Trying to balance life’s pressures and healthier lifestyle habits (like eating healthier) can be a daunting task with looming economic forecasts. With the right approach, though, you can execute a well-planned strategy to remove unhealthy eating habits while maintaining and/or improving your financial resources. The key is to have a plan that will help you stay afloat while facing the financial challenges that probably won’t go away any time soon.
It’s no secret that making better decisions can be challenging, especially when you consider the tempting and affordable menu items offered at your favorite restaurants. The restaurant industry makes it hard for people to consider and conform to healthier habits. Even with the state of the economy, the various restaurants manage to offer great specials - a BBQ Bacon Sirloin Burger with an upgrade to a combo to include a small fountain drink and a small fries for free – all for less than $6.00. Or, an eight piece chicken dinner mixed with legs and thighs, for $5.99, and the option to add two large sides and four biscuits for an extra $4.00. When you consider it all, restaurants make it hard for you to make the right choices. But, you can do it.
It’s important to understand that a continued cycle of unhealthy food items will wreak havoc at some point in your life. The main things your favorite restaurants offer are menu items that contain a cargo load of calories, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Not to mention that they are laden with chemicals. All of which will have you on a road to heart disease and an array of other health problems. You’ll find that if you plan your daily meals and snacks, you can do a much better job of redistributing your dollars to eat healthier. You don’t have to fall victim to the fast food industry’s attempts to lure you in with their elaborate portrayal of cheap and tasty food items. The only requirement is that you must be willing to put forth some effort. With simple ingredients, not requiring a lot of fuss, you can make your favorite foods healthier while staying within your economic guidelines. If you reduce or eliminate your purchases of unhealthy foods like those fast food items, along with soft drinks, candy, chips, pastries, specialty coffee drinks, and other high-calorie items – you can invest in those healthier vegetable and/or fruit options like a whole orange or container of blueberries during the week. Shopping at food stores like Walmart and Sam’s typically offer better prices. Their price for a box of brown rice, a package of whole-wheat pasta, a box of whole-grain cereal, or a loaf of whole-wheat bread are better than those typically found at smaller grocery and convenience stores. Other options might include buying fresh fruit and vegetables from your farmer’s market. And remember, when vegetables are too expensive, frozen is the next best thing.
If you eat out for lunch everyday, set a goal to bring your lunch at least three times a week. If you typically eat frozen dinners for lunch or dinner because they are cheap, STOP! Many of the frozen dinners, as well as the pre-packaged items like lunch meats and hotdogs are high in sodium which can be a stepping stone for heart disease. Take the time to plan your healthy meals. Once you’ve figured out what your daily meals will consist of… stick to them when you reach the grocery store. Based on your meal selections, for instance breakfast, you could plan on having a bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk and fresh fruit, or a slice of whole-wheat toast with a carton of low-fat yogurt and fresh fruit, or a bowl of homemade oatmeal with low-fat milk and fresh fruit. As you think about meals you and/or your family can eat for lunch and dinner, consider meals that can last a couple of days like spaghetti, a stir-fry, tacos, and jambalaya – all of which can include a host of vegetables like zucchini, squash, and broccoli. Start to analyze and implement a strategy to redistribute your dollars to eat healthier. A well thought out plan will be crucial to your success.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Behind the Scenes: The Healthcare Crisis
According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease (primarily heart disease and stroke), cancer, and diabetes are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems. They are considered preventable because they are tied to our lifestyle choices. Choices that we have the power to control.
Each waking day our lives are filled with messages that cause us to think about and encourage us to live healthier. We see them on T.V., hear them on the radio, read them in the newspaper or our favorite magazines – they even pop up while we’re surfing the Internet. And there’s a reason why these messages are so prevalent. It’s because our neighborhoods, our communities, our cities, our states and our nation are saturated with disease and illness that have our healthcare system in a financial bind.
The CDC states that the medical care costs of people with chronic diseases account for more than 75% of the nation’s $2 trillion medical care costs. The bottom is, we all have the power of choice and it’s our responsibility to implement it not only for ourselves, but for those in our lives, to include the neighborhoods, communities, states and nation that our unhealthy lifestyles will impact.
So, how are you going to respond to these messages? You see them. You hear them. They’re everywhere. Hopefully, you’ll respond by implementing change in your life. For months during President Obama’s campaign trail, we heard a message that resonated throughout this country. ‘Yes we can!’ It was a statement of possibility, a statement of hope, a statement that caused us all to believe. Well, that statement doesn’t have to end with President Obama’s campaign. You can make it your own by saying ‘Yes I can!’ You can even add to it and say, ‘Yes, I can change and make better choices!’
Our leaders are working on legislation to help families make ends meet, as well as to address not only our economy and other issues, but our healthcare crisis. With all of the changes that are underway, though, it’s critical that we do our part. And we can start with our health and fitness.
