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It's 2023 and many people are using the start of the new year to start living a healthier lifestyle . Vowing to exercise more, eat healthier and lose weight are my top three New Year's resolutions, but how do I achieve and finish them?
Health consultant Ellie Henderson shows us some steps to help you get started and reach your health and fitness goals.
"Some of us look for those bad diets or crazy workout plans; they're looking for something new," Henderson said.
"It's not new, it's been this way for years."
Every January we see people flocking to the gym to follow the latest trends, but Henderson recommends starting with the basics: healthy eating and exercise.
Here are his tips on how to get started and what to focus on.
- Take inventory of your lifestyle. Where do you come from for healthy eating and exercise? What more do you need to do?
"We know if we're not exercising at all, we know if we're eating too much processed food, maybe eating too much and things like that, so don't worry too much about what other people are doing." Henderson said.
"Find these areas and then you can see more clearly."
- Focus on nutrient-dense foods and beverages, limit foods high in added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium, and stay within calorie limits according to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans .
Adult women need 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day and adult men need 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day.
"The first thing is to ditch the diet. I know it sounds a little counterintuitive, but we just want to choose a sustainable, healthy way to eat for life and then find a diet that works for you. Work," Henderson said.
- Include a variety of foods in your diet and pay attention to portion sizes. Complex carbohydrates: fiber-rich whole grains. Fruits and vegetables. Lean sources of protein and vegetable fats, such as nuts and avocados.
"This means that when you're eating, get rid of all distractions and really focus on the taste of the food, put your fork down, chew each bite thoroughly, and swallow before taking your next bite, " Henderson said .
"Listen to your body to tell you when it's really hungry and when it's full. These are very simple things that are often forgotten, but they can make a big difference in our health."
- When it comes to exercise, remember that it's all about moving your body.
Adults need 150 minutes (two and a half hours) of physical activity per week. That's 30 minutes a day, five days a week, according to the CDC .
This physical activity looks different for each person. You can spread this activity out over a week and break it down into smaller chunks each day.
"Find an activity that you enjoy. You don't have to go to the gym or just run. You know, maybe you're going out and dancing and building obstacle courses with your kids and playing with them, like, "That's exercise. which increases the heart rate."
"So find an activity that you enjoy and remember that it doesn't have to be all at once."
- To help you stick to your commitments, make a plan and find ways to stay accountable.
“Look at your week and make sure you know what days and times I can work. Put it on your calendar and figure out what you're going to do," Henderson said.
"And go back to the task, find someone who can join you and ask them, because then you're more likely to actually do it."