Your Quarterly WHOLE-BODY WELLBEING NEWS LETTER
Our habits influence our health in many ways. You might have habits that help you stay healthy, such as taking a walk every day. Or you might have some habits you want to change, such as smoking or eating too much sugar. Changing a habit takes time and effort, but you can do it. Keep a reason (or two) in mind as you work toward change. Enlist the help of a friend, community resource, or support group to stay accountable. Looking to make a healthy change in your life? Read on for some ideas!
SET SMART GOALS
• Specific: Avoid vague statements like, “eat healthier.”
• Measurable: Track milestones and know when you have met them.
• Action-oriented: Commit to your change and take action to meet it.
• Realistic: Avoid lofty, difficult changes.
• Time-based: Give yourself a deadline to meet certain steps toward your goal.
SELF-CARE STEPS TO SUCCES S
Making a change in your life? Start sma of exercise that you love, make small nu dinner at home. Remember to be patient
EASY WAYS TO MOVE!
Here are some ways to get moving throughout the day:
• Have 5 minutes? Stretch. Take breaks from sitting at work or home by standing up and stretching your back, forearms, wrists, legs, and hamstrings. Among the benefits: more energy, better circulation, and less muscle tension and stress.
• Have 10-15 minutes? Take a brisk walk. Head out during your lunchtime. Take walking meetings with coworkers. Plan a quick trip around the neighborhood. Walking helps maintain a healthier blood pressure, boosts metabolism, curbs stress, and possibly reduces breast and colorectal cancer risk. Just keep in mind that brisk walking yields more benefits than a casual stroll. So you should feel a little out of breath and feel your heart beating a little faster.
• Have 20-30 minutes? Tidy the house. Tidying up does more than limit couch time. It can also qualify as aerobic activity. To get your heart rate up, focus on repetitive activities that use large muscle groups, like the legs and back. This includes vacuuming, mopping, scrubbing, gardening, and even taking multiple trips upstairs to put away laundry.
• Have just 1-2 minutes? Take the stairs. Skip the elevator or escalator and take the stairs at work and when doing errands. Stairs get your heart pumping, build muscle, strengthen bones, and burn calories. The more often you take one step at a time, the bigger the payoff.
Did you know? Sitting for extended periods can raise the chances of developing cancer even for people who exercise regularly, says recent research.
Taking just one- to two-minute breaks from sitting may help lower your cancer risk. Even short spurts of movement can help minimize inflammation, insulin resistance, and long-term weight gain—all factors that make it harder for the body to fight off cancer.
all to increase the likelihood of success! Find a form utritional changes such as packing a lunch or cooking — it can take several weeks to form a new habit.
FIND YOUR FITNESS PERSONALITY!
Finding a fitness activity that suits you is a big factor in how much you’ll enjoy exercise and stick with it long enough to reap the benefits. Do any of the following descriptions of fitness personalities sound like you? If so, read the “hint for success” that pertains to each one.
THE WEEKEND WARRIOR
The weekend warrior is sedentary throughout the work week and binges on exercise or sports over the weekend.
Hint: Add minimal activity (even as little as 15 minutes twice per week) during the week to help condition your heart and lungs, sustain muscular endurance, and prevent strains or injuries on the weekend.
THE FANATIC
The fanatic thinks that if a moderate exercise is good, then a lot is better. He or she always tries to work out a little more, a lot harder, or more intensely than others, and feels anxious and irritable if he or she misses a workout.
Hint: Fitness should be a pleasure, not an addiction or ball and chain.
THE SOCIAL BUTTERFLY
The social butterfly has difficulty sticking with a solo fitness program, and loves to chat and mingle with other participants in a group.
Hint: Don’t always depend on group activities or other people to enable you to meet your fitness goals. Be willing to go it alone if you must.
THE CANNONBALL
The cannonball jumps into a fitness program with a burst of energy and determination but loses enthusiasm a few weeks later.
Hint: Don’t try to do too much, too soon, or you’ll probably burn out after 2 or 3 weeks. It takes 10 to 12 weeks to start to see the results of your efforts.
THE FLIPPER
The flipper dabbles in one activity, then quickly abandons it for another, and is related to the cannonball. Sometimes he or she may remain inactive for long intervals between flurries of activity.
Hint: Real fitness results from consistent efforts, over the long term.
THE ANALYST
The analyst loves exercise gadgets and equipment. He or she reads lots of fitness books and magazines and likes to talk about the benefits of exercise.
Hint: This is not a problem if you actually pursue the activities you’re learning about. But remember, the important thing is to get out and move.
Building resilience: HOW TO DO IT
Life throws unexpected things at everyone. This can be everyday things, like spilling coffee on your shirt before a meeting. Or it can be major things, like a scary health diagnosis or the death of a loved one.
One thing is certain: We can’t control many of these challenges. But they don’t have to define who you are. You can learn how to deal with them in healthy ways and bounce back. In other words, you learn to be resilient.
WHAT IS RESILIENCE?
Resilience doesn’t mean your life will be easy. And it definitely doesn’t mean you should pretend everything is great all the time. To be resilient, you will have to experience some challenges. And when those challenges happen, you learn actions and thoughts that help you rebuild your life.
Being resilient takes practice. It’s like learning to play an instrument or building muscles with exercise. The more you do it, the better and easier it gets.
Resilience has four main parts:
• Connection
• Wellness
CONNECTION
Put your relationships first. Time with friends or family members helps you mentally and physically. Everyone needs to be alone sometimes, but don’t isolate yourself when bad things happen. Use the power of community to get back on your feet. Join a support group or call a friend regularly.
WELLNESS
Healthy habits will help you be more resilient. Exercise, get enough sleep and eat healthy foods. Try prayer, mindfulness or yoga. These things give your body and mind strength to deal with challenges. Avoid alcohol, drugs or risky behaviors.
HEALTHY THINKING
How you think affects how you feel. Accept that changes happen in life and that some are out of your control. Hope for a better future and find ways to make it better each day. Learn from past mistakes. Accept that worry doesn’t help.
MEANING
•
Meaning
Help others or volunteer. Acknowledge your feelings during hard times. Then ask yourself what you can do about the problem. When hard things happen, ask yourself how you can grow and become a better person. Healthy thinking
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