Wellness Tips

Weight Loss: 25 tips for a healthier lifestyle

1. Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. You’ll not only gain nutrients; you’ll fill up on good food.
2. Don’t go on a restrictive diet. That will only create cravings, and you’ll eventually cave into temptation.
3. Keep a food journal. Write down everything you eat for at least a week to track calories.
4. Don’t drink your calories. Beverages do not lead to feeling full.
5. Assess why you overeat. Are you really lonely, sad or hurt and just eating to help deal with your emotions?
6. When you must have a taste of something sweet, take only one bite and savor it completely.
7. Skip mayonnaise, which packs a high caloric punch at 100 calories a tablespoon.
8. At a party, head for the vegetable tray.
9. When going to a party, bring your own celery or other healthy snack.
10. Assess whether you have triggers that prompt you to overeat. If so, avoid the triggers.
11. If you drink soda, drink diet soda and save 120-150 calories.
12. Skip gratuitous bread. Do you really need that roll?
13. Find an activity you like and try to do it at least 15 minutes a day for starters. Starting a new routine takes time.
14. Use low-fat dressings, gravy and sour cream.
15. Limit alcohol and its empty calories.
16. If you work at a desk, take breaks throughout the day to ease stress.
17. Eat breakfast.
18. Never skip meals.
19. Eat small meals throughout the day rather than a few very large meals.
20. Get support. Tell your friends and family that you are trying to make changes and that you’d like their help.
21. Be gentle on yourself.
22. Realize that the human body is not meant to eat sweets every day. They are for special occasions.
23. Try sugar-free puddings as a reward. They are tasty and low in calories.
24. Avoid fried foods when possible.
25. Allow yourself treats for good behavior.

Source: ajc.com

why walk?Most runners will record significantly faster imes when they take walk breaks because they don't slow down at the end of a long run. Thousands of time-goal-oriented veterans have improved by 10, 20, 30 minutes and more in marathons by taking walk breaks early and often in their goal races. You can easily spot these folks. They're the ones who are picking up speed during the last two to six miles when everyone else is slowing down.

Why do walk breaks work? By using muscles in different ways from the beginning, your legs keep their bounce as they
conserve resources. When a muscle group, such as your calf, is used continuously step by step, it fatigues relatively soon. The weak areas get overused and force you to slow down later or scream at you in pain afterward. By shifting back and forth between walking and running muscles, you distribute the workload among a variety of muscles, increasing your overall performance capacity. For veteran marathoners, this is often the difference between achieving a time goal or not.

• It’s flu season. Getting a flu shot is the best protection against the influenza virus.
• The best way to prevent the spread of contagious diseases is washing your hands.
• To prevent the spread of germs, always cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze with a tissue or your sleeve.
• If you are sick and have a fever, stay home from school or work until you are fever-free for 24 hours without medicine.
• Before starting any exercise program or greatly increasing physical activity, check with your doctor.
• Side salads and salad bar vegetables provide lots of extra vitamins and add dietary fiber, without lots of calories.
• Did you know cholesterol aids in the digestion of fat, formation of hormones and proper function of the nervous system?
• Every American adult needs 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity over the course of most days.
• Walking is one of the most popular physical activities in the US.
• The Department of Human Resources estimates that approximately 24 percent of Georgia women who are 40 and older have not received breast cancer screenings in the past two years.
• All men who are 50 years and older have an increased risk for developing prostate cancer.
• Asthma is a major health problem within the Southwest Health District, especially among children.
• If you find a tick attached to yourself or another person, you can call the Georgia Poison Center (404-616-9000 or 800-222-1222) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for information about tick removal, identification and testing for illnesses caused by the tick.