HEALTHY LYFESTYLE
Choose food that contains minimal amounts of unhealthy
fats. Unhealthy fats include both trans fats and
saturated fats. These fats will raise your LDL cholesterol, and elevated LDL
cholesterol often correlates with an increased risk for heart disease.
Eat healthy fats in moderation. Poly-unsaturated, mono-unsaturated and omega-3 fats are all
good lifestyle choices. These good fats lower your LDL cholesterol and raise
your HDL cholesterol, which correlates with decreased risk for heart disease.
Select foods that are low in both sugar and highly
refined carbohydrates. Minimize your
consumption of sweets, soft drinks, sugary fruit juices and white bread. Choose
whole fruits, freshly-squeezed juices and whole grain bread instead.
Eat a variety of different whole foods instead of
eating processed foods.
·
Eat fruits
and vegetables for their high vitamin and mineral content.
·
Choose lean
meat, beans and tofu for their protein content.
·
Enjoy whole
grains such as whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice and quinoa.
·
Eat low-fat
dairy products. Skim milk and reduced fat cheeses will reduce your fat intake
while ensuring that you receive enough calcium.
DO SOME EXERCISE
Start and finish your workout with stretching.
Gentle stretching will warm up your muscles before you work out and will relax
your muscles after you work out.
Go to the gym 3 to 5 times per week. Work
out for half an hour to an hour, combining both cardio and strength training
programs.
Exercise in your neighborhood. Go
for a jog or take your dog for a walk. Make sure that you move at a moderate
pace for at least 30 minutes.
Enjoy rigorous daily activities. Both
high-intensity gardening and housekeeping can exercise your body.
Ditch your car. Walk or bike to your destination instead
AVOID UNHEALTHY HABITS
Avoid yo-yo dieting. Once you've lost weight thanks to your improved
lifestyle, then work hard to maintain your weight instead of cycling up and
down the scale.
Stay away from fad diets. Avoid liquid diets, diet pills and other diet
supplements unless you are under the supervision of a physician.
Exercise in moderation. Working out too long, too often or with too much
intensity can increase your risk for injury. Make sure to build in some rest
periods between your workouts.
Avoid excessive smoking and alcohol intake.
Get plenty of sleep. Studies have shows that those who sleep less
tend to weigh more.
Hygiene habits
Shower every other day. Shower again if you have performed an activity
that has made you sweat.
Brush and floss your teeth daily.
Regular flossing not only prevents gum disease but also prevents heart disease.
Clean your feet. Make sure to scrub between your toes to prevent
athlete's foot and unpleasant odors.
