26/11/2020
| 10 Small Steps To Improve Your Health |
Many of us make health-related resolutions, such as to lose weight, stop smoking or join the neighbourhood health club. While it is common to set high goals, experts say that setting smaller goals could do more for our health.
"Small steps are achievable and are easier to fit into your daily routine," says James O. Hill, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.
"They are less overwhelming than a big, sudden change."
Here are 10 to try:
1. Keep an eye on your weight and work on making sure you are not gaining extra. Even if you gain just a kg or two every year, the extra weight adds up quickly.
2. Take more small steps. Use a pedometer to count your daily steps; then add 2,000, the equivalent of one extra mile. Keep adding steps, 1,000 to 2,000 each month or so, until you take 10,000 steps on most days.
3. Eat breakfast. Breakfast eaters tend to weigh less and have better diets overall. For a filling and nutrition-packed breakfast, top our healthy mix (Protein+Bodykey) with fresh fruit slices and milk.
4. Switch three grain servings each day to whole grain. If you're like the average American, you eat less than one whole grain serving a day.
5. Have at least one green salad every day. Eating a salad is filling and may help you eat less during the meal. It also counts toward your five daily cups of vegetables and fruits.
6. Beware of fats that count towards your total daily calorie intake.
Fat has 9 kcal of calories per gram while protein and carbohydrate have 4 kcal. If you have higher fat intake in a meal, reduce your proteins and carbs for it and vice versa.
7. Consider calcium and Vitamin D by including a little of dairy products in your diet, and variety of vegetables and tofu.
Calcium and Vitamin D is great for bones and mental health. They can also fight diseases and help you lose weight.
8. Downsize, if you are not on intermittent fasting. The smaller the bag, bottle or bowl, the less you will eat.
9. Lose just 5 to 10 percent of your current weight. The health benefits are huge — lower blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides and reduces the chance of cardiovascular diseases or stroke.
10. Keep track of your eating. Write down what you eat over the next couple of days and look for problem spots. Often, just writing things down can help you eat less.
