Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/67888
My Exercise Regular exercise doesn't always mean hitting the gym: Pledge to take the dog on a brisk walk or take a lap around your office every hour! This week I will: Make Your Plan to Get Fit To build a fitness program fit for you, follow these tips from Core Athletic's Kane Sivesind: 1. Start slowly. You'll enjoy it more and still see results. 2. Switch it up. Running isn't the only way to health and weight loss. Walking, mobility training and strength training can also make you look and feel better. 3. Strive to feel better. Don't run your body into the ground. Even a 10-minute walk during the day or 20 minutes of stretching or resistance band exercises while you watch TV can do wonders for your health and metabolism. UW Health's Vonda Shaw Get Moving wants you to remember two words: Movement matters. "If we could package all the benefits of physical activity into a medicine, indeed it would be the most highly prescribed medicine," she says. Not only does physical activity burn calories but it plays a direct role in improving heart health numbers such as your LDL, triglycerides and blood pressure. Shaw's prescription for physical activity: Thirty minutes of moderately intense activity five days a week or 20 minutes of vigorous activity three days a week, along with strength training and gentle stretching. ___________________________ get my goal of three hours of exercise in? Park farther away, take a break to do 10 minutes of exercise. "How can I That's my start!" Cara Vanderlin, Team Heart and Sole Whatever you do, don't mention the word diet. Healthy eating is about making sensible choices. "Your own risk factors [for heart disease] require Eat Your Way to Health different approaches," says UW Health's Gail Underbakke. To start, she suggests following these guidelines: Build a healthy plate: Half of your dinner plate should be filled with vegetables, one-quarter a lean protein, and one-quarter a carbohydrate. Eat four times a day: Don't skip breakfast, and eat about every four hours. Plan meals ahead: Plan your pantry for dinner success and freeze meals on weekends for mid-week meltdowns! Buy nutritious snacks to keep within reach at home, work and on the go. From there, focus on your needs. If you already eat low-fat dairy products, try eating more vegetables, and so on. My Nutrition Keep a food journal for the small changes consistently can be enough to see the progress "Making you're after." Gail Underbakke, UW Health next several days. Do you notice any trouble spots? Whether you're a stressed-out snacker or often too tired to cook, get help with expert tips and easy recipes at GoRedForWomen.org! Smart Shopping To eat right, you need to have the right foods on hand. Be a smart shopper by following these BetterU tips: 1. Make a list. My Numbers Set a date with your doctor to check-in. Total cholesterol _______________ LDL ______________ HDL ______________ Triglycerides _______ Blood pressure ________________ Fasting glucose ________________ Body mass index (BMI) __________ Waistline (inches) __________ moving toward a healthy future! Keep There will be days you Take Stock reset my expectations for myself. I did not challenge has taught me that it is OK to go back and "The feel like you've failed, where the scale hasn't moved, your kids are whiney and the laundry has piled up. fail, I learned." Terri Redmond, Team Rubicon That's when Mirgain has one suggestion: "Give yourself credit for what you are do- ing." Don't give up. Rewrite your goals and get a new start. Remember, small steps lead to big changes, and one step back doesn't mean you can't take another one forward. 2. Shop the perimeter. Keep to the outer lanes of your grocery store, where fresh foods are found. 3. Keep your cart smart. An easy way to not load your cart with junk? Only put fresh, low-fat foods in the main part of your cart. Reserve the small child seat for less healthy options. It's always the last thing we think to Give Yourself a Break do, but slowing down and taking a quiet moment for ourselves can be a lifesaver. "We become our own source of stress," says UW Health's Lugene Chicks. "We are such an up-regu- lated society that we have little time or inclination to pause and be aware of what is going on within us and around us. Meditation allows us to pause and practice awareness." Meditation doesn't mean chanting or clearing your mind of all thoughts; it's about taking a moment to pause, breathe and be quiet. Head to UWHealth.org to find mindfulness meditation practices you can do in 10 minutes at home. May 2012 bravamagazine.com 61