A Brand New Way - Today!

JANUARY

THE FRESH START

Happy New Year! It is that time of year again. It's time for a fresh start, a brand new beginning.  At the beginning of each new year, we make resolutions, promises to ourselves of how we will live differently…better.  Most of the resolutions are: to become more spiritual, to be nicer, to live life with more vigor, and the number one resolution is to lose weight/become more fit!

But! Yes, there is a but! We never start those resolutions on the first day of the year!  How ironic is that?  We promise ourselves a fresh start, but it has to wait for the holiday to end.  Well, let's kick off this year right. We have devised a much easier way to encourage your goals for healthier living. We know that it takes about 21-28 days to change a habit. This year, we will tackle monthly issues using a four-pronged approach: 1)Theme and Challenge, 2)Fitness and Exercise, 3) Diet and Nutrition, and 4)What's in your BAG? Each month, we will focus on a healthy theme, issue a monthly health challenge to establish good behaviors, and distribute weekly advice to help you with your goals. We may throw in some additional tips, facts, and suggestions along the way.

This month, we will focus on getting a fresh start. We suggest realistic goal setting with a plan to successfully achieve those goals.  Your new start is waiting, a brand new beginning is upon you, and a healthier life is in your reach! Guess what? You don't have to miss out on anything except starting anew, so start today!

MONTHLY CHALLENGE: JOURNALING FOR A BETTER LIFE! 

This month's challenge is to journal your behaviors - nutrition, exercise, etc. It is important to understand our current behaviors so we can make appropriate changes. So, start with a simple journal. You don't have to get any special books or software. Just use a plain notebook or your word processing software on your computer to jot down your current behaviors, emotions, issues, and desires.

Goal 1 - Track your nutrition.  It is easy to go on a "diet," but we think you should scramble the word and "edit" your nutrition. In order to do so properly and with success,  you must write down your intake and read it. It doesn't have to be a time-consuming exercise. Because you need to list your daily intake, some folks find it easier to take a picture (cell phone, camera, computer, etc.) of your food before you eat and again once you're done eating to capture the moment. Then, at the end of the day or week, write it up in the journal.  Jot down notes about how the food made you feel and any physical or physiological reactions to it. If you really want to advance your goals, calculate the calories and nutritional values of the food consumed.  Since pictures don't lie, the visual documentation will also help you stay true to your journaling process.

Goal 2 - Track your exercise.  We are all busy bustling around about our day as we work, go to school, see after the kids, make dinner, go to church, etc. And we end the day exhausted! So, exercise? What? Are you serious? Who has time for that? I get exercise because I'm on the go all day! Sounds familiar? In this world of technology, you will find that we do not walk or move nearly as much as we did nor as much as we think we do. So, find out just how much time and energy you expend moving about. Write down your daily physical actions. Don't forget cleaning. Cleaning can oftentimes add up to quite a few calories burned. Write it down and at the end of the week or month, calculate the calories burned.  I am sure you will find that you are not burning enough calories to lose weight or perhaps even to maintain your current weight. And even more importantly, you are not getting enough cardio-intensive exercise to maintain a healthy heart and body systems.

Goal 3 - Track your non-physical health. Diet and exercise are major keys to healthy living. However, mental and emotional health are equally important. Emotions can encourage as well as sabotage any plan for healthier living. So, track your emotions, stressors, and triggers throughout the month. Notice if there are specific times of the month, special events, or behaviors that are abnormal and if any adverse health impacts result from them. If so, identifying those times will help you plan a better strategy to deal with them.  But don't just focus on the negative, identify the good times too. Doing so will allow you to better understand your inner and personal joy. Those are times we like to replicate.

So, set pen to paper or fingers to keys…write or type…journal your way to a better you. Your life just may depend on it!