Healthy eating and regular physical activity are a dream team when it comes to staying healthy and boosting your feel-good factor.

If you're one of those people who dread exercise, it might be helpful for you to know that exercise doesn't have to mean running until you drop, or push-ups and army-camp routines. Exercise is actually any physical activity that gets your body moving above a resting level.

So, you can make it a part of your everyday routine – walking up the stairs instead of taking the lift, dancing at a party on the weekend, cleaning your house or just plain walking. In fact, research has shown that regular brisk walking can help to control blood pressure, weight, cholesterol levels and prevent heart disease and diabetes.

For health benefits, physical activity needs to get your heart beating faster and needs to add up to at least 30 minutes a day. You can split up those 30 minutes into several parts if it's difficult for you to do 30 minutes continuously. For example, you could take three brisk 10-minute walks every day, one after each meal.

So, as long as you are moving regularly and pushing up your heart rate, you are improving your health.

Following a healthy diet often feels like hard work. To try and make it simple and practical, I've put together some uncomplicated tips.

Five simple tips to boost your nutrition

Try one of these every day and then slowly infuse them into your life. These tips are aimed at improving eating habits and the overall nutritional quality of your diet.

Have breakfast within an hour or two of waking up – include a high-fibre cereal or grain, one of your five daily portions of fruit and vegetables and a portion of low-fat or fat-free milk or dairy (or a calcium-rich alternative).

Have at least ½ cup of beans or peas.

Have a portion of fish, healthfully prepared (no crumbs) –make sure it's on the SASSI green list.

Try one new fruit today – it can be fresh, canned, dried or frozen, but make sure it does not contain added fat or sugar.

Try one new vegetable today – go with something bright in colour (bright green, yellow or orange).

Watch out for more simple tips for nutrition fitness in future posts...