50A - Fit and Well Article for December 7th, 2003

TITLE: "The Meaning of “Lifestyle”

Dear Trish and David:

In your column, and in many other publications, I encounter the word “lifestyle”. I feel I have a feeling of what that means, but I’m not totally sure. Can you provide us with your definition?

-Eddie in Edgewater

Dear Eddie,

As usual, another GREAT question. Which gives us the poetic license (which can always be suspended, but NEVER revoked) to begin with a bit of our “First Family of Fitness” (us) Philosophy…

Your Body, Your Obligation

Just think about it for a moment. We are proud of our life achievements, and our ability to acquire tangibles. Objects in our “control” such as money, a beautiful home, a fancy car, expensive jewelry, beautiful clothes (especially tie dye!), etc., fill up the spaces in our lives, provide engaging distractions, and on some days even seem quite important. And, quite understandably, we take measures to assure that these possessions are safe, and well taken care of. You get the drift!

Now, consider your body! It is, in fact, the most important gift that you have. It is your responsibility to protect it, and take good care of it. It is said to be the “vessel of your soul”. And, besides that, who could Tango and eat Dairy Queen without one?

The Principles of Good Health and Wellness

So now that we have firmly established that your body is in fact YOUR responsibility to care for and maintain, we come to realization that there are certain principles that can applied to support a quality of life and fullness of human experience.

Health is a combination of physical, mental, and social well-being. You need to take care of all the important dimensions of your life. Personal wellness and good health are largely the result of choices you make. It is imperative that you acknowledge your body, accept complete responsibility for it, and develop a lifelong wellness action plan.

The “Three “A’s” of Change
AWARENESS:

Before you can make a change, you must be aware of what needs to be changed, and why. This means that you must do one of the most difficult things… fully acknowledge your body! When David was obese, this was EXACTLY what he didn’t want to do! But, he did it, and started the journey to change and self-improvement. LOOK in the mirror. Stop and take time to see, feel, and touch. Be alone, in silence, without distraction. Start to become re-acquainted with your body, and yourself.

ACCEPTANCE:

So you thought the “Awareness” part took courage. Well, taking complete responsibility for your body takes a tremendous amount of fortitude, and commitment. NO MORE EXCUSES! Your health and quality of life are under your control.

ACTION:

Both Trish and I feel that this is actually the easiest of the three “A’s”. It requires a plan, and the willingness to follow through with it. Here are some suggestions:

Weight Management:

Fad diets and fast weight loss programs seldom lead to long-term success in weight control and can be a health hazard. Controlling weight for a lifetime requires more than dieting. It requires behavioral changes: a commitment to new ways of eating, new active patterns, and successful management of emotional issues. If you need to lose weight, don't plan on losing more than one pound per week. Remember: 90% of successful dieters exercise. You will need to develop a systematic exercise program.

Dietary Practices:

· Eat a variety of foods daily.

· Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.

· Choose a diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grain products.

· Use sugars, salt and sodium in moderation.

· Drinking alcohol is not recommended, but if you do drink, do so in moderation.

Heart Health:

Keeping the heart healthy is basic to life. Anything that restricts circulation impairs health and puts your life at risk. There is nothing you can do about heredity, gender, or aging, but the cause of most heart problems can be explained by the following risk factors. Take action against any risk factors you may have:

· Personal history of heart disease or diabetes.

· Total cholesterol of over 240 (or LDL over 160 or HDL less than 35).

· Triglycerides over 400.

· Smoke.

· Very sedentary.

· Consistent blood pressure over 140 systolic, or over 90 diastolic.

· More than 30% overweight.

Stress Management:

If stress is problem in your life and you feel uptight, frustrated, overwhelmed, or mentally drained (and who doesn’t), plan now to reduce your stress burden. The following steps can be helpful.

· Get at least seven to eight hours of sleep daily.

· Avoid excessive amounts of change in your life all at the same time.

· Use your support systems. Foster meaningful social relationships. Take time to give and receive love.

· Have a positive outlook on life and be nice to yourself. Give yourself HEALTHY rewards.

· Talk out your problems and approach them intelligently and systematically to find effective and reasonable solutions. Accept gracefully those things over which you have no control.

· Learn to relax. Enjoy a good book, take a nap, visit a friend, or go for a walk. If more help is needed try biofeedback or progressive relaxation.

· Develop stress filters such as a hopeful and optimistic attitude toward life. Be more patient and tolerant toward people. Be sure to read Tom Muha’s column!

Exercise:

Regular exercise has many health benefits other that making you look and feel better. Recent articles in the Journal of the American Medical Association and the New England Journal of Medicine find the following:

· Heart Health - Inactive people develop heart disease twice as often as active individuals. Inactivity increases the risk of high blood pressure, obesity, and high blood fat levels.

· Osteoporosis - Weight bearing exercises like walking, aerobics and weight training are essential to maintenance of good bone strength.

· Weight Control - Exercise helps controls body fat by burning calories and strength training builds the lean muscle tissue that burn calories, even when you are at rest.

· Mental Health- Many studies show an association between physical activity and good mental health. Apart from endorphin induced fitness highs, fit people have a better self image, feel better, and have more energy.

and that exercise:

· Reduces the risk of dying prematurely by 22%, even for the moderately active.

· Improves insulin sensitivity, improving the body's ability to control blood sugar.

Start Today

As corny as it sounds, it IS perfectly true that “today IS the first day of the rest of your life”. Our readers know that we always write a special column to assist with New Year’s resolutions. Well, here’s your chance to pull ahead of the pack, and get a jump on the New Year. Make your resolutions TODAY, and start the journey to a longer and more joyful life.