Want
to feel better, look better, and have more energy? Being
healthy and active is the best place to start.
Why
Move More and Eat Better?
Being active and making smart food choices is good for your
health. But that's not the only reason to move more and
eat better. You can:
•
have more energy
• fit into hip, trendy clothes
• tone your body (without losing your curves!)
• reduce stress, boredom, or the blues
• feel good about yourself.
Tips
on Moving More
Physical
activity can be fun!
Do things you enjoy like:
•
dancing
• roller skating
• brisk walking
• playing sports
• bicycling
If you
can, be active with a friend or a group-that way, you can
cheer each other on, have company while you exercise, and
feel safer when you're outdoors. Find a local school track
where you can walk or run, go for a stroll in a local park,
or join a recreation center near your home or work.
Don't have time to exercise? It's easy to move more by making
these small changes in your daily routine:
•
Get off the bus or subway one stop early and walk the
rest of the way.
• Get up and stretch during TV commercials.
• Clean or walk around the house while you talk on
a cordless or cell phone.
Look
Good as You Get Fit
If you don't exercise because it will ruin your hairstyle,
try:
•
a natural hairstyle that holds up to frequent shampoos
• a short haircut that's easy to wash and wear
• braids, twists, or locks that stay in place while
you work out
• a style that you can pull back with a headband
or "scrunchies."
TIP:
Day-to-day activities can cause salt buildup in your hair.
To remove salt, shampoo with a mild, pH-balanced product
at least once a week.
Tips
on Eating Better
It's
hard to eat right when you don't feel like cooking or there's
a fast-food place on every corner. Here are some simple
things you can do to eat better:
•
Start the day with breakfast.
• Order a hamburger without sauce or fries, or a
grilled chicken sandwich (not fried).
• Choose low-fat or nonfat milk instead of whole
milk or a regular milkshake.
• Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Go easy on mayonnaise, creamy sauces, and added
butter.
• Don't let soda or other sweets crowd out healthy
foods.
• Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day.
TIP:
Many food labels say "low-fat," "reduced
fat," or "light." That doesn't always mean
the food is low in calories. Sometimes nonfat or low-fat
muffins or desserts have added sugar. Remember, calories
do count!
Many
people think that bigger is better. We're so used to super-size
servings that it's easy to eat more than our bodies need.
Eating smaller portions will help you cut down on calories
and fat (and save money!).
Even take-out and high-fat foods can be part of a balanced
diet, if you don't eat them every day and don't eat too
much of them. Here are sensible serving sizes for some favorite
foods:
•
French fries: 1 small serving (equal to a child's order)
• Shrimp fried rice:1 cup
• Cheese pizza: 2 small slices or 1 large slice
TIP:
Do you eat in front of the TV out of habit? Do you eat
when you're bored, nervous, or sad? Be aware of when,
where, and why you eat, and try to eat balanced meals
throughout the day. Instead of reaching for that cookie,
read a book or call a friend.
Out
'n About
You
can be part of the scene and still make healthy food choices.
Try these when you're out 'n about
•
Order vegetable toppings on pizza, instead of salty high-fat
meats like pepperoni or sausage.
• Share popcorn (and skip the added butter) at the
movies instead of getting your own bag-you'll save money
too!
• Choose bottled water or diet soda instead of regular
soda.
• Munch on pretzels, vegetables, or unbuttered popcorn
at parties instead of fried chips or fatty dips.
• If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to one drink-alcohol
has lots of calories but little nutritional value.
You Can Do It!
Set
doable goals. Move at your own pace. Reward your successes.
Allow for setbacks. Let your family and friends help you.
And keep trying-you can do it!
Source from Weight-control Information Network,
http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
