Recession Proofing Your Health

  We have listened to the campaign slogans for the past 14 months, and indeed it is time for a change financially and physically for America.  Obesity is costing America 122.9 billion dollars a year.  64.1 billion coming in the form of direct costs, and 58.8 billion in indirect cost by estimates. ObesityinAmerica.org.    We cannot fix our socio-economic problems if we cannot fix the health of the American public.  If Americans don't work then our economy does not churn.  1 out of 10 Americans will become overweight or obese in their lifetime.  This does not have to be you.

1.  Eat Healthier:  Eating healthy is not difficult, it just requires self-control.  Keep it simple.  There are many tools available online to tell you your resting metabolic rate and the amount of calories you burn daily.  Use these to figure out your daily caloric need and you have the first part of your solution.  Now is when self control comes into play.  Based on your caloric need, you will now be responsible for making healthier food choices.  This is relatively easy if you remember anything from your childhood.  Every meal should loosely include a protien source, a carbohydrate source, and a small amount of healthy fats.  I laymans' terms, you need meat, fruits, and veggies.  The term loosely was used because this is not always possible but if you are trying to follow these simple rules you will be on the right track.  Pay attention to what you are eating and how much, even though it is healthy for you, too much of a good thing is still too much.  Monitor the calorie amounts of each meal and try to stay within your daily caloric need.

2.  Move More:  The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity.  This is where you counterbalance all the calorie you have taken in throughout your day.  Physical activity can range from walking the dog, to cycling with the family, running bleachers, traditional working out, or cleaning your entire house from top to bottom.  The key is to get up and get moving and keep moving for a minimum of 30 minutes.

3.  Take your Multivitamin:  It will be impossible for you to get all your required daily  minerals and nutrients from your daily food intake.  Since you do not have the excess calories to spare and most likely you would not want to eat the food in its raw form, take the pill its much easier.

4.  Committ & Stay Disciplined:  Most people fail, because the never committ to their success and never apply discipline to folow through.  I recommend using a personal trainer.  First, because you are no expert in the field of health and fitness, and secondly no matter how strong your resolve is things will get hard and you will need someone stronger than a friend to hold you accountable to completing your personal journey.

  Here are your tools to get you started in this new era of change, without you our economy falls further behind and our health care cost continue to climb.  Change will not be easy, but  we must embody the change that we want to see in the world.