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Health Tips

List of possible health tips/consequences of fitness for the “Healthy Minute”

• To maintain body weight in a healthy range, balance calories from foods and beverages with calories expended.
• To prevent gradual weight gain over time, make small decreases in food and beverage calories and increase physical activity.
• It’s convenient, comfortable and safe to work out at home. It allows your children to see you being active, which sets a good example for them.
• Choose activities that are fun, not exhausting. Add variety. Develop a repertoire of several activities that you can enjoy. That way, exercise will never seem boring or routine.
• Water not only fi lls you up and lessens your appetite, it prevents those “hungry horrors” we all encounter when our blood sugar drops and we reach for cookies, candy, ice cream, fries or other highcalorie treats. Water also fl ushes out the system, rids the body of bloat and toxins and rosies up the complexion.
• Work out because you want to and not because your doctor, spouse, signifi cant other, peers, etc. told you to. You’ll never make it if you are just doing it because some one said you should exercise. You’ll make it when you want to do it because you deserve it and it feels good and it’s something you want to do for you!
• If you don’t keep track of your workouts and improvements, how will you know if you’re making progress? Whether it’s fat loss, building muscle tissue, or just feeling better; keeping a log helps and motivates you to get there. When you see where you were, and where you are, you realize you’re making progress!
• Always have a back-up plan in case your primary workout goal suffers a setback. For example: If you are trying to lose weight but don’t reach your goal, a back-up goal might be to fi nish 30 minutes on the treadmill. Don’t look at a “setback” as the end... look for something positive and feel good about the achievements you’ve already made.
• Eat as few processed foods as possible. Aim for complex carbohydrates and natural simple sugars.
• You may experience vertigo (dizziness, confused or disoriented state) when on a treadmill. Don’t worry, you’re not part of a Hitchcock sequel, your body is just trying to adapt. You should stop exercising until the vertigo stops and you feel normal again. Start exercising at a slower pace and work your way up.
• Instead of driving everywhere, try walking whenever possible. Experts recommend taking 10,000 steps per day (2,000 steps is about one mile) through exercise and daily activities to improve overall health. Walking at a moderate pace burns over 200 calories per hour!
• Try including cycling in your normal cardio workout routines. It’s a good idea to include different forms of cardio exercise for variety and done with the proper form and adjustments, cycling has limited impact on your joints and knees and can give your butt and legs a great workout! Don’t forget your helmet!
• Stretch immediately following an aerobic activity while your muscles are warm and pliable to prevent injuries.
• Take time for yourself. Although spending time with friends and family is essential, it’s also important to have at least fi ve minutes to yourself to relax. Try practicing a deep breathing exercise when you feel stressed out.
• Enlist a friend or family member to exercise with you. Walking and talking with a friend can be a great way to burn extra calories and reduce your stress level.
• Spread out meals. Try eating dinner early and then taking a walk before sitting down for dessert.
• Laugh. Laughing is a great tension reliever. It burns calories, reduces stress and usually means that you’re enjoying yourself.
• Exercise helps strengthen bones because it forces them to bear weight, which is why high-impact exercise elicits even greater gains in bone density.
• Vigorous exercise burns more calories, but the moderate exercisers tended to be more active overall.
• Not only is jumping rope a great cardiovascular alternative to your usual aerobic workout, jumping rope can increase body awareness and develop better hand and foot coordination.
• Listening to lively music while you walk is also a great way to energize your workout. But if you wear headphones, keep the volume down and watch out for traffi c that you may not hear.
• If you don’t have time to suffi ciently warm up before stretching, try doing a few stretches immediately after a shower or while soaking in a hot tub. The hot water elevates muscle temperature enough to make them more pliable and receptive to stretching.
• Try a few simple stretches before getting out of bed in the morning. Wake yourself up with a few full-body stretches by pointing the toes and reaching the arms above your head. This can clear your mind and help jump-start your morning.
• When you’re sitting and watching TV, stretch your muscles. Never stretch so hard it hurts. Rather, stretch to the point of mild tension and hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds.
• Even the most dedicated exercisers occasionally get bored with their routine. Waning motivation, cutting workouts short and not having your old enthusiasm all are signs of a stale exercise regimen.
• The key, it seems, to staying healthy is to do everything in moderation, which is best viewed as something relative to one’s own fi tness level and goals. Don’t expect to exercise an hour every day simply because your very fi t friend does.
• Although there are diets that make you lose weight, at least one quarter of the weight lost is muscle, which lowers your metabolism. If you return to your usual eating habits, you’ll likely regain more weight than you lost because your metabolism is slower.
• Deciding where to exercise comes down to picking the place that offers you the greatest comfort, and the one that works best with your lifestyle.
• When body temperature is at its highest (usually between 4 and 6pm), your workouts will likely be more productive.
• Remember that you should have some time for yourself every day. Why not dedicate that time to improving your health and making yourself feel better?
• Conjure up a healthy meal in your mind prior to entering a restaurant, and stick to your plan as closely as possible.
• Try to eat at least three times per day to keep you from feeling famished and overindulging at any one time.
• While drinking a caffeinated beverage may help get you to the gym, within an hour you may feel tired and too lightheaded to complete your workout, or to do it well.
• Variety not only reduces boredom, but also provides subtle exercise differences that will enhance progress.
• Understanding your body type and how you might respond to exercise can help you set realistic goals and expectations. Avoid comparisons to others you see, at the gym or elsewhere, and remember that no two people are alike.
• Don’t forget to look for little ways to increase the number of calories you burn each day. You might be surprised to learn that it is possible to burn more calories simply by becoming more active in your daily life.
• By exercising, you can lose weight while you eat more calories than if you simply went on a diet. Regular physical activity is much more effective at keeping the weight off in the long run than any diet.
• Get off the bus or subway one stop early and walk or skate the rest of the way.
• Replace a coffee break with a brisk 10-minute walk. Ask a friend to go with you.
• In a restaurant, start your meal with a salad packed with veggies, to help control hunger and feel satisfi ed sooner.
• Resign from the “clean your plate club” – when you’ve eaten enough, leave the rest.
• Calcium is a key nutrient for bone health at any age! After age 25-30, we no longer build bone mass, but continue to need calcium to maintain existing bone strength.
• Is it okay to have cookies, pizza, brownies and candy bars? Absolutely! Balance sensible portions of these foods with a variety of foods such as grains (including some whole grain choices), vegetables, fruits, lower fat dairy foods and lean meat, fi sh and poultry, cooked dry beans, eggs and nuts.
  Remember keeping active each day helps promote overall health.
• To help boost your fi ber intake, look for cereals with the words ‘good source of fi ber’ or ‘excellent source of fi ber’ on the label. Choose frequently foods that have at least 3 grams of fi ber per serving.
• Have your vegetables and grains fi ll up most of the plate at lunch and dinner. Then round out these food groups with one or two other foods, like a portion of lean meat or a glass of fat free milk.
• Enjoy the pleasure of tasting your food by eating more slowly. Savor the fl avors and textures, while allowing your body time to give you the ‘I’ve had enough to eat’ signal.
• When you’re really hungry, start with a big glass of water.