A Better Life

Ever wish you could have more energy? Have you ever wanted to make life more fun? Maybe wished you could improve your outlook a little or just plain find a better sense of happiness?

Two Simple Habits will help you change your life for the Better! Get more exercise. Do it every day. And 2nd – start eating healthy foods!

Try these easy tips for better health and fitness:

Breakfast refills your empty tank and helps get you going after a long night without food. A healthy breakfast helps you do better in school or at work. Why not start every day with a healthy breakfast!

Try plain old shredded wheat with some fruit and a glass of low-fat milk, or whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, yogurt with fruit, whole-grain waffles or even last night’s pizza!

Get Up and Get Moving!
It’s easy to fit physical activities into your daily routine. Walk, bike or jog to see friends. Take a 10-minute activity break every hour while you read, do homework or watch TV. Climb stairs instead of taking an escalator or elevator. Try to do these things for a total of 30 minutes every day.

Snack smart.
Snacks are a great way to refuel. Choose snacks from different food groups – a glass of low-fat milk and a few graham crackers, an apple or celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins, or some dry cereal. If you eat smart at other meals, cookies, chips and candy are OK for occasional snacking.

Work up a sweat.
Vigorous work-outs – when you’re breathing hard and sweating – help your heart pump better, give you more energy and help you look and feel your best.
The harder you work your body the quicker you’ll see positive results. Want to lose a few inches around the waistline? Maybe you want to get rid of that pot belly. Get in at least 30 minutes of vigorous walking or running every day. Can’t quite make 30 minutes yet – no problem – just start small. Build up your workout time gradually!

Always start with a warm-up that stretches your muscles. Then shoot for at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity, like running, jogging, or even dancing. Follow-up with some strength building exercises such as push-ups or lifting weights. For healthy and flexible muscles – always cool-down with more stretching and deep breathing.

Balance your food choices – don’t eat too much of any one thing.
You don’t have to give up foods like hamburgers, french fries and ice cream to eat healthy. You just have to be smart about how often and how much of them you eat. Your body needs nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat and many different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and A, iron and calcium from a variety of foods.

Balancing food choices will help you get all these nutrients.

Get fit with friends or family.
Being active is much more fun with friends or family. Encourage others to join you and plan one special physical activity event, like a bike ride or hiking, with a group each weekend. Make some time for yourself or you and a fitness buddy every day.

You can have more energy for all life’s fun pursuits. If losing weight is one of your goals – the quickest way to lose weight is with exercise and healthy eating! Just twenty or thirty minutes, four or five days a week can help you lose weight and keep it off!