Make a Change Mondays - Third Week!

This is our third week of "Make a Change Mondays," which means that today is the day to make a change.

Here are five tips that will make you a healthier person today.

1)  Healthy eating starts at the grocery store. If you can be disciplined when picking out your groceries, then it will be easier for you to make healthy decisions at home.

            At the grocery store, say, "no," to the cookies, candy, ice cream and all the other garbage that you have cravings for. Say, "yes," to fruits, veggies and the foods that won't help you pack on the pounds.

            So when you get hit with a monster "I need some______" craving, you won't have the bad stuff around when you "need" it most.

2) This is a two part tip: (A) Start running, jogging or walking daily. (B) If you run on a treadmill, don't hold on to the rails. World renowned trainer Jillian Michaels says that holding on during exercise can reduce the intensity of the workout by up to 24%. Get going and let go.

3) Floss your teeth. Apparently, only about 1 in 10 people floss their teeth daily, meaning that almost no one is listening to their dentist.

            This is bad because brushing your teeth only gets about 65% of the plaque. 

            Flossing will help you get rid of the plaque lodged between your teeth and help protect you from a variety of dental hygiene issues and disease.  Listen to your dentist– start flossing, daily.

4) Challenge your mind. Keep your mind sharp with brain teasers, games or reading. Sudokus, crossword puzzles, word jumbles and riddles, all provide your mind a chance to get a workout.

            The only rule we have, make sure that these puzzles have nothing to do with your job or your schooling.  Do a couple after dinner or before you go to bed. They're actually kind of fun.

5) Write down your health goals on a post-it note or two, then put the notes in a place you'll see every day– the mirror, the dashboard of your car, or better yet, put it on your refrigerator door. If you can see your goal all the time, it will be easier to stay dedicated and harder to get away from.

Make a change today.