Have you made New Year’s resolutions to improve your health this year? Are you on track or have you already lagged behind on goals you hoped to accomplish?
It’s not too late to catch up or to begin. Last year, Wilshire’s financial emphasis was on fiscal fitness. This year I would like to challenge you to work on total fitness—including body, mind and spirit.
For your body, do you need to lose weight, improve cardiovascular fitness, control diabetes or decrease your blood pressure?
Set realistic goals, such as losing 2 to 5 pounds per month. Decreasing portion sizes of foods eaten and increasing exercise are good ways to accomplish these goals.
Look for healthy food choices at meals at Wilshire. We are working on having a healthy choice for each meal and identifying those foods that will meet the criteria for those who are watching their diets.
Walking is a good exercise almost everyone can do. Try to walk 5,000 steps a day. If you are walking that much, increase the number of steps you walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Wear a pedometer to keep track of how far you are walking. A good criterion is to exercise at least 30 minutes three times a week.
For your mind, determine something you can do that will exercise mental discipline. An example is to drink eight glasses of water a day. Of course, this will help physical health as well. You may choose to read a book every month. The library has many excellent choices.
To be a totally healthy person, you must not neglect your spiritual health. Try to spend at least 15 minutes a day in prayer, Bible study or meditation. If this has not been a part of your daily routine, start with a shorter time and work up to 15 minutes or longer.
Finally, do not become discouraged if you slip and fall behind. Start over again. It is not too late to begin and it is OK to start again if you already have lost sight of your goals. Any progress is important and will help improve your fitness of body, mind and spirit.
(214) 452-3100