3 things for better health

1. Set small goals. A reminder from one of the featured stories this week had just what Three Things hopes to provide when it stated: “Pick one to three daily habits you can implement and focus on each week. These could be things like packing a healthy lunch for work, going for a daily 30-minute walk, or eating two cups of vegetables at every meal.” With the new year providing a fresh start, try to pick one to three things this week that can start a change for better health.

2. Don’t give up. “New Years are like fresh starts for a lot of us,” Fit Girls stated in an announcement for a 2019 fitness challenge. “A nice clean slate, an empty planner, a list of goals/intentions. But the New Year rolls around quickly and fades away just as suddenly. Our aspirations can slip away one by one until we forgot why we set out to do those things in the first place. What were we thinking? Discouraged. Deflated. Disappointed. (Picture the gym on Jan. 1st versus Feb.1st.)

“Remember why you started. Way back to when you first thought you wanted to turn things around for yourself, for YOUR health.”

3. Design your plate. Losing weight is hard, especially as people age. WebMD notes there are options to help. Such as filling half the plate with fruits and vegetable as produce tends to have less fat and calories than meat, dairy or grain. And it can help people feel more full even when eating less. “Fresh fruits, like apples and berries, are also great in place of high-fat or high-sugar snacks,” WebMD noted. Other tips include: Don’t skip breakfast. East less at night. (Get most calories in before 3 p.m. but WebMD noted it’s more about what people eat than when.) Plan for smaller portions. Track food and activity to help lose weight and stay on track. Make time for exercise, stress relief and sleep.

For more tips from the weekly Three Things list, check out the Monday Motivator page each week in the Dispatch or e-edition, or go to www.brainerddispatch.com and go to lifestyle to reach the drop-down menu for health or search using the keywords “Monday Motivator.”

Questions or tips to share, contact Renee Richardson, managing editor, at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 218-855-5852.