• Start early
Exercise in the morning, before demands of family and work absorb all your time. And do something you enjoy. You’ll be more apt to wake up “raring to go!”
 • Get connected
Exercise with a friend. You’ll enjoy it more. The time will go faster. And you’ll benefit from the accountability factor.
• Keep it simple
Choose something you can do close to home or work with little more than a change into shoes and shorts – like walking or jogging. And always have an indoor alternative, just in case the weather turns bad.
• Read on the go
To eliminate the boredom of exercise, get books on tape from your local library and listen while you walk, run or workout in the gym. Or schedule your exercise during a favorite radio program. You’ll learn something while improving your body.
• Don't eat "on-the-run"
You’ll tend to grab the first thing that’s handy, which is probably not healthy. Instead, eat a piece of fruit or other nutrient– and fiber-rich snack and wait until you can sit down and enjoy a leisurely, healthful meal. You’ll eat less and better.
• Take a walk as your appetizer
Before dinner, go out for a 20 minute walk. You’ll be thirsty for water. And when your metabolism is pumped up by the exercise, your feelings of hunger decrease.
 • Eat from God's menu
Eat an apple instead of drinking apple juice, brown rice instead of white rice, a baked potato (no butter or sour cream) instead of French fries, and plain oatmeal instead of fancy and costly oat-bran cereals. Whole foods contain more nutrients and fiber, and less sugar and fat.
• Beware of danger zones
Don’t shop for groceries when you’re hungry. Pre-plan healthy meals. Clean up the kitchen after dinner and shut of the light – it’s closed until breakfast. Have water handy throughout the evening so you won’t be tempted to snack.
• Lose stress and weight
Stress causes fat cells to enter the bloodstream which usually accumulate in the hips and thighs of women and in the stomachs of men. Get rid of stress through exercise, relaxation and lifestyle changes.
• Pump some iron
Building muscle tissue helps you burn fat, even when you’re at rest. Start with a simple set of $20 dumbbells. Find a weight you can lift 8-12 times – but no more. If you work out at least two to three times a week, you’ll build muscle mass and look more toned and fit!
 • Vacation on your feet
Most people vacation on thieir posteriors – sitting in the car or on the beach. Do something active every day of vacation. Walk. Run. Canoe. Kayak. And don’t let food be the center of your vacation.
• Give yourself a break
If you’ve eaten carefully all week and exercised faithfully, lighten up on the weekend. Enjoy a “treat” or two without going overboard. Then you can go back to the real world of healthy eating and exercise on Monday morning with a positive attitude. |
