Healthy People Habits

The following 10 Healthy People Habits were written by James Romans of Romans Fitness. It can also be viewed at http://thesoulsalon.blogspot.com/2009/08/guest-blog-from-jim-slim-romans-of.html

' 1. Eat a “Rainbow”:

Eating a rainbow of colors in your diet deals specifically with fruits and vegetables. It is strongly suggested that individuals consume 4-6 servings of fruits and vegetables a day---I know what you’re thinking—“How do I have time to eat that much (I’ll get to that later on in the list)?” The fiber, antioxidant, and vitamins/mineral components of fruits and veggies help to make them perfect foods to eat multiple times a day. Strive for the colors of the rainbow—if you can eat a different color of the rainbow you will most likely satisfy your daily requirements for vitamins and minerals (so you won’t need to spend your money on your “wonder” supplements).

2. Sleep:

I know, we are all super busy with our jobs, families and lives. Generally, when people are super busy, their sleep can be something that is often neglected. Strive for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Lack of quality sleep can lead to many negative health side effects: poor energy levels, lack of attention, reduced physical/functional performance, and of course over all, fatigue. Plus, getting adequate sleep can lead to increased metabolic rates and production/maintenance of lean muscle tissue. So, put down the remote, turn off the laptop/blackberry and get some sleep.

3. Daily Exercise:

The American Council on Exercise recommends that individuals do some form of daily exercise everyday for a minimum of 30 minutes. Personally, I am a realist—I want my clients to shoot for 5 days a week. I feel this is extremely beneficial to individual who are trying to improve their health, fitness, and lifestyle performance. But don’t freak out about how often you workout—lifestyle choices can be make a huge difference, for example, walking the steps instead of taking the elevator, parking farther from your destination, so you have to walk more of a distance. Little changes can make a big difference.

4. Whole Grains:

One of the biggest suggestions I recommend is that people emphasize whole grains in their diets and avoid refined, processed carbohydrates. Examples of whole grains includes: whole wheat breads, whole grain oats, whole wheat pastas, etc. The benefits of whole grains are that they are digested slowly and they help to maintain steady levels of blood sugar. Refined carbohydrates, on the other hand are digested quickly, and lead to great fluctuations in blood sugar, which has become a key element in the Type 2 Diabetes crisis our country is going through right now. Emphasizing a diet rich in whole grains can lead to increased energy levels and improved body composition.

5. Stress Relievers:

As hectic as our lives are, finding a way to decompress and reduce stressors is a key element to finding balance and health in a life. Finding a healthy release of stress can be a huge benefit to a healthy lifestyle. I always recommend exercise, but any positive way that gets your mind off the challenges and responsibilities that life brings can have a positive influence on your mental and physical wellbeing.

6. Resistance Train:

Resistance training has gained popularity in the recent years amongst all populations, but there is still a stigma that is attached to it. The “Muscle Head” mentality is starting to be a thing of the past. All individuals, regardless of gender or age will benefit from strength training. Strength training is not just lifting really heavy weights and looking like a body builder. Strength training includes free weights, resistance bands, machines and body weight training. The benefits of resistance or strength training are numerous: increase lean muscle tissue, decrease body fat, raise metabolism, increase bone density just to name a few. In the past, many females have strayed away from resistance training due to the fear of becoming too “bulky”. The fact is that hormonally, the majority of women don’t have the chemical make-up to bulk up—in fact; strength training can lead to the longer, leaner muscle tone that so many individuals, especially women, desire. Healthy people strength/resistance train—the benefits are numerous.

7. (Part 1) Eat more meals:

This is a really hard concept to get across to people. I’m not talking about eating more calories, but I am talking about eating more frequently. Eating small, frequent meals is extremely beneficial in terms of improving body composition and maintaining energy levels. By eating every 2.5-3 hours, individuals are able to achieve more steady levels of blood sugar—thus avoiding the peaks and valleys of hunger that can lead to overeating. In other words, don’t wait until you are hungry/starving to eat—by that point, it is too late. Eating 5-6 small meals every 3 hours is one of the key components to a healthy lifestyle.

(Part 2) Nutrient Balance:

Nutrient balance goes hand and hand with eating small, frequent meals. Healthy people shoot for a balance of quality carbohydrates, lean proteins, and good fats at each meal. The majority of individuals should strive for a nutrient balance of 50% carbohydrates, 30 % fat, and 20 % protein in their diet. This can be easier to achieve if there is some carbohydrate, protein, and fat with each meal. This along with eating frequently will lead to sustained energy levels and improvement in body composition. The balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, like eating frequently, will enable you to maintain blood sugar levels and avoid the peaks and valleys of hunger.

