Never before have there been so many options available to support a better way of life. Members of CDPHP have many alternatives to get and stay healthy, ranging from numerous ways to maintain a balanced diet to a range of activity options (have you tried a group fitness class?).
Here are 12 easy ways to feel better from head to toe to help support all those wonderful options.
1. Add some steps to your day. Don’t search for the nearest parking spot when you arrive at work if you drive there. You can gain extra steps by parking a little bit further away. When you visit a mall or any other multi-story complex, try to take the stairs. If you find the stairs tough, divide the journey by using both the stairs and the elevator.
2. Think differently. Consider exercising as a means to better your life and take care of yourself rather than as a chore or something you have to do.
3. Make it fun! Indeed, you can enjoy yourself while working out. Get moving with the things you enjoy doing, whether it’s playing a quick game of ping pong or running around with your kids.
4. Don’t fear the beginning. If you’re unsure about where to start, you could be reluctant to get started. Consider enrolling in a fitness class. If you’re starting on your own, go slowly at first, don’t push yourself too hard, and gradually increase your level of activity and strength. (Bonus tip: You may start your workout at a CDPHP Fitness Connect location.)
5. Track your food, but not forever. Though you might not need to do it every day, keeping a journal of everything you eat can be beneficial. To gain more control over your nutrition, try keeping a short-term food diary for a month.
6. Be prepared. It will take more time to prepare your food in advance, but the effort will pay off in the end. One suggestion is to set aside a few hours on a Sunday to prepare two different dinners in large quantities. After that, you can divide up the meals and choose which days of the week to consume them.
7. Keep it simple. Even though the 49-ingredient meal you discovered seems wonderful, it can take four hours to prepare. Find dishes that pique your curiosity but don’t take up all of your time to prepare. (A bonus tip: Zipongo, an application that can assist you in making individualized, better meal choices at home and on the move, is available to CDPHP members.)
8. Make minor tweaks. A minor adjustment to your current diet may be beneficial. If you like pasta, consider incorporating healthier varieties (quinoa or whole wheat pastas are excellent substitutes). To help you feel full and prevent overindulging, you might even consider having a small salad as the first course of your dinner.
9. Ease that stress! Stress from job, family, and life itself can occasionally have a significant negative effect on your wellbeing. You can focus on the next work at hand and get your head clearer by going for a quick walk. Try to find some techniques to decompress that make you feel a little better. Set aside a short period of time each day to allow yourself to unwind and stop your thoughts from racing in a million different directions.
10. Make small changes that you feel good about. Your life can be positively impacted by even small adjustments in your attitude. Refrain from exerting yourself. Incorporate an enjoyable or anxiety-reducing activity that you eagerly anticipate into your schedule, since it can also aid in your decompressing.
11. Have a plan. Define your goals and create a plan of action to reach them. Set reasonable expectations for yourself. Making a vision board—a board with pictures or text that illustrates your objectives—can be beneficial for certain people.
12. Give yourself some credit. A simple “Way to go!” can be very beneficial at times. Give yourself credit for running, for instance, even if you only manage to complete ten minutes of it rather than dwelling on your inability to complete the run. Have you completed the task you were working on at home? Just allow yourself enough time to finish the task; you are capable of doing it.
