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HEALTH TIPS

1. Setting Goals is a good first step on your road to health and well-being. Set S.M.A.R.T Goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-specific).
   
2. Getting a fitness assessment is a great move on your wellness journey!
3. When making healthy lifestyle changes, make sure you are making gradual, rather than drastic, changes in dietary patterns and physical activity. Baby steps will bring you closer to your goal!
4. If you have a bad day (eat badly, don’t exercise, etc.), try not to feel bad about it. Just start again on making healthy lifestyle changes. As we say at MFit “Don’t stop starting!”
5. In terms of nutrition, be adventurous! Expand your taste to enjoy a variety of foods. This will help you get the 40 –plus nutrients you need for good health.
6. Balance what you eat and the physical activity you do over several days. What you do over time counts!
7. Make sure when you are eating that you don’t eat too quickly, or you might eat too much. Be aware of portion distortion!
8. Concentrating on your whole “entire being” (body mind and spirit) is essential in building a sound, healthy lifestyle. Optimal health is more than just better food choices , or more physical activity.
9. Here are just a few of the physiological changes exercise can do for you: it increases your HDL (good) cholesterol, it can lower blood pressure, it improves flexibility and it may decrease the chance of getting certain diseases.
10. Exercise has been proven to improve mental agility, reaction time, and the ability to fall asleep! It can also relieve stress.
11. Use positive “self-talk” in terms of your healthy lifestyle. Instead of focusing on the negative, find the good and make it better.
12. Before you sit down in front of that big meal, ask yourself if you are really hungry. Research has shown that people often confuse thirst or even sleepiness with hunger.
13. Make sure you take some time out to take care of yourself at least a few times a week. You are definitely worth it!
14. Here are a couple of suggestions to appreciate your understanding of yourself: cultivate gratitude, set realistic deadlines, laugh more often, ret to stay away from negative people.
15. Words to line by: we are never given dreams without also being given the power to make them come true.
16. Set short terms goals (1 – 3) months, then reward yourself with some non-food or beverage items when you reach them.
17. Don’t skip too many work outs—view your exercise time as a gift to yourself.
18. It’s never too late to start exercising. Studies have show that at no matter what age you begin to exercise, you will see benefits in some areas within a month!
19. Try to exercise aerobically at least 3 – 5 days a week for at least 30 or more continuous minutes.
20. There are three major components of exercise; strength training, aerobic activity and flexibility. It is important to incorporate all of them into your weekly workouts.
21. Try a new fruit or vegetable every month just to add variety and “spice” to your nutrition.
22. “Diet” is a four letter word—don’t diet, eat healthily all the time! Good nutrition is a lifestyle change, not a short term experiment.
23. Eat at least 5 – 7 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. If you have trouble getting that many servings in, try 100% fruit or vegetable juice-that counts as a serving!
24. There are several stages of change when people are considering a healthier lifestyle. People may change back and forth depending on other circumstances in their life.
25. If you’re thirsty, reach for water first! It’s one of the best thirst quenchers, and one of the best for you, since it transports nutrients through the body and carries away waste.
26. Cross training in your work outs is a good way to prevent boredom and reduce the risk of injuries. Try a new work out today!
27. Working out alone may work for you sometimes, but if your motivation is lagging, get a work out buddy!
28. Everyone needs a support system, especially to change to a healthier lifestyle. A support system may be family, friend, co-workers, etc. Is your support system in place?
29. You need to exercise just 2.5 – 3 hours a week to start reaping the benefits of exercise! (although more time is better)
30. Ask a fitness or nutrition professional before making any major changes in your lifestyle. They can help put you on the right path to wellness.
31. Keeping a food diary is an excellent first step in assessing how you eat now and why you eat the way you do. It will help you target your current problems and look into the root of them.