Ten Lifestyle Goals for LIVING WELL and Losing Weight

The number one New Year’s Resolution across the United States each year is to “Lose Weight”. This month we will empower you, your business and family with healthy lifestyle goals to assist you in Meeting and exceeding your New Year’s Resolution’s in 2008 to “LOSE WEIGHT” and change your LIFE!!

1) Get adequate rest daily: People with the best health and longevity get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep daily. Taking time for daily relaxation and recreation is also helpful to the body and mind.
2) Get regular physical activity: At least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise five days per week or vigorous intensity exercise for at least 20 minutes three days each week. Depending on how overweight you are you may likely need to increase the time and/ or days per week of physical activity to meet your goals. Include strengthening exercises at least 2+ times each week to maintain a healthy lean body weight…increase this frequency if you need to lose weight. Work on your flexibility and total body range of motion daily.
3) Eat more plant based foods: Aim for at least 5 (up to 9 is recommended) servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Limit fatty meats (or trim excess off of your steak, pork chops), and high cholesterol foods. Good sources of plant proteins for your body are; peas, beans, nuts and soy foods. Eating 5+ servings (1 palm full) of nuts each week is one of the best health habits you can make for your heart and health in 2008!! Multiple large population long term research studies have found those who ate 5+ servings of nuts each week reduced their heart disease risks by 50-60%, and improved blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Let’s GO NUT’s in 2008!!
4) Eat more whole grain breads and cereals: Aim for at least 3 servings of whole grains daily such as; whole wheat breads and cereals, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and oatmeal. Limit your intake of highly refined products such as white bread, pastry (cookie/ donuts/ bars/ pie), white rice and high sugar cereals.
5) Choose healthy fats: Choose unhydrogenated vegetable oils and trans fat free margarine in place of animal and solid fats such as butter, hard stick margarine, and shortening. Eat at least 1 serving of nuts daily (1 oz of nuts or 2 tablespoons of peanut or almond butter). Eat foods high in Omega 3 fatty acids daily such as; walnuts, soy, flax meal, soy and canola oils.
6) Achieve and Maintain a Healthy Weight: A BMI less than 25 is ideal. A BMI of 25.1 to 29.9 is overweight/ moderate risk and 30 or above is high risk (obesity). Testing your body composition (muscle/ lean tissue vs fat) is an even better predictor for your bodies health than BMI. A waist measurement of less than 37 for men and less than 33 inches for women is Healthy for the reduction of heart disease risks factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes risk factors.
7) Be FREE of dependence on tobacco, illicit drugs, or alcohol: 85,000 people die prematurely every year due to alcohol and over 400,000 people die prematurely every year from smoking. Drug use can lead to dependencies that can destroy physical, mental, and spiritual health.
8) Maintain a Cheerful, Hopeful Outlook on LIFE: Choose to see the bright side of life. Be Happy!! Laugh a lot!! Pass on Joy, Hope and Encouragement to those you work and live with daily. HUG and tell those whom you LOVE daily!! Get help if you feel sad and depressed for extended periods of time.
9) Spend Quality Time with Family and Friends Daily: Supportive relationships build strong hearts and happy minds!! They also build and improve Customer Service in your company and family. Practice a spirit of friendship, love and acceptance for others. Share a random act of kindness with someone you live or work with daily and watch your spirit soar!!
10) Take time daily for Spiritual Renewal: Plan a quiet time each day to read, pray, meditate, and seek spiritual renewal. A heart primed with gratitude, forgiveness, and service helps you soar over life’s difficulties and challenges!!

Make a PLEDGE for 2008: It is ________________ (your full name here) heart’s desire today to take the time and hard work necessary to make my Health (Body, Mind and Spirit) a personal priority in my life so I can be the best Spouse, Father/ Mother to my children, Employee/ Leader/ Owner in the workplace, and Servant in my community. I will do this with the help of my creator and accountability partner who has signed this pledge below.

__________________________________Name (Signature)
Date _______________________

Sources:
Ten Lifestyle Goals for Healthy Living by Wellsource Inc. 2003-5. www.wellsource.com
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2005: 81:409-15 Feb 2005