Hopefully you have added 4 new healthy habits to your daily life since 2017 appeared on your calendar.  If we stop there, we will have done some good!  But, why stop now?  There is plenty more we can accomplish between now and December.

Week 9:  Rearrange your plate.  Remember the old school divided plates?  We grew up putting the protein in the large section and two veggies or a veggie and starch in the two smaller sections.  Well, times they are a changing and so must our plates.  The large section should be a healthy vegetable or salad and the smaller sections should have a lean protein and a second vegetable or starch.

Week 11:  Stretch.  Stretching is so good for your body.  It is a great way to increase the blood flow to all parts of your extremities.  Have you ever noticed how dogs stretch first thing when they get out of bed?  If you are always pressed for time, you could start your day with just two or three stretches like reaching for the sky, bending to touch your toes, and while sitting on the floor or a chair, lift your knees to your chest.  Do a bit of internet reasearch and plan a first-thing-in-the-morning routine to get you moving.

Week 13:  At work or while vegging on the couch, plan to move.  At each commercial break walk twice around the room, or every 30 minutes get up from your desk and walk around the office.  Every time you take a restroom break, take the long way back to your desk.  If you have a fit watch, get up and move when it tells you to move.  If you don’t have this type of watch, set your phone alarm for every 30 minutes.  Movement=good!  Lazy=bad!

Week 15:  Plan for healthy proteins.  There is nothing I like more than a grilled ribeye steak (having been marinated in Allegro) on Friday night.  Add a veggie and I am in Heaven.  But, let’s face it, for a variety of health reasons, we can’t have steaks every night of the week.  My nutritionist friend advises that we only eat red meat once per week.  Huh??? So what do we do the rest of the week?  Lean proteins!  Chicken, turkey, seafood and plant proteins should be our emphasis.  Let’s start planning our weekly menus using these options.

How have the first two months of health and fitness gone for you?  Share what has worked and what has not.  This is our year to get healthy or healthier!

NOTE:  If you already have already adopted some of these habits, substitute what you want to improve.  Maybe you need to add a daily time for meditation or prayer, or possibly  you need to start getting annual physicals.  Again, before making diet or activity changes, check with your physician for approval.