Living a Healthy Lifestyle

Living a Healthy LifestylePresented by: Christina CorsonHmmmA Healthy Lifestyle?You hear a lot about living a healthy lifestyle, but what does that mean?

In general, a healthy person doesn't smoke, over drink alcohol, or take drugs and is at a healthy weight, eats healthy and exercises.

Sounds simple, doesn't it?

When I think about healthy living..I think of three areas of interest.Body : Exercise and NutritionMind : We will discuss later in second presentationSpirit : What makes you happy? First we will discuss the Body:ExerciseNutrition

The trick to healthy living is making small changes...taking more steps, adding fruit to your cereal, switching to Greek yogurt, having an extra glass of water...these are just a few ways you can start living healthy without drastic changes. Just adding a little movement to your life can: Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes Improve joint stability Increase and improve range of movement Help maintain flexibility as you age Maintain bone mass Prevent osteoporosis and fractures Improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression Enhance self esteem Improve memory in elderly people Reduce stress

Even if you opt for small changes and a more modest weight loss, you can see the benefits are still pretty good.

One study has found that just a 10% weight reduction helped obese patients reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and increase longevity.Simple Ways to Move Your Body

You can start the process of weight loss now by adding a little more activity to your life. If you're not ready for a structured program, start small. Every little bit counts and it all adds up to burning more calories.

Turn off the TVOnce a week, turn off the TV and do something a little more physical with your family. Play games, take a walk...almost anything will be more active than sitting on the couch.

Walk moreLook for small ways to walk more. When you get the mail, take a walk around the block, take the dog for an extra outing each day or walk on your treadmill for 5 minutes before getting ready for work.

Do some choresShoveling snow (caution), working in the garden, raking leaves, sweeping the floor...these kinds of activities may not be 'vigorous' exercise, but they can keep you moving while getting your house in order.

Pace while you talkWhen you're on the phone, pace around or even do some cleaning while gabbing. This is a great way to stay moving while doing something you enjoy.

Be awareMake a list of all the physical activities you do on a typical day. If you find that the bulk of your time is spent sitting, make another list of all the ways you could move more--getting up each hour to stretch or walk, walk the stairs at work, etc.

Can you find the time???The time to invest in yourself? You have only one body for this lifetime.

1 day = 1440 minutes

Each day there are 1440 minutes a day.can you find the minutes to exercise?Now that we discussed small changes, lets talk about the recommendations..

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Recommends Adults:First, before starting any new exercise program, Check with your Doctor to make sure it is SAFE for you to start regular exercise.2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity(i.e., brisk walking) every week andmuscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).

~OR~1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity(i.e., jogging or running) every week andmuscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).

~OR~An equivalent mix of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).10 minutes at a time is fine

We know 150 minutes each week sounds like a lot of time, but you don't have to do it all at once.

Not only is it best to spread your activity out during the week, but you can break it up into smaller chunks of time during the day. As long as you're doing your activity at a moderate or vigorous effort for at least 10 minutes at a time.Give it a try

Try going for a 10-minute brisk walk, 3 times a day, 5 days a week. This will give you a total of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity.

Eating Well / NutritionEating a healthy diet is another part of the healthy lifestyle. Not only can a clean diet help with weight management, it can also improve your health and quality of life. You can use the new websites such as MyFitnessPal or MyPlate to determine how many calories you need and what food groups you should focus on. Or, you can use these tips for simple ways to change how you eat:

Eat more fruit. Add it to your cereal, or your salads .Sneak in more veggies. Add them wherever you can--a tomato on your sandwich, peppers on your pizza, or extra veggies in your pasta sauce. Keep pre-cut or canned/frozen veggies ready for quick snacks.

Try to grocery shop on the outer isles.fresh and not processed foods.Switch your salad dressing. If you eat full-fat dressing, switch to something lighter and you'll automatically eat less calories. Eat low-fat or fat-free dairy. Switching to skim milk or fat free yogurt is another simple way to eat less calories without having to change too much in your diet. Make some substitutes. Look through your cabinets or fridge and pick 3 foods you eat every day. Write down the nutritional content and, the next time you're at the store, find lower-calorie substitutes for just those 3 items. Create a food log. 3500 Calories= 1 lb. of fat.Calories in = calories out in losing or maintaining weight.

