Prevention for a Healthier Lifestyle
I know that life has us moving 100mph but sometimes we have to slow down and reassess what we are doing. I know many of you have written down your 2011 goals and let’s be honest, might have fallen off the path. This is when you have to reorganize your self and if it means taking a different approach then make the right adjustments. My life is busy but I still make time for me and my family. I need to be on a schedule and that may not be the case for you but for me it is because if I don’t then I don’t achieve half the things I need to get done. Everyday I wake up I think about my plan for the day. I have my clients scheduled, my own workouts (includes cardio and strength), and my meals. For the most part I feel like I have my act together. If you don’t have your goals written down then now is the time to dig deep amd think about what you are trying to do. First ask yourself what it is you are trying to accomplish?
I am going to help you out and give you one goal that should be on your list every year and it is a one word goal-PREVENTION. Prevention should be in our everyday lifestyle. We should be trying to prevent heart attacks, developing diabetes, obesity, hypertension…I can go on all day. I know it sounds like a lot but if you start paying attention to yourself a little more you can extend your life span. It is proven that moderate to high intensity activity for more than 30-45 min a day can benefit your health. Activity is the key word here so riding a bike, going for a brisk walk, roller blading, playing a recreational sport, and even exercising at home are all considered activities. Over the years technology has taken over our past activities. Kids are staying inside more, adults are sitting on the couch watching television or on the computer. We need to acknowledge that we do not take the time to do activities that keep us moving. We are always in a hurry to go somewhere and sit down. We leave the house to get into the car (we sit). We arrive to our destination like work or school (we sit). There is no activity going on. My point is we need to move more and get in more activity.
The next part of prevention is paying attention to what you are eating. Putting processed foods and junk in our bodies is going to give us a first class ticket to the emergency room before we get to see our grandchildren. You have one life so why would you decrease your chances of living longer by eating foods that are bad for your health. Everything should be in moderation. I know that many of us look forward to a delicious meal and that is the one thing in our lives we have control over. WE get to decide what we eat and there is no one that is going to tell me I can’t have a yummy meal. I get it and I understand we enjoy instant gratification but we can still eat yummy and delicious meals that are healthy for us.
Trust me, there are tons of resources that have healthy and tasty recipes you can enjoy at no expense of your health. Magazines in grocery stores like Healthy Living, Prevention, Oxygen, and even more at your fingertips from the web. Use your resources to educate yourself on how to eat healthy. One of America’s biggest problems is we are constantly in a hurry and never have time for a home cooked meal. I promise you will find fast and healthy meals that can get you on the right track. Remember, prevention is your new goal and we all want to live a long a healthy life. Be selfish for once and do it for yourself.