Five of the best: Simple ways to boost your health

Keep hydrated by drinking 2L of water a day. Photo / Thinkstock

With the silly season all wrapped up and daily routines kicking into gear, now is a great time to make a few tweaks for better health. I'm not talking daunting resolutions that are almost impossible to sustain, but small things we can all do every day to give our bodies a boost. Here are five healthy resolutions I'll be focusing on this year that might be worth adding to your agenda.

1. Drink 2L of water a day

It can be easy to let this one slide sometimes but we all know there are a billion benefits to staying hydrated. To make sure you're guzzling enough of the stuff, keep a litre bottle or jug on your desk/in your car or wherever you tend to spend most of the day. Try to get through one before noon and one after. Anything on top of that is a bonus.

2. Move more

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Add more exercise to your day. This is especially easy when the sun is shining outside. Forget the bus and walk home from work. If that's not possible, get off a few stops early so you can increase your step count and soak up some vitamin D. Use the stairs and stretch your legs whenever you get the chance. A pedometer or Moves app is a great, thrifty and fun way to track how much you are moving. Aim for 10,000 steps and get there every day.

3. Meat-free Monday

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There has been a lot of talk about the benefits of eating less meat, including the goodness of a plant-based diet and the environmental impact of some bad practices of getting the meat on to our plates. We are always considerate of where our meat comes from, but we want to dedicate one day a week to delicious vegetarian food. This also provides the chance to play around with vego recipes.

4. Always stretch

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Are you one of the people who sneak out of the gym class early and skip stretching? We feel proud of ourselves for working up a sweat but tend to forget about the importance of stretching at the end of the session. It's important to dedicate time to limbering up for recovery, flexibility and posture. Take time out at your desk to give your shoulders, head and wrists a roll. If you have the chance, take it further and seek out some dedicated stretching classes like yoga or body balance. Your body will thank you for it.

5. Relish sleep time

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Lying in bed scrolling your Instagram feed doesn't count as snoozing. Turn off technology, make your bedroom cosy and hit the hay so you can rise and shine full of beans the next day. Try not to over-sleep - you'll end up feeling dustier. Getting a good night's rest will leave you feeling more focused and happy, meaning you can enthusiastically kick on with goals 1 through 4, and your face will wear the benefits. The "right amount of sleep" differs for everyone, but seven to eight hours is standard.