Hot Topic: Resolve to Live Healthy
The beginning of a new year often signals a time of change. Resolutions are made and sometimes quickly broken. Many people start the new year resolving to eat better and exercise more but find it difficult to stay on task.
A few simple decisions can help you keep those resolutions and lead a healthier lifestyle.
Setting realistic goals for yourself will make it easier to reach your personal objectives in the new year. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a healthy diet and regular physical activity can easily be achieved by making some of these easy, conscious decisions:
• Eat breakfast every day.
When you don't eat breakfast, you are likely to make up for the calories you saved by eating more later on in the day. Choose a quick, healthy breakfast option such as yogurt with fruit or toast with sliced banana and a bit of peanut butter. Many people who maintain long-term weight loss eat breakfast daily.
• Drink water.
Make water more appealing by keeping it cold in the fridge or adding a slice of fruit for flavor. Choosing water keeps you from drinking something else that may be loaded with calories and sugar. People who drink sugar-sweetened beverages tend to consume more calories.
• Eat smaller food portions.
When eating out, save some of your meal and take it home to make another meal or split one meal between two people. At home, try putting only the amount you want to eat in a small bowl and don't go back for more. People eat more when confronted with larger portion sizes.
• Maintain your physical activity routine.
Regular physical activity is an important part of maintaining weight loss. Keep up your good habits before, during, and after the New Year. If you need extra encouragement, be physically active with a friend or relative or start an activity that may have always interested you, such as gardening or bicycling.
• Prepare a healthy lunch at home and take it to work.
Taking your lunch to work helps you avoid last-minute lunch choices, which often result in selecting high-fat and high-calorie options. Think about healthy lunches before your next trip to the grocery store, and stock up on healthy food items so that making your lunch will be easy.
Resolve to make this year a healthy one for you and your family. From the Coastal Health District family to yours: Happy new year!
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