A New Year's Resolution only takes about 2 minutes to make but then you have a whole year to break it. This year why not make a REALISTIC healthy resolution you can keep.
You may want to:
• Quit smoking
• Lose weight
• Eat healthier
• Exercise more
We all have made resolutions that we don't stick to - a couple of days, weeks or months go by and we start falling back into some of our bad habits… You may get bored with an exercise routine or diet, get a craving that you cannot resist. Remember it's okay if you fall off the wagon one day, start again the next day - we are all human.
The important thing is to set realistic goals - if you don't exercise at all, don't set a goal of running a marathon start with small steps first. Even taking a 10 to 15 minute walk everyday can help your cholesterol, blood pressure and weight. Research studies have proven that walking is one of the best exercises you can do.
If you want to lose weight - where do you start? There are so many different diets out there? Which one is right for you? Did you know that even eliminating one soda a day from your diet every day could help you lose about 15 pounds in a year? Try eating more fiber or adding an extra serving of fruits or vegetables to your diet every day. Fiber can help you control your blood pressure, lose belly fat, improve your cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and prevent some cancers. Recent research has shown that the best way to lose weight is to either eat 500 less calories per day or burn off (exercise) 500 extra calories per day. It doesn't matter if you eat less carbs, protein or fat - it all comes down to calories!
Want to stop smoking? This is one of the best things you can do for your overall health. Talk to you health care provider, there are a lot of resources out there to help you. Also talk to your family and friends - this is one of your best support systems.
One of our main goals at Heartstrong is to help people make healthy well-informed decisions that will allow you to live a longer, healthier and hopefully wealthier life. Most People Know What Healthy Habits Are, But Do Not Know How Or Where To Start. Heartstrong presents health and wellness seminars on a wide variety of topics to corporations, community groups, professional groups and healthcare providers. Thinking about Healthy New Year's Resolutions check out our books "Take Charge: A Woman's Guide to a Healthier Heart" and "Take Charge: A Man's Roadmap to a Healthy Heart" available at www.heart-strong.com