Diet and exercise are crucial to living a long and healthy life. According the Center for Disease Control, the key to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight isn't about short-term dietary changes. It's about a lifestyle that includes healthy eating and regular physical activity. With a little effort, exercise and dieting can be simple and fun.
Healthy Eating
Eat a variety of foods in moderation. Healthy eating entails eating balanced meals by including a protein, carbohydrate and fat in your meals. Eat a healthy breakfast to start each day on the right track. Healthy breakfast options may include scrambled eggs and whole-grain toast with a banana and fat-free milk, an 8-oz. protein shake or smoothie, or whole-grain bread with peanut butter and an orange.
Find Balance
Find balance in your diet each day. The National Institute of Health suggests finding balance in your diet by thinking about what you eat before you eat it. Also, thinking about calories as energy helps to create balance. When you eat foods, you are consuming calories. Physical activity is expending calories. If there is a surplus of calories over time, this can lead to weight gain. On the other hand, if a caloric deficit is created through physical activity or eating foods that are low in calories, this will lead to weight loss over time.
Get Active
According to Micheal D. Johnson, Ph.D., professor of physiology and biology at West Virginia University, humans were designed to move. Those who exercise experience lower rates of lung disease, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis and other unfortunate conditions. The more active you are, the better quality of life you'll experience. Get started by choosing an enjoyable activity. Walk, jump rope, hike, bike, swim, do yoga, play tennis or go to the park with your kids or dog.
Types of Activity
Any activity is good activity, but it is also important to have a well-balanced program. Include cardiovascular exercise such as walking, jogging, running, biking, swimming or any other activity that makes your heart rate increase. According to the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, cardiorespitory activity can improve the heart, circulatory and pulmonary systems. It is important to include strength training such as lifting weights or doing body weight exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, squats and lunges. In addition, take some time to stretch. Flexibility is vital to any physical activity program.
References
- Center for Disease Control: Healthy Weight - it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle
- "The Abs Diet for Women"; David Zunczenko; 2007
- "Human Biology"; Michael D. Johnson; 2001
- "Fitness Theory & Practice"; Laura Gladwin, M.S.; 2002
- National Heart and Lung Institute: Eat Right
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