HEALTHYLiving 2018
Happy New Year! Happy new you? M
any people take the opportunity to greet a new year with goals to help make it the best year yet. Whether this is the first effort at health and fitness or the tenth, a bit of advice from experts can’t hurt, if you hope to keep safe along the way. A popular way to set your goals is the SMART method. The SMART acronym was first used in 1981. Created By Jeannie by consultant George T. Duran, Moraga, Special to the the acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Post-Register Realistic, and Time-bound. Setting a goal with these criteria in mind sets you up for success as the goal is clear and well-defined. For people starting out, the old advice of seeking your doctor’s counsel before jumping in still stands. In East Wenatchee, Dr. Glenn Hoey, ND, starts his patients out with a comprehensive blood evaluation in order to “understand where they’re coming from bio-chemically,” he said. “I call it the blueprint for who and where they are, a combination of what’s inherited and what’s been done; the choices they’ve made.” In addition, he uses nutritional tests to determine how well the immune system is functioning. By creating this blueprint, the starting point becomes clear and you can plot a course toward reaching the desired goal. “You’ve got to plan and understand what it’s going to be like” to reach the goal, Hoey said. Nutrition goals will
stand right alongside fitness goals. If you’re just getting back to exercise after a few years of inactivity, Hoey’s advice is simple: “Start slow!” A session or two with a trainer who will look over your history and your current state and get the plan started “slow and gentle so you can get some momentum and feel comfortable” may be the best way to get a successful start. Hoey suggested that planning your workout times will help you stick to the goal. “You have to build it into your mentality, schedule it,” just as you would any other regular meeting or activity, he said. In addition to a consistent workout schedule, knowing what to expect can keep you from feeling discouraged or giving up. “The body wants to heal,” Hoey said, so when healthy habits are started, there’s a “honeymoon response of feeling so much better, and that will last a couple weeks or a month.” However, the body follows this by releasing and removing the toxins built up in the liver, muscle and fat tissues. “You get that terrible feeling that you’re coming down with something, and it’s discouraging. It’s a good thing but may take a week or more where you have to scale back” your efforts until
the detoxing is complete. When exercising, the effort put in will yield more results than just the time spent, Hoey said. “What are you going to do in that time that you have?” asked Hoey. “You want bang for the buck. It doesn’t have to take a ton of time.” Challenging yourself will take your fitness to the next level. If exercise is a part of your life but cold weather and snow have curtailed your usual outdoor exercise, Hoey advised moving indoors with mall walking or regular visits to a gym. Exercise equipment at home is a great option – if you’ll use it. If you prefer exercising outdoors, activities like cross-country skiing and snowshoeing offer consistent calorie burning. “Just a trek in sturdy boots through the snow is challenging for the legs and body,” Hoey said. Beyond boots, Hoey advised dressing in layers to prevent overheating while still keeping warm during exercise. He also advised drinking water and limiting time outdoors to 30 to 60 minutes. Watch the conditions of the ground around you to avoid falls. He added that checking the traffic in
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A HEALTHY SPINE CAN INCREASE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE. ZOLMAN CHIROPRACTIC & MASSAGE Randy R. Zolman, DC, CCEP Chuck Libbert, LMP 110 C St. SW, Quincy | 787-1918