Citizens Memorial Hospital | Vitality | Spring 2022

citizensmemorial.com 9 GETTINGSTARTED IS EASY Most people don’t need to see a doctor to begin a walking program. But you may want to do that if you have a chronic health condition, you’re over 40 years old or you haven’t been active in a while. Once you get the green light to start a walking program, follow these tips for a successful and safe time: Set small, doable goals to start. Experts say an adult exercise routine should include about 150 minutes per week of moderately intense aerobic exercise such as brisk walking. (When you walk at a brisk pace, you can carry on a conversation and breathe without much effort.) But you may want to start with a more doable goal. Even a 10-minute walk, a few times a week, is a good start. Gradually work your way up to longer walks at a brisk pace. That’s when many of the health benefits of walking start to kick in. Meeting your goals will put more wind at your back. 1} Be aware of your surroundings. If you wear earphones, keep the volume low enough so you can hear traffic and other sounds. Wear bright colors when walking in low light. 2} Enlist a walking buddy. Active fun with a walking partner can increase your motivation. 3} Have a bad-weather plan. Consider walking in an indoor mall in rain or cold weather. Or plot a walking path in your home. 4} Change up your walking route from time to time. Variety keeps exercise interesting. Walk a different route, for instance. Or go for a shorter walk one day and a longer one the next. 5} Track your progress. Monitor how far you can walk with a step counter, a phone app or a journal. You’ll feel great when you see how far you’ve come. Sources: American Heart Association; Arthritis Foundation; National Institutes of Health FIVEWEIGHT-LOSS TIPS THAT REALLYWORK According to the National Weight Control Registry, 98% of people in the registry who have dropped pounds and kept them off did so by changing their eating habits, and 94% increased their physical activity. Here is how you can do those things too. Start easy. Set realistic, short-term weight-loss goals, and work your way up to your long-term goals. For example, aim to lose (and keep off) just 3% to 5% of your body weight to start. Track your eating habits. Use a food diary or tracking app to understand what you eat, how much and when. Knowing when you are more likely to overindulge enables you to break that habit faster. Size matters. Cut back on your portions to reach a reasonable serving size. That’ll help you meet your daily caloric goal. Choose smarter. Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These can keep you feeling fuller longer. Sit less, move more. Walk, dance or do any other form of exercise you like to get your heart pumping. Try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity each week. » Eat this combination of food (or avoid these particular foods) to burn fat fast. » Lose 30 pounds in 30 days. What dishonest advertisers really want is for you to spend your money on a product or plan. That could include signing up for a recurring monthly subscription that can be difficult to stop or getting hit with additional fees instead of the advertised rate. In short, if a weight-loss promise seems too good to be true, it probably is. Additional sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; American Heart Association

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