StatePoint Media - With the New Year right around the corner, new survey results suggest that 2023 will finally be the year that Americans bring their health back into focus.
According to a recent poll of 2,000 U.S. adults aged 30 and above commissioned by Nutrisystem and conducted by OnePoll, two in three Americans credit the past two years with teaching them how important their health really is. And 71% believe the pandemic has taught them to be more observant of their health. The poll also revealed that two-thirds of Americans said weight loss is a “top health goal” for them over the next year.
Photo: Avelino Calvar Martinez/Burst
However, for many, losing weight can seem like a difficult task. The truth of the matter is it doesn’t have to be. Courtney McCormick, corporate dietitian at Nutrisystem, offers the following tips to help you take that step toward a healthier you.
1. Keep healthy food in sight
Having healthy food at arm’s reach can make losing weight easier. A Cornell study found that women who kept a bowl of fruit where they could see it weighed an average of 13 pounds less than those who didn’t. Plans like Nutrisystem deliver healthy, portion-controlled options right to your door, making it even simpler to make good choices.
2. Give yourself a bedtime
Children aren’t the only ones who need a bedtime! Adults need a set bedtime as well to be productive the next day. Setting a certain bedtime and sticking to it will also help your body get the rest that it needs to burn stubborn fat. “Not having a good night’s rest can lead to craving sugar and fatty foods, which can also lead to weight gain,” says McCormick.
3. Work out in 10-minute sets
If you’re short on time or have back-to-back meetings, working out in intervals of 10 minutes three times a day creates more flexibility in your busy schedule. Doing this creates long-term healthy habits that will help you lose and maintain weight.
4. Drink more water
What’s not to love about water? It’s hydrating and keeps your body healthy. Water aids digestive health, regulates body temperature and even aids in losing weight and maintaining the weight loss. This is because water helps you stay full between meals and avoid unnecessary snacking. In fact, feeling hungry is often a sign that you’re actually thirsty and it’s time to get hydrated.
5. Forgive a slip-up
Mistakes can actually help you understand what is healthy for your body. Having a slip-up allows you to consider the progress you’re making in your weight loss journey and be able to hold yourself accountable when making future healthy decisions.
For more additional wellness tips, visit Nutrisystem’s The Leaf, at leaf.nutrisystem.com.
There is no better time than now to focus on your overall health and wellness goals. When you are geared with the tools to succeed, living a healthier lifestyle is easily achievable.
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When I was a child at Tomahawk Elementary School in Martin County, Kentucky there were many kids who got little to nothing for Christmas. I had classmates who I would never ask if they got anything for Christmas because I already knew the answer. Some of these kids were just glad to be in school. At school they could receive a free lunch and have access to a bathroom which they didn’t have at home. This also meant they could wash their faces and their hands which was difficult at home especially in the winter months. While most of us didn’t have much, what we did have seemed like a lot to those who had nothing.
This is where you need to stop and think. You stress about all you may not have but what do you have in comparison to those who have nothing? Do you have a place to sleep? Do you have a comfortable bed? Is your house or apartment warm and comfortable? Do you know you will have food to eat on Christmas day? Do you have a television to watch? Do you have a telephone? Do you have a few dollars in your pocket?
I’m very aware there are millions of Americans who are below the financial income poverty level. They have it tough. Our cities are filled with growing numbers of homeless populations. People are sleeping under bridges, overpasses and on riverbanks. Too many of these have met with unfortunate circumstances in life due to bad choices, addictions, unemployment, mental illness, and family issues. The list is never-ending. This doesn’t make their lives any easier. Just because there is a reason for the problems doesn’t make their burdens lighter or unnoticeable. Their reality is still harsh and painful.
Millions more immigrants are coming to America. Where will they sleep? Where will they work? Many of them will work for $8 an hour and work hard but many of them will be homeless or stranded in homeless shelters on government dependence for a long time. Would any of us want to trade places with them? I don’t think so.
Whatever darkness you are facing this Christmas is your reality. Seeing the hurts of others doesn’t make your troubles go away. However, if you can be thankful for the life you have, then maybe Christmas will take on a whole new light.
Look to the most special gift of all this Christmas – the baby in the manger. Shepherds raced to see the baby just as the angels said they would. Wise men came from the east and worshipped him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Mary and Joseph did the best they could as peasant parents of a new baby boy.
Keep the scripture of Isaiah 9:6 handy this Christmas. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Price of Peace.
May His peace comfort your heart and be your light and strength through this seasonand every day to come.