January is the month we are inundated with New Year’s resolutions. With a strong emphasis on fitness and health, it is no surprise that Canadians either avoid making resolutions all together or fail to keep them past Feb. 1.
Often taking on an exercise goal or making healthier lifestyle choices requires a commitment without the instantaneous results that many of us hope for. This year, I suggest a simpler approach to your health goals.
By adding in a few small changes, you will be more successful and notice the benefits long term.
1. Stand More, Sit Less
The issue: We are unfortunately a society of sitters. Sitting too much is a nation-wide epidemic. Think of an average day of a non-active job. We get up. Sit and eat breakfast. Sit and commute to work. Sit at a desk all day. Sit and commute back home. Sit and eat dinner. Sit and watch TV. Go to bed. Repeat the next day. Even with some daily exercise, it’s not enough to reverse the effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
What to do: STAND. Standing all day may not be practical, but whenever you can, try to do activities of daily living while standing. Whether it is talking on the phone, reading a book or folding laundry, try it in an upright position. Standing keeps our core activated, improves our posture, tones muscles, burns more calories, increases blood flow and makes us feel better.
2. You Are What You Eat
The issue: Abraham Lincoln once said: “When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion.” The same goes for what we put in our bodies. If we fuel our bodies with high fat, high sugar and processed food, it effects how we feel. It’s like putting bad gasoline into our cars and expecting them to run efficiently. If you eat terribly, you feel terrible. If you eat healthy, you feel healthier.
What to do: EAT CLEAN. Eating clean means fueling your body with real food. Choose fruits, vegetables, grains, lean proteins and healthy fats over processed foods. The Canadian Food Guide does a fantastic job at providing the proper nutrition guidelines across all ages. Even making one small change of increasing your fruit and vegetable intake has significant benefits. Before long, regularly filling up with healthy food will actually have you craving an apple versus a bag of chips.
3. Get More Sleep
The issue: When we are constantly sleep deprived, we go through the motions of daily life without being fully engaged. With exhaustion, we have less energy or patience to do anything, including exercising or making healthy meals.
We crave sugar, fat and caffeine, hoping it will give us a boost. The levels of leptin, which is the hormone that makes us feel full, drop when we don’t get enough sleep, making us hungrier and causing weight gain. Our bodies also start to break down. We need the recovery time that occurs when we sleep.
What to Do: SLEEP 7-8 HOURS A NIGHT. Falling asleep or getting enough sleep can be a challenge for many of us. Establish a winding down routine, create a pleasant sleep environment and try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Even on the weekends.
Like anything, our bodies get used to certain routines. It may take a while to break a bad sleep routine. but the long-term health and wellness benefits are well worth it.
Krista Popowych is an award-winning fitness professional and consultant based in Ladner.
