Dr Amir Khan '10-minute' and '7pm' rules for September - and new food he's eating

Dr Amir Khan '10-minute' and '7pm' rules for September - and new food he's eating Dr Amir is encouraging Brits to focus on small adjustments without turning September into another source of stress Dr Amir Khan has shared advice for people to follow this September to boost their health and wellbeing as children return to school and the weather changes. The NHS GP says September can be a chance for a fresh start, but for busy families getting back into a routine after the summer holidays, this time of year can feel hectic, with school runs, work and wellbeing schedules, after-school clubs, and endless dinner decisions all competing for attention. To help people make healthy but achievable new habits this month, the TV doctor and author has shared six 'simple' principles to follow. Dr Amir Khan is encouraging Brits to focus on small adjustments and has shared his 'B.E.Y.O.N.D. September Reset'. Some of the small changes include a '7pm' rule and spending 10 minutes a day on building certain habits. His advice comes as the health expert, who is a vegetarian, has teamed up with plant-based meat brand Beyond Meat to create two new recipes that reflect the food he eats. B – build a new habit into your routine Dr Amir Khan's first 'September Reset' piece of advice is all about choosing one small change and attaching it to something you already do - and using 10 minutes of your time to help build it. For example, walk for 10 minutes after lunch, add a vegetable to your evening meal, put your phone away well before bedtime, or go to bed 30 minutes earlier. Then, once that feels normal, add another new habit. But Dr Amir recommends being realistic. E – eat better by adding, not restricting For his second piece of September health advice, Dr Amir Khan says there's no need to reinvent your favourite meals; just add one thing instead of restricting yourself. For example, add fruit to breakfast, add an extra vegetable to lunch or dinner, or throw beans or pulses into a meal. For anyone interested in ditching meat and managing their protein intake, the doctor also says you could swap your usual burger for a plant-based version, like Beyond Burger, or use Beyond Steak Pieces in your regular stir-fry, wrap, pitta, or bowl. Y – your 10-minute dinner plan Thirdly, Dr Amir Khan recommends choosing three 10-minute 'emergency dinners', including a couple of plant-based ones, and keep the ingredients like quick protein, vegetables, an easy carbohydrate and something with plenty of flavour in storage, so you always have the building blocks on hand for an easy, satisfying meal. And decide what you’re eating before you’re hungry – ideally that morning or the night before – so 'tired-you' doesn't have to make decisions. O – open the door and get outside Get outside for 10 minutes every morning, for example, have your coffee outside, walk around the block, walk part of the school run or get off the bus or tube at a stop early. The trick is to make this part of your routine at the same point each day, so it becomes something you do automatically rather than yet another task you have to remember, he says. N – notice what's draining your energy Dr Amir Khan says for three days, look out for the moments that leave you feeling most depleted - and offers a '7pm' rule. For example, checking work emails in the evening, saying yes when you want to say no or doomscrolling before bedtime. At the end of the three days, pick one drain and make a change – whether that’s turning off phone notifications after 7pm, saying no to a commitment or giving yourself 30 minutes of phone-free time. D – do something for yourself The NHS GP says September can be a time to get everyone else organised, but it’s important to check in on your own health and wellbeing, too. Book one health job you’ve been putting off before the end of the week, check whether you’re up to date with relevant screenings, book an overdue appointment or speak to your GP about something that’s been bothering you. Then put something you enjoy in the diary too – a walk, dinner with a friend or simply an hour that isn’t about somebody else. Dr Amir Khan's new recipes and foods he eats Dr Amir Khan has created two new recipes using Beyond Burger and Beyond Steak Pieces. These include: - Dr Amir’s Beyond Busy Rest Burger - Dr Amir’s Beyond Steak Shawarma-Style Pitta He says the burger contains 45.5g of protein per serving. It also contains three of your five a day, and can be made in 20 minutes. The steak contains 24g of protein per 100g. The health expert says people can draw inspiration from other parts of the world for healthy eating. There are certain areas across the globe known as 'Blue Zones', where people live significantly longer and healthier lives than the global average, with unusually high numbers of centenarians (people aged 100 or older). Nicoya, in Costa Rica, is one of the world's best-known longevity regions. Legumes form an important part in the traditional diet of people living in the region. Dr Amir Khan is a huge advocate of getting more legumes and plant proteins into our diets. He says Beyond Burger uses pea protein, while Beyond Steak uses fava bean protein. He said: "One lesson we can take from some of the world's longest-living populations is to eat more legumes. In Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula, beans have traditionally been a staple of the diet. That's one reason I'm a big fan of making plant proteins part of our everyday meals - whether that's beans and lentils themselves, or foods such as Beyond Burger and Beyond Steak, which use proteins derived from legumes including peas and fava beans."