Here are random suggestions collected from health buffs (and aspiring health buffs) who want to meet certain health goals in 2011:
1. First of all, ask yourself what is keeping you away from reaching your goal. Do you have a cookie jar in your desk or in your drawer? Do you pop a cookie in your mouth to overcome any problem or emotional stress? Do you have the phone numbers of fast foods stuck to your wall ready to call for delivery whenever boredom or depression hits you?
2. Start making health goals.
3. What time do you get up in the morning? If you’re used to late hours, you can try making a huge change — sleep early and get up early to exercise.
4. Spend money on a trip or attend an event that will leave you with pleasant memories instead of going for heavy meals from time to time.
5. Is eating out a regular routine for you? For a change, try spending one weekend each month to cook up some healthy food you can grab and eat for the week, like vegetable-packed soups.
6. Go slow with diet supplements. Some of them may have side effects.
7. Are you a nut freak? Try to control the calories by reducing the portion size each time you buy, such as the 100-calorie walnuts and almonds. One trick is to count out about 15 nuts and eat them one at a time, rather than dipping in and taking handful after handful.
8. Control your carbohydrate intake. If you eat bread, you can skip the pasta.
9. Add more fiber to your diet and choose brown rice rather than plain white rice.
10. Do you know that consuming more dark leafy greens can reduce your risk of colon cancer?
11. Iron-rich foods such as cereals and dark leafy green vegetables can keep you in tip-top shape, but you can spike up on greens such as mustard and spinach by making a flavorful and nutritious punch instead of eating them.
12. A serving of calcium-rich yogurt can help your body metabolize fat.
13. For a refreshing twist and variation, add fresh mint springs and a slice of cucumber to your glass of regular water to drink.
14. Chopped mushrooms can take the place of meat or poultry in your recipes.
15. For a change in your workout routine, say goodbye to your treadmill for a while and explore the real trails around the island.
16. Need to go to the store to buy something? If the weather permits, why not abandon your car keys and walk or bike instead?
17. Have you enrolled in a fitness program already? If not, check out Gold’s Gym in Garapan and see what programs will fit your schedule and your goals.
18. Including cold-water fish in your diet at least once a week can perk you up.
19. Is breakfast a part of your daily routine? If not yet, make some changes and make it a priority. You can start with eggs, oatmeal and fruit smoothies.
20. Are you planning an extravagant dinner tonight? Try to eat light during day.
21. Improve your health by adding healthy spices to your dishes. Think of cinnamon, turmeric, cumin and others.
22. House chores need not be a burden if you start thinking of them as a form of exercise.
23. Stay away from meat and stick to vegetables for two or three meals a week.
24. One 20-minute walk burns only 100 calories. This should give you an idea how many minutes you need to walk each day.
25. Avoid late-night snacking. For nocturnal persons, this may require a real effort and willpower to shut off the kitchen lights and stay away from the refrigerator but if you’re determined, you can do it.
26. Spend time to stand up whenever you can. More calories are burned when you are standing up than sitting down.
27. Put fresh flowers or light scented candles in the kitchen to divert your smell from the food. It can help to make you eat less.
28. Plan active dates with your friends and take aerobic or dance classes, play tennis or go skating instead of indulging in heavy meals in restaurants.
29. Eat a protein-packed meal an hour after you work out to refuel muscles and help them recover.
30. Does your idea of barbeque limited to chicken and meat? Go for a healthy variation. Why not grill bananas, mushrooms, lettuce, pineapples and other vegetables instead.
31. When outdoors, take care of your skin and don’t forget sunscreen and other sun-protective gear UV-protected like sunglasses.
32. A few minutes siesta in the afternoon can help boost your energy.
33. Get at least seven hours of sleep at night.
34. Is there a set of spare clothes in your car? Keep one so you don’t have an excuse not to go for a workout anytime after work.
35. Breakfast and lunch are two important meals that should not be missed.
36. So you’ve lost some pounds after a series of agonizing workouts? Never make the mistake of rewarding yourself with a slice of cake or ice cream as strong as the temptation may be. You can treat yourself to a new exercise clothes or equipment instead.
37. Craving for sweets? Try popping a sugarless gum or sucking a lollipop to divert your craving.
38. Go small. Order small-sized foods each time you eat out. Not only will you save yourself from too much calorie intake but you save on money too.
39. You cannot overhaul your whole lifestyle in a day but you can try focusing on one or few goals and meet them one at a time.
40. With Thanksgiving and Christmas calories still lurking in your system, and with the upcoming New Year’s feast, chances are you may find it hard to control from eating too much. Try to take a few laps around your place to make you feel better.
41. Whatever your goals and plans are, keep going. Remember, it takes weeks before you develop a habit. Don’t stop when you feel bored or tired on the second week.
42. And finally, the eternal rule — never go shopping on an empty stomach. Have you experienced how everything smells and tastes too good while wandering down the store aisles when you’re hungry?
I’ve done it countless times and always bought things that I don’t need and won’t eat. You might even want to munch on Pedigree.
Whatever your health goals are, stick to them and good luck in 2011!
