Audrey Hepburn once said, “Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book and remembering—because you can’t take it all in at once.”
At some point, this “tearing through life,” which has only gotten worse since Hepburn’s day, can become a health problem, with our minds imploring our weary bodies to rethink busy schedules and create a quality life. We’re trying. Fad diets, with low-carb products and services, exploded into a $30 billion market this year, according to some estimates. Over the past 14 years, health club memberships have increased by 95 percent, according to American Demographics magazine. But being healthy means more than just food and exercise—it incorporates an entire way of living.
“The prescription is fairly simple. Get regular physicals and dental check-ups twice a year, don’t smoke, have a job you like, exercise regularly, wear your seatbelt, eat nutritious foods and maintain a positive attitude,” says Dr. John Morley of Saint Louis University.
“The overlying secret is to do the stuff your mom always told you to do,” says Dr. Ken Haller, assistant professor of pediatrics of Saint Louis University School of Medicine. “Go outside. Eat your vegetables. Go to bed. Do your homework. Turn off the TV,” says Haller. “People forget the obvious stuff.”
Because January is the month when we traditionally promise to finally get ourselves in shape, we asked a team of health experts for their tips for a healthier lifestyle. Here’s what they came up with.
Diet
1. Eat breakfast. Even if it is only a bowl of (fiber-rich) cereal or (whole-wheat) toast and a spoonful of peanut butter, a solid first meal of the day will kick your metabolism into gear and give you more energy all day.
2. Limit modified foods. Yes, they pass FDA inspection, but our bodies were not made for hydrogenated oils and foods rich in corn syrup. The fewer ingredients and more natural, the better.
3. Drink green tea. Because green tea leaves are steamed, rolled and dried instead of crushed, the antioxidants—which fight disease and can lower cholesterol—are preserved.
4. Get milk. Studies indicate dieters who eat a calcium-rich diet are more successful at losing weight. Incorporating milk has been found to keep bones strong, relieve premenstrual syndrome symptoms, help in lowering blood pressure and with weight control, says Elizabeth Cowie, dietetics instructor at Fontbonne University.
5. Whole grains. Be good to your colon. Research proves whole grains keep a person full longer than white bread, which has little nutritional value. Look for whole-grain crackers, pasta and breads. Don’t be misled by “cracked wheat,” “seven-grain” or “multigrain” labels, which aren’t the same as “whole grain.”
6. Eat less, more. Limit the size of your servings and eat smaller meals throughout the day. (Remember: A cup of anything is the size of a baseball.)
7. Don’t multitask. Turn off the TV. Step away from your desk to eat your lunch. Wait until you get to your destination before digging into groceries. Learn to savor your food and you’ll be less likely to absentmindedly overeat.
8. Not so fast. Try as they might to make their menus more nutritional, fast-food restaurants can’t offer anything as good for you as a nice homemade stir-fry or other easy-to-make dish. Keep treats—low-fat crackers, granola bars—in your car for those desperate times.
9. Go nuts. Peanuts. Cashews. Almonds. They’re full of plant-based fat, which helps lower blood cholesterol and prevent heart disease. Most nuts are also full of a type of protein rich in arginine, which helps relax blood vessels in the body and lower blood pressure. Nuts are also sources of fiber and many nutrients.
10. Hydration is it. Water can fill you up, pep you up and boost your metabolic rate and digestion.
11. Berry good news. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries. “They are very high in phytochemicals, plant chemicals,” Cowie says. “These are really powerful disease-fighting foods.”
12. Adjust your recipes. Minor substitutions are the nutritional cook’s secret. Use egg whites instead of whole eggs. Skim milk rather than whole milk. Applesauce and other fruit purees can take the place of oil in some baking recipes.
13. Indulge in dessert. Not every night, but give yourself an occasional reward to pacify that sweet tooth and prevent binging.
14. Beans. Yes, yes, we’ve heard the little rhyme, but then we graduated to third grade and it wasn’t so funny. There are many reasons to eat beans: they are cheap, high in fiber, low in fat and will make you feel full longer.
15. Eat earlier. The French consume 57 percent of their daily calories before 2 p.m. and are active at night. Compare that with the 38 percent of calories Americans consume during the day before going home to watch TV.
16. Take your vitamins. Most doctors recommend multivitamins for everyone, but depending on your age and gender, you might need more supplements. For instance, women need additional calcium and those with vegetarian diets might need iron.
17. Keep Dracula away. Eat more garlic to “clean” intestinal walls. It also adds more disease-fighting antioxidants to your diet and can help lower blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol.
18. Think healthy. Most people want to lose weight to look better, but the ultimate goal should be a step up in health and in energy.
Activity
19. Thirty minutes a day. This is the universal recommended amount of cardiovascular exercise time suggested by doctors and fitness experts. This time can be loosely divided across gym time, walking, housework, taking stairs and chasing children.
20. Lift weights. It is a scientific fact that muscle burns more calories than fat. Pumping iron also can help us maintain muscle mass as we age.
21. Every little bit helps. Stretch while watching TV. If you don’t have time to go to the gym for a full hour, go for a half hour instead. Or simply walk more. “Walking reduces your risk for chronic health problems including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, obesity, high blood pressure and colon cancer,” says Dr. Ross Brownson, director of the Prevention Research Center at Saint Louis University.