8. Fat is not a “bad’ word:

Our society has been bred to think of fat as a “four” letter word. In fact it is an essential nutrient that is incredibly important to health, wellness and body composition. I came into the fitness world in the mid 90’s right when the “low-fat” craze was at its peak. Everyone was marketing low-fat varieties of the products: cookies, cakes, etc. The problem was that people believed that since something was low-fat, they could eat as much of it as they wanted. We now that is not how the body works. The key to fat in the diet is to emphasize “quality/good” fat and limit the saturated fat. Emphasize the healthiest of fats that generally come from fish and plant products. Examples of these fats and the foods they come from include: fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, and tuna), nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, sunflower, pumpkin, and flax), canola, flax-seed, and olive oils. These are rich in Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. The benefits of including quality fat in one’s diet are numerous: brain and eye function, joint lubricating, improved cardiovascular functioning, lower levels of “bad” cholesterol, hair and nail growth just to name a few. Plus, consuming quality fat gives an individual a sense of fullness and a balance to their blood sugar. So, remember not all fats are created equally and not all fats are ‘BAD”.

9. Limit “Junk” Food:

Healthy people limit the amount of “junk” food, also known as processed foods, they consume. The convenience factor is one of the main reasons why processed foods are consumed in abundance in this country. Processed foods are generally high in sodium, sugar, and saturated fats. Examples of processed foods include: white/enriched carbohydrates, fast foods, candy, chips, sweets, etc. A good rule of thumb is: if it didn’t walk, crawl, fly, swim or grow, then you should limit the amount of that item that you eat. Being a realist, I understand that the typical individual is going to eat processed/junk food. I always advise individuals to follow the 80/20 rule—eat healthy/intelligently 80 % of the time and allow yourself to have your “crave” foods the other 20% of the time. By giving yourself “cheat” meals 20% of the time, you are less likely to loose your discipline and eat the junky, processed foods the other 80% of the time.

10. Water:

I saved the most important for last. There is no getting around it; water is the bodies’ most important nutrient. Think of it from this perspective, if you are ship-wrecked on a desert island with no food, you can continue to live for about a week. If you are on that same desert island with no source of clean drinking water, you are done in less then 3 days. The body is made up of 70% water and it is crucial for all forms of life functions. A body that is as little as 2% dehydrated will begin to show physiological and biologically impaired functions due to that dehydration. You can’t get around it—you’ve got to drink your water. Water gives you a sense of fullness between meals, so keeping hydrated can lead to a lower caloric intake, which is crucial for weight loss and improved body composition. The old adage has been to drink 8 glasses a day. I’ve always recommended a higher consumption level: between 80-120 ounces a day, dependent upon the individual. The most important recommendation I can give anyone who wants to improve their health, wellness, body composition, and overall well being is to drink your water.

Bonus Suggestions: I just couldn’t limit myself to only 10 healthy habits. Here a couple of extra suggestions I have to anyone interested in improving their health and creating great habits. I promise I’ll keep it short and sweet:

Plan Ahead:

Healthy people just don’t eat when and what they want on an impulse—they plan ahead to make sure they are constantly hydrated and fueled. Whether it is packing meals for the day, planning what’s for dinner in the morning, or writing up a list before heading to the grocery store, healthy people plan ahead, which enables them to make smart food choices.

Pre/Post Workout Meals:

It is essential that you properly fuel your body before and after your workout. Think of your body as a Ferrari—you’ve got to put the proper fuel in the tank for it run well. 60 to 30 minutes prior to a workout, eat (or drink) a light meal containing 3 parts complex carbohydrates to 1 part lean protein. This will give you the energy needed as well as steady blood sugar levels to perform your workout. Then, as soon as your workout is over (within 30 minutes after your workout) consume another similar meal (preferably liquid—absorbed into the blood steam quicker then solid foods) to help replenish the nutrients burned during the workout. Make sure you don’t waste your hard work by forgetting to fuel up prior and re-fuel after your workouts.

Read Labels:

It’s not exciting, but healthy people check out the labels of the foods they eat. Reading about calorie content, fat, protein, carbohydrates, etc. is a great way to make changes in your nutrition. Also, limit sugar (10 grams or less per item) and try to eat fiber-rich foods (shoot for at least 3 grams per item—great for digestion and a sense of fullness) can get you on the way to changing your diet.

Don’t Drink Your Calories:

In this day and age of gourmet coffee drinks, energy drinks, and fancy smoothies, it can be very easy to add calories without even knowing it. Be conscience of not adding excess calories this way. Some simple changes you can make include: switching from sugary drinks to light/sugar free drinks, change from whole milk to reduced fat/skim, and of course, my favorite, drink more water. Reducing the calories you consume through drinking can make a big difference. '