the ‘official’ Junk free June fundraising promotion for the Cancer Society is taking a break in 2018, this doesn’t mean you can’t still take the opportunity to use the month of June to make some significant changes, or minor adjustments to your health for yourself, or with a group of friends.

A good place to start is to eliminate, or reduce, the amount of junk food consumed. For us to function at our best, humans need to consume a wide range of nutrient dense foods. While the odd treat as part of a healthy diet is unlikely to cause health issues, if a person consumes too much processed or junk food, then there is a real possibility that nutrients may be lacking and total energy input to be in excess. In the case of those wanting to manage weight, the high-energy density of junk food means weight gain is likely.

A simple change may be to replace a habitual junk food snack with a healthy one, and do some planning to make sure when stressed or busy, that the default is not takeaways or low nutrient snacks.

Another area that is worth investigating this June is in relation to our ‘junk’ behaviours in relation to food and exercise. Being positive and valuing ourselves makes it easier to prioritise our own health and make time to be active and eat well. Positive motivation is what gets us started, and keeps us going. There are two types of motivation. Extrinsic motivation is the motivation to succeed due to outside factors, such as what people think of us, or to follow doctors orders. The key to success is more often linked to intrinsic motivation. For example all of those people that exercise for the fun of it. They are intrinsically motivated by enjoyment and personal satisfaction. In practice making exercising and eating well a positive investment in yourself rather than a punishment.

Working with a registered exercise professional you trust and have rapport with is a great way to tap in to your intrinsic motivation. Far from the media image of a dominating instructor, most personal trainers and other exercise professionals are welcoming and can support you to have a positive relationship with exercise, and your health. They have the tools and training to adapt exercise to make it enjoyable, and to provide immediate feedback and positivity to keep you going.

Changes to your lifestyle don’t have to be huge to have a positive benefit, and in fact small changes are more likely to stick.

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