Just think about the following comment I recently heard from a lady. ‘I never made the connection of my lifestyle habits and the healthcare crisis until recently. Now, I think about my father who recently had a massive heart attack that costs somebody – Medicare, insurance company, etc. – over $150,000. I think about the costs associated with my debilitating arthritis which primarily stems from my excess body weight. I think about my cousin’s stroke that caused paralysis on her left side. I think more and more about how our unhealthy lifestyle habits were contributing factors that led to our health predicaments.’
Take the time to figure out how you’re going to respond to the messages you’re seeing and hearing. Yes, you can change!
Each waking day our lives are filled with messages that cause us to think about and encourage us to live healthier. We see them on T.V., hear them on the radio, read them in the newspaper or our favorite magazines – they even pop up while we’re surfing the Internet. And there’s a reason why these messages are so prevalent. It’s because our neighborhoods, our communities, our cities, our states and our nation are saturated with disease and illness that have our healthcare system in a financial bind.
The CDC states that the medical care costs of people with chronic diseases account for more than 75% of the nation’s $2 trillion medical care costs. The bottom is, we all have the power of choice and it’s our responsibility to implement it not only for ourselves, but for those in our lives, to include the neighborhoods, communities, states and nation that our unhealthy lifestyles will impact.
So, how are you going to respond to these messages? You see them. You hear them. They’re everywhere. Hopefully, you’ll respond by implementing change in your life. For months during President Obama’s campaign trail, we heard a message that resonated throughout this country. ‘Yes we can!’ It was a statement of possibility, a statement of hope, a statement that caused us all to believe. Well, that statement doesn’t have to end with President Obama’s campaign. You can make it your own by saying ‘Yes I can!’ You can even add to it and say, ‘Yes, I can change and make better choices!’
Our leaders are working on legislation to help families make ends meet, as well as to address not only our economy and other issues, but our healthcare crisis. With all of the changes that are underway, though, it’s critical that we do our part. And we can start with our health and fitness.
Just think about the following comment I recently heard from a lady. ‘I never made the connection of my lifestyle habits and the healthcare crisis until recently. Now, I think about my father who recently had a massive heart attack that costs somebody – Medicare, insurance company, etc. – over $150,000. I think about the costs associated with my debilitating arthritis which primarily stems from my excess body weight. I think about my cousin’s stroke that caused paralysis on her left side. I think more and more about how our unhealthy lifestyle habits were contributing factors that led to our health predicaments.’
Take the time to figure out how you’re going to respond to the messages you’re seeing and hearing. Yes, you can change!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Are You Wearing the Right Shoes?
Have you started your exercise program yet? If so, good! But, there are some things you need to consider. Along with exercising (i.e., walking and/or running) comes the possibility of all sorts of leg and foot problems – and that's definitely not so good. Pain from wearing worn out or poorly fitting shoes can sidetrack even the best intentions of getting in shape.
Each one of us is susceptible to leg and foot (and ankle) injuries. That’s why proper footwear is critical. It’s no secret, though, that choosing a pair of athletic shoes can be frustrating with the wide variety on the market – from Nike, Addidas, and Reebok to Asics. But, it is possible to reduce your risk of injury and feel comfortable by wearing athletic shoes that fit properly and are made for the activities you participate in.
First Things First:
- Go to a specialty store like Luke’s Locker, Fleet Feet, or the Athlete's Foot and have your feet measured by a knowledgeable salesperson. Many people jump ahead to trying on the shoes without checking the length and width of each foot. It is important to know if your feet are different sizes.
- Shop for the larger foot. If your feet are different sizes, buy a shoe that best fits the larger foot. If you need to do so, buy an insole to fill the space in the other shoe. Be sure to get guidance from your knowledgeable salesperson before doing so.
- Make sure the shoe fits your heel and your toes. The toebox should provide ample wiggle room, and the heel should not slip up when walking.
- Go for a walk. Make sure the shoe is comfortable for a short walk around the store; any pain is only going to worsen on a long walk.
- Don't assume a shoe will break itself in. This is a common misconception that shoes should be purchased snug so they can break-in. Wrong! Shoes should fit when you buy them.
Tips: When having your feet evaluated by your knowledgeable salesperson:
- The best method for buying footwear is to stand up when measuring your feet, and preferably have this done towards the end of the day. Your feet are typically larger towards the end of the day than in the morning.
- Measure your feet each visit as your shoe size can change over time. And never buy a shoe based on size alone – try them on!
Wearing the right shoe for your exercise activity is critical. There are people who are working out in the wrong shoe, and it hurts, so they stop, because they don't want to deal with the pain. Take the time and invest your dollars in getting the best fit possible – so you start exercising with the best foot forward.
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