Maintaining a healthy lifestyle should be challenging, but it should never become stressful. This means
that changes should be incorporated in incremental steps which allow the body and mind to adjust. It
is unnecessary and counterproductive to shrink calorie intake so much that you feel compelled to grab
every sample you pass in the grocery store or lick the crumbs left on the plate from your morning toast.
Similarly, exercise can be so rigorous that it actually causes more stress on the body than it is relieving.
The key for most men and women striving to keep themselves healthy is to first set achievable goals
concerning their eating habits. Gimmicks do not work to improve health in the long term; instead, the
focus should be on eating appropriate portions of natural, unprocessed foods. By concentrating on the
nutrients contained in each food choice, rather than the caloric content, you can improve your diet
significantly without negative consequences. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and milk products should
make up the larger part of your food intake for the day, but protein is necessary in smaller amounts. Try
some of these small changes in your diet to control your weight, lower your blood pressure, and keep
your cholesterol numbers low:
As you make changes to improve your eating habits, you will find that exercise is your friend. Research
has shown that setting aside a time for exercise every day and consistently sticking to it can bring major
health benefits. Just doing thirty minutes or more of aerobic activity every day with weight bearing
exercises added three times a week can strengthen bones, relieve stress and depression, decrease
hunger, and keep the organs of the body functioning at maximum efficiency.
For those of you convinced that it is time to make exercise a priority on your way to good health, here
are some tips to make it easier:
•Choose a form of exercise that you really enjoy.
•Set aside a time and place for exercise where you feel really comfortable.
•Get an exercise partner if at all possible or join a team or group.
•Start slowly and make adjustments to keep your body happy.
•Expect to have to use discipline and to want to quit sometimes, but commit anyway.
Exercise is powerful as a tool for improving your health, but it takes a while to become an exercise
addict. Once you have passed the point of bursting lungs, trembling thighs, and burning feet, you
will discover that exercise gives you a sense of euphoria and well-being that is unmatched by other
activities.
The final secret to good health is just as important as the other two. Get plenty of rest! Sleep
rejuvenates the mind along with the body. You cannot live a healthy life without it. Sleep results
in clearer thinking and greater work efficiency. Take an extra nap today; your body will thank you
tomorrow!
that changes should be incorporated in incremental steps which allow the body and mind to adjust. It
is unnecessary and counterproductive to shrink calorie intake so much that you feel compelled to grab
every sample you pass in the grocery store or lick the crumbs left on the plate from your morning toast.
Similarly, exercise can be so rigorous that it actually causes more stress on the body than it is relieving.
The key for most men and women striving to keep themselves healthy is to first set achievable goals
concerning their eating habits. Gimmicks do not work to improve health in the long term; instead, the
focus should be on eating appropriate portions of natural, unprocessed foods. By concentrating on the
nutrients contained in each food choice, rather than the caloric content, you can improve your diet
significantly without negative consequences. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and milk products should
make up the larger part of your food intake for the day, but protein is necessary in smaller amounts. Try
some of these small changes in your diet to control your weight, lower your blood pressure, and keep
your cholesterol numbers low:
As you make changes to improve your eating habits, you will find that exercise is your friend. Research
has shown that setting aside a time for exercise every day and consistently sticking to it can bring major
health benefits. Just doing thirty minutes or more of aerobic activity every day with weight bearing
exercises added three times a week can strengthen bones, relieve stress and depression, decrease
hunger, and keep the organs of the body functioning at maximum efficiency.
For those of you convinced that it is time to make exercise a priority on your way to good health, here
are some tips to make it easier:
•Choose a form of exercise that you really enjoy.
•Set aside a time and place for exercise where you feel really comfortable.
•Get an exercise partner if at all possible or join a team or group.
•Start slowly and make adjustments to keep your body happy.
•Expect to have to use discipline and to want to quit sometimes, but commit anyway.
Exercise is powerful as a tool for improving your health, but it takes a while to become an exercise
addict. Once you have passed the point of bursting lungs, trembling thighs, and burning feet, you
will discover that exercise gives you a sense of euphoria and well-being that is unmatched by other
activities.
The final secret to good health is just as important as the other two. Get plenty of rest! Sleep
rejuvenates the mind along with the body. You cannot live a healthy life without it. Sleep results
in clearer thinking and greater work efficiency. Take an extra nap today; your body will thank you
tomorrow!
