7. Swap it If you’re trying to shape up, cutting out sugar and fat is never easy, or fun. Instead, swap highcalorie food for a healthy alternative. Begin in the morning by sweetening your tea or coffee with honey instead of sugar. When snacking, oven-bake some fresh kale (with olive oil and sea salt) until crispy, a much more nutritious option than potato chips. When seasoning your food, push the salt aside for cracked pepper, dried herbs and a squeeze of lemon for extra zest. Check out healthdirect.gov.au for more suggestions. 8. Reward yourself Sometimes you really do deserve those new shoes. But instead of splurging on products at a whim, shop consciously and reward yourself every now and then with a sentimental, highquality gift or experience, such as concert tickets, a fancy dinner or those shoes that keep catching your eye. But also, you don’t have to wait months to reward yourself. Even when you finish the housework, a project or a busy week at the office, treat yourself to something delicious or some simple downtime. You deserve it. 9. Save energy Has ‘save the planet’ ever been one of your New Year’s resolutions? Saving energy is a two-way win: we save money on our electricity bill and we reduce our carbon footprint, in turn helping the health of our environment. You can save energy by purchasing appliances with high energyefficient ratings, opening the windows instead of using the air-conditioner, switching appliances off at the wall and drying clothes on the line instead of using the dryer. For more tips, head to energyaustralia.com.au. 10. Choose quality Which is more important: the cost to you or the Earth? Although low prices are tempting, when we purchase cheap clothing, electronics and homewares, we often are stung later by faulty parts or a low product lifespan. Also, cheap products that don’t last inevitably end up in landfill to join the 2.5 million appliances that are discarded each year. Shopping for quality over price helps us to reduce landfill and advocate sustainable brands. 11. Go second-hand If you’ve never shopped in an op-shop before, you’ll be surprised by the amount of treasures to be found. Buying high quality, second-hand clothing, homewares, furniture and books will save you money, reduce landfill and assist funding for social organisations such as Lifeline, St Vincent de Paul and the RSPCA. Additionally, clothing from op-shops is original! There are dozens of op-shops around the Gold Coast, as well as regular car boot sales. 12. Save small From little things, big things grow. At the end of each day, try to put at least one coin into a piggy bank. What could you buy at the end of the year with all those 20-cent coins you saved each day? Some new books, a fancy meal for two? It may just be enough for a one-way flight from the Gold Coast to Sydney! On the other hand, you could turn this money into a donation or a gift for someone you love. 14 Pindara Magazine 2015\2016
Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue Six
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