22. Fake it. To keep from getting bored, use your imagination. The treadmill is your path along a scenic alpine trail. Or pretend everyone in the gym is watching (and admiring) your perfect running form—stomach in, shoulders back, steady breathing. You’ll be amused and the workouts will go faster.
23. Strike a pose. A yoga pose at your desk or just a couple elementary stretches and some deep breaths can refresh the mind.
24. Avoid smoking. Why are my eyes burning? Will dry cleaning get Keith Richards’ breath out of my sweater? Did I lick an ashtray last night? Hygiene annoyances aside, the news on society’s most popular and deadliest habit just keeps getting worse. If you smoke, quit.
25. Trust your doctor. Find a physician who will work with your body type and specific concerns to tailor an appropriate diet and exercise plan.
26. Throw out the scale. Judge your health by how you feel and how your clothes fit, not what the little numbers say.
27. Take the stairs. You’ll burn extra calories, feel a sense of accomplishment and guarantee you’ll never be stuck in an elevator.
Lifestyle
28. Put the “live” back in livelihood. “Work is something you do that you don’t want to do. A career is something you choose to do and how you perceive yourself,” says Kathleen Keller Passanisi, author of It’s Your Life, Choose Well. “Do something valuable. It doesn’t matter if you are waiting tables, picking up trash—try to do it better than you did yesterday.”
29. Park in a space far, far away. Bypass closer parking spaces for those in the far reaches of the lot. You’ll get exercise and eliminate door dings at the same time.
30. Get busy. Sex can burn up to 350 calories per hour. It is also one of the best ways to release tension and improve the quality of your sleep. And it’s been known to make you a bit cheerier, as well.
31. Eliminate clutter. Notice how easy it is to find things when there isn’t as much to weed through? Save time and energy by giving away the clothes that don’t fit. And recycle, recyle, recyle.
32. Learn to say “no.” Passanisi suggests a “two positives, a negative and a positive” sequence reply. For example: “Thank you (positive) for asking me to keep your five kids the entire weekend. I am flattered (positive) you would trust me with the responsibility. Unfortunately (negative), I must fly to California to buy some mangos. But perhaps we could do lunch (positive) next week?”
33. Deal with today. It’s a drive-thru life: Drive-thru dinner, drive-thru dry cleaning, drive-thru banking. Slow down and savor the moment.
34. Go to sleep. Forget the all-nighters you pulled in college. If you lose sleep, it’s gone. There’s no way to catch up on it.
35. Forgive and forget. Put the sins of others behind you—the energy you’ve spent stewing over slights can be spent more productively.
36. Embrace your flaws. Mistakes make life interesting. No one is perfect, and our mistakes are the only thing that tell us how to get better.
37. Keep a positive posse. Surround yourself with upbeat and optimistic people and the world seems a better place. Let only people you admire and respect into your inner circle.
38. Compliment others. Your coworker looks great in a sky blue shirt. The person you know by face at the gym has lost a lot of weight since you last saw her. Notice the good things about people and let them know. The good energy you put out will come full circle.
39. Laugh. Laughter is physiological. It can change body chemistry, improve respiratory function and lighten a mood.
40. Baby steps. Don’t try to make too many changes all at once. If you expect too much from yourself, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
41. Live like a European. Sip red wine. Cook with good fats such as olive oil. Eat smaller meal portions, and spread meals over hours. Walk or bike instead of drive.
42. Smile. Doing so puts others at ease, invites conversation and instantly improves your appearance.
43. Listen. Ever notice how the most thoughtful people have the least to say? They use words sparingly and make the ones they share really count. Practice being a good listener—you’ll make others feel important, and you just might learn something.
44. Keep reinventing yourself. Night classes. New exercises. A makeover. You’ll never be in a rut.
45. Practice moderation. You can eat anything you want, just don’t overindulge. This goes for everything from eating, indulging in alcohol and even strenuous exercise.
46. Outside is in. Instead of going to the gym, bundle up and take a walk in the park. Vitamin D from sunlight helps our bones and can improve mood. “It is hard to be judgmental or angry around a big grove of trees,” life coach and ConnectStLouis founder Lynne Michelson says.
47. Music to the ears. Shakespeare said it best: “Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast.” Pachelbel’s Canon has a rhythm of 60 beats per minute and can slow breathing and heart rates through entrainment—the name for the tendency for oscillating bodies, such as pendulums, to synchronize in harmony.
48. Reward yourself. There’s a reason why many diets focus on a “cheat day.” This is motivation to get through the other six days of being good.
49. Never say never. Stay away from statements with absolutes such as “never” or “always.” Leave yourself some room to maneuver.
50. Be yourself. Think “original.” Don’t buy designer if you love vintage. Don’t go Pottery Barn if you want unique and quirky. Appreciate others’ style, but find what works best for you.
The Dream Team
- Dr. Ross Brownson, director of the Prevention Research Center at Saint Louis University
- Elizabeth Cowie, instructor in dietetics at Fontbonne University
- Dr. Ken Haller, assistant professor of pediatrics of Saint Louis University School of Medicine
- Lynne Michelson, life coach and founder of the life fulfillment organization ConnectStLouis
- Dr. John Morley, director of the division of geriatric medicine for Saint Louis University
- Kathleen Keller Passanisi, a professional speaker and author of It’s Your Life, Choose Well
- Emily Small, registered dietician and personal trainer at Nutriformance
- Deborah Zorensky, clinical nutritionist at Center for Mind, Body and Spirit in Webster Groves
