STAY HEALTHY!!!

Fight Colds and Flu
 

Worried about catching the flu or getting too many colds this winter? Although there is no way to guarantee that you won’t get sick (even if you did get the flu shot), there are some things you can do easily to try and stay healthy:

• Wash your hands! Every time you return home from an outing, head to the sink and wash hands briskly with soap and warm water, for at least 20 seconds. Have your kids wash their hands as soon as they get home from school as well. This is truly the best way to avoid unnecessary germs.
• Minimize your exposure to others who may have the flu while they are sick.
• Take care of yourself! Eat well, get enough shut-eye and try to keep stress levels down. The holiday season is picking up – which means your stress levels may be on the rise – but not taking care of yourself can have harmful effects on your immune system.

Make Sure You Get Your ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ’s

Sleep Less, Weigh More
 

Skimping on sleep may be curtailing your efforts to lose weight, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Sleep deprivation affects behavior (i.e., not making good choices when we are tired) and appetite-related hormones. It was found that both adults and children who obtained fewer hours of sleep were more likely to be overweight.

In children ages 5-10, the risk of being overweight or obese increased by 42% in children who were sleeping 10.5-11.5 hours per night compared to those sleeping 12-13 hours per night. The risk was more than 3 times greater in children obtaining just 8-10 hours per night. The risk of being overweight and obese increased in adults who slept less than 7 hours per night.

Find Your Focus

Be Present in Your Activities
 

Learning to live with the pressures of daily life can be very challenging. One way to get more out of living is to fully experience the activities that we do. Whether it’s grocery shopping or cleaning out a closet – if your mind is elsewhere while you’re trying to do an activity, you end up feeling frazzled when you’re done. Try to focus on the activity at hand and fully experience what you’re doing. When stressful thoughts occur try keeping them at bay and make a point of staying focused on the work at hand. You’ll find your activity more enjoyable and you’ll be less tired when you’re done.

Go Mini

Be on the Lookout for Mini-Portions
 

A great way to cut down on unwanted calories is to look for special new portions now being offered in many restaurant chains around the country. Many restaurants now include “half size” menu items that fit perfectly with your Lean & Green Meal portion size requirements.

Even if it’s not on the menu, try asking your server for a smaller portion of your favorite meal, or consider sharing with a friend!

How Much And How Fast Are You Eating?

Biting Off More Than You Can Chew
 

Are you usually the first one finished at the dinner table? If so, you may be biting off more than you can chew. We are often in such a rush that we forget to chew slowly and thoroughly, and actually savor our food!

Digestion begins in the mouth, and chewing each bite for approximately 30 seconds aids the digestive process and helps the body absorb the food more effectively. Eating slowly also aids in eating less by allowing you to become more in tune with your feelings of satiety. Put your silverware down between bites to help with this. Don’t load up your fork or spoon either; it’s difficult to properly chew large mouthfuls, and doing so can be a choking hazard.

Where Are You???

Be Present Now
Are you going through the motions, always thinking of other things while doing your daily activities? If so, you are missing out on the moment! Today’s high-powered lifestyle sometimes leaves little time for thoughtful introspection. But you can try to focus much more on the activities you are partaking in NOW and think about the next steps later. This can help you to be more aware of your behaviors and achieving your goals.

 

 

 

 

You ARE a role model

Be a Role Model
Help your children learn healthy eating habits by being a role model of healthy eating yourself! It’s important to instill healthy habits in children very early, so they become part of their everyday lifestyle. Some ideas: keep cut up fruit and veggies around for snacks, make less fried “kiddie” food opting for grilled or baked dishes instead and keep sugary foods down to a minimum.

 

 

The Power of Writing

Wake Up and Write
Writing is a very useful tool for de-stressing and venting. Here’s one way to use writing to help unclutter your thoughts and make your day stress free. Put a pad and pen next to your bed. The minute you wake up, before you do anything, write. Write any and everything that comes to mind. Write for a few minutes. Keep the pages or tear them up symbolically. Either way you’ll feel a great sense of relief!

 

 

Start TODAY

Never Too Old to Start
Fitness magazines may brim with sleek, attractive young women, but exercise is just as critical for older women. After the age of 40, a woman loses between 1/3 and 1/2 pound of muscle each year and gains that much in fat.

The main components of a fitness program can help protect women as they age. Cardio offers protection against heart disease – the number one health risk that women face. A regular strength-training program can help preserve bone tissue and lean muscle (and, along with it, your strength and a slimmer figure). And flexibility training can help improve balance and protect against falls. So don’t keep making excuses – find out what exercise is right for you and start working out!

 

UNPLUG!

Turn off the Tube!
As the days become shorter and colder, it’s easy to plop on the couch in front of the boob tube with your family to pass the wintry nights. However, too much time in front of the TV can actually cause obesity according to studies. Experts recommend no more than two hours of TV watching a day!