New year, new ambitions. Our pros give advice to help make these common resolutions a success. We’re cheering you on!
Eat better
It’s a tempting resolution: “Lose weight.” But follow-through is hard if the goal is too broad. Set smaller steps to build on throughout the year.
Get focused. Identify 1-2 eating habits you want to change – the office candy jar, the drive-thru, after-work chips and salsa. A food journal can help identify areas of improvement.
Name your motivation. What drives you? Want to feel better? Be healthier? Keep up with the kids (or grandkids)? Write it down to review whenever you feel discouraged.
Make SMART goals. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timed goals are small steps toward the long-term target. For example:
- Bring a healthy snack to work to minimize temptations.
- Include a vegetable at dinner 4 days a week.
- Cut back from 3 cans of soda a day to 1 can.
Fix your plate. Dish up veggies, fruits, lean proteins, complex carbs. Focus on what to include – for nutrition – instead of what to avoid.
Get support. Enlist a friend, co-worker, family member to share your successes and challenges and encourage you along the way. Consider a program like ReShape U for nutrition education and support. (Learn more: QR CODE)
Kristi Von Ruden, RDN, LD is Coordinator of Registered Dietitian services at NH+C. Learn more about nutrition services: (507) 646-1410
Exercise well
Regular exercise improves health and stamina, reduces stress, helps prevent or manage conditions like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, depression.
Aim for a mix of:
Aerobic exercise increases breathing and heart rate; benefits your heart, lungs, blood vessels; builds endurance. It also helps lower blood pressure and blood sugar, burn body fat, reduce inflammation. Try brisk walking, swimming, biking, tennis, dancing. Aim for 150 minutes per week.
Strength training builds muscle mass, stimulates bone growth, lowers blood sugar, improves balance and posture, reduces pain in the lower back and joints. Try squats, push-ups, lunges, weights, resistance bands. Aim for 2-3 sessions per week.
Stretching keeps muscles and tendons flexible. Muscles shorten with age, increasing the risk of muscle cramps, joint pain, falls. Stretching for 3-4 sessions per week can help you stay flexible and keep your range of motion.
Balance training helps counteract age-related changes such as vision, inner ear problems like vertigo, weakness and joint stiffness. A physical therapist can assess your current balance and suggest tailored exercises to improve stability such as walking heel to toe or standing on one foot.
Physical therapist Ericka Maldonado, DPT sees patients at Rehabilitation Services’ Northfield clinic. Schedule: 507-646-8800
Sleep better
Winter conditions make it hard to sleep well: Less daylight, more carbs, furnace heat, couch time.
Get more light. Light tells your brain it’s time to wake up. Your body clock is most responsive to light during 6:00-8:30 am. Best: Direct sunlight for 30+ minutes. A good substitute: Light box therapy with 10,000 lux of light for 20-30 minutes.
Keep the thermostat low. Your temperature falls at night to tell your body it's time to sleep. You’ll sleep better in a cool room. (Sorry, cozy blankets.)
Get some exercise. Vigorous exercise in late afternoon or evening is best: Your temperature drops about 4-5 hours after your workout.
Plan dinnertime. Try to eat dinner 4-5 hours before you plan to go to bed. Eat lighter: More protein, fewer carbs.
Get Zen. Pre-sleep rituals can calm your brain. Turn off electronics 1-2 hours before bedtime. Try meditation; there are lots of apps available to guide you.
Sleep tight.
Respiratory Therapy Coordinator Stacey Zell, LRT manages NH+C’s Sleep Center, which is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Ask your provider if you’d benefit from a sleep study.