Tips to get healthy in 2009

The year 2008 isn’t even over yet and already a stack of 2009 resolutions is staring you down like a boot camp sergeant.

Well, OK, hotshot. We’re gonna see what kind of soldier you are.

We’ve compiled a calendar to get you focused on your goals for at least the first 31 days of the new year. We’ve taken some of the best nutrition, fitness and health tips we’ve learned and tossed in a few new bits of advice.

Don’t fret if you don’t have a goal set yet; you can try a few of these on for size.

1. You blew it at 12:01 a.m. at the New Year’s Eve party. Give yourself a break and relax.

2. Relatives still here? Go on a long, brisk walk or run.

3. Join an online support group, such as the slew of weight-loss programs or fitness goal-setters. We suggest http://www.presidentschallenge.org.

4. Sweating? Try wicking material that pulls moisture away from the skin, say the experts at Fit2Run at Tampa’s International Plaza.

5. Eat more dark green veggies. Try broccoli and kale.

6. Dance, dance, dance. It’s the foundation of today’s aerobic exercise classes, says Fabio Comana of the American Council on Exercise.

7. Keep a food diary. Writing down all you consume significantly boosts weight loss, surveys show.

8. Register for a 5K walk or run and make it a long-term goal.

9. Diets are not a finite, says Bob Harper, “The Biggest Loser” fitness guru. “There is no end to this journey of weight loss and living healthy.“

10. Get cheap fitness at home. Fill old milk jugs with water to use as free weights.

11. Hurting? Try R.I.C.E.: Rest for at least 48 hours; ice injured area 20 minutes; compress injury with wraps, casts or splints; and elevate injured area.

12. Fill your kitchen with locally grown foods to improve your health and the environment, says Carole Carson, author of “From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself Into a Weapon of Mass Reduction” ($14.95, Hound Press).

13. Drink more water. There’s nothing better for boosting wellness, fitness and weight-loss chances.

14. Have it your way. Don’t be afraid to special order at restaurants to remove fats, oils or bread you don’t need.

15. Prevent boredom and try a new workout, such as Muay Thai or Krav Maga martial arts.

16. Be like Mike. Clip a picture of your favorite athlete and put it on the fridge for motivation.

17. Juggle fruits. Try more than juice. Experiment with fresh, frozen, canned or dried.

18. Launch an office challenge. See if co-workers are willing to walk during breaks and eat more healthful lunches.

19. Don’t want to get out of bed? Do stretches while still under the covers, says Toronto doc Blair Lamb, who runs http://www.stretch-doctor.com.

20. Turn off the TV. Go outside and play.

21. Eat more plant-based foods. It’s the single best way to improve health and lose weight, says Florida nutritionist Barbara Roberts.

22. Fast food time: Grab fresh fruits, salads and grilled options.

23. Guilty about meeting your goal? Do something good like donate blood or sign up to donate organs.

24. Join a recreational sport league at work or church, or a group like Tampa Bay Club Sport.

25. Think long-term. Fitness now translates into a longer, more active life.

26. Don’t skip meals. Your body uses calories all day; depriving it makes no sense, says Marjie Gilliam, a certified personal trainer and fitness consultant.

27. Use oil sparingly. Better yet, use cooking spray or nonstick cooking pans.

28. Quick-fix toning: Try 10 sets of weight work on muscle groups you don’t usually pump. says J.C. Santana, director of the Institute of Human Performance in Boca Raton.

29. Tweak favorite recipes. Substitute ingredients for more healthful favorites, like chocolate cake and plantains, to lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure, and keep down the weight, say Florida Heart Research Institute experts.
30. Control cravings by consuming more fruits and vegetables, says New Jersey physician and nutritionist Joel Fuhrman.

31 You are what you eat. “I used to be a Vienna sausage, and now I’m fat-free licorice,“ says fitness guru Richard Simmons.

Source: http://www.jcfloridan.com/jcf/news/local/article/tips_to_get_healthy_in_2009/52683/

Printable version: http://static.mgnetwork.com/jcf/content/news/healthresolutions.pdf

Social Bookmarking