Creating a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to mean drastic changes. In fact, drastic changes almost always lead to failure. Making small changes in how you live each day can lead to big rewards, so figure out what you can to be healthy today.

MindHaving a healthy mind means you found peace within yourself.Having acceptance of who you are. Enjoying the great things about yourself. Acknowledging the things you could change or do better at.Nobody is perfect.we all make mistakes. Do not quit, instead change your course to reach your goals!GOAL SETTING FOR A HEALTHY MIND:What am I reading to support a Healthy Mind? What areas do I want to excel at? (running, walking, hiking, Jazzercise) Am I keeping a positive attitude by listening to positive people? Am I making good choices for Television and Movie viewing? Do I listen to positive and uplifting music?

Have I found a Positive Book that will help keep my mind in shape? Am I keeping a journal of important events and writing my life story? Am I developing my Artistic Talents or enjoying Hobbies for relaxation and/or fun? Do I share my happy and sad experiences with others so they can learn from my life's wisdom?

Mind and Spirit Personal StoryMass in Dublin, Ireland.

SpiritSpiritual health is known as the good connection between mind, body and soul. Having a good spiritual health does not necessarily mean you have a good overall health, but it definitely helps to keep your stress levels down and is good for the overall mood and well being.Your spiritual health may or may not be relevant to your religious beliefs.

Here are five steps to reach a healthy spirit

Set Aside Spare Time for YourselfThis initial step does not mean carving out thirty minutes or an hour each day. It means taking five minutes whenever you can.This can prove difficult if you feel you dont have any time for yourself, and you have to exercise, so make it simple in the beginning by simply standing up and stretching your body any way you can. You might read your favorite author or fashion magazine. It can be embracing your own approach to prayer or meditation, saying affirmations or performing visualization exercises. The key behind this step is not necessarily what you do but that you give yourself a break from everyday tasks while also giving yourself a chance to focus on your own spiritual well-being.Time ManagementThis is another step that even the most proficient individuals can easily overlook. If youre going to spend time for yourself each day, then plan it! The twenty-four hours in a day are spent mostly sleeping and working, whether that work is regarding your job or not. A little time for your interests and hobbies gives complete mental relaxation and keeps you vitalized for your personal life as well as your professional career. Try to learn time management wisely; you will better handle your daily life responsibilities, and a wonderful byproduct is decreasing your anxiety and stress levels.

Interact with NatureIf you do not have time to get out and enjoy your local park or head to the hills for hiking, then try to start your day by spending time in your garden every morning. Or, slowly walk into work from your car very slowly taking deep breathes.The interaction with nature helps you restore your sense of peace in what can be a very stressful world. Less stress means increased overall wellness.

Remember Your HobbiesOur hobbies are great escapes from the reality and life that surround us each day. When you are working on something that feeds your passion, you not only able to break the potential of being bored with life but can also use this as an opportunity to expand your skills by working through the challenges and learning a new hobby. Finding a hobby you truly enjoy brings a sense of inner joy. Creating crafts, food experiments, team environment participation, candle making, dress designing, etc., allows you to share that delight and joywhich in turns feeds your spirit.Be HelpfulIf you can do something to improve or advance a relationshipwhether it is with a neighbor, spouse or stranger walking down the streetthen follow your heart and be helpful. If you can be open to sharing some of your time that will support another, then the result is your feeling a sense of pride. Doing this will feed your soul and your spirit.T I M E. Yes, it all comes down to how you spend your time in and out of your career and family obligations. If you are spending time on what feeds you, nourishes your spirit and fuels your passions, then you can easily and simply improve your overall spiritual health and wellness.

My Yearly ChallengesSet challenges for myself to grow and learn from new challenging experiences.5K Run (2007)10K Run (2008)Adult Hip Hop Class with Recital (2009)Triathlon (2010)Overseas class in Ireland (2011)Half Marathon (2012)

As you can see.The Mind, Body, and Spirit are all interconnected! All are important and need attention to achieve health.It is up to you to live the life you want. Its your choice.Thank you!!!Any Questions or comments?