Wellness Minute by Phil Mateja

Snacks often mean bags of greasy chips, bowls of ice cream or bottles of sugarysodas.  Those snacks are high in calories and low in nutrition.  Try these instead:1.  Freshly cut vegetables with low calorie dip.  Eat them instead of potato or tortillachips.2.  Drink juice instead of soda.3.  Eat a chocolate-covered strawberry instead of a candy bar.4.  Instead of milk and cookies, have a small bowl of whole grain cereal with slicedfruit or raisins and low-fat milk.5.  Keep seedless grapes in the freezer

Apples, pears, bananas, oranges and cherry tomatoes don't need refrigeration andwill help your diet.  Keep them in plain view on your countertop or table.  When snacktime rolls around it will be easy to grab them but be sure to keep the cookie jarand the candy bars out of sight.

The Move and Improve Program officially began yesterday.  It's not too late to register.Go to moveandimprove.org and follow the instructions and you'll be on your way toa healthier you.  Also, upon completion of the Program you will be eligible for one of seven $100 prizes!  Don't delay, sign up today!!

Fruits and vegetables should make up a large portion of your diet.  They are lowin calories and high in vitamins, minerals and fiber.  Experts suggest you eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day.Eating those suggested amounts is difficult for many people.  Busy schedules,eating on the run and the temptation of junk foods are all barriers to getting enoughfruits and vegetables in your diet.

The Move and Improve Program begins February 28, so plan to register today!  Go tomoveandimprove.org and follow the easy instructions to sign up.  Keeping track of your exercise program will help give you more of an incentive to continue.  Don't put it off, do it today! 

Are you a constant snacker and concerned about weight gain?  Move your food around.Change shelves for snacks and other "naughty" foods.  When you habitually reachfor food and it's not there, use that moment to assess your hunger and need for the snack.Rearrange often.

Sleep is an important resource that keeps you healthy, mentally sharp and ableto cope with stress more effectively.  Unfortunately, stressed and busy peopletend to get less sleep than they need.  Here are the common factors that contributeto lack of sleep:1.  Overthinking 2.  Caffeine3.  Overscheduling4.  Anxiety

It's time again to register for the Move and Improve Program!  This is a free program whichhas you record your physical activity for eight to twelve weeks.  The Program begins February28 and ends May 22.  If you work in the school system you may register with your school orindividually.  There will be seven random prizes of $100 for individuals who register.  Go to moveandimprove.org to sign up for the health of it!! 

Force yourself to expect that unhealthy foods will taste bad and leave you feelingheavy, bloated and unwell.  The more you create unpleasant expectations about unhealthy foods, the less you will crave them.  Visualize the foods in your bloodstream, clogging your arteries.  Imagine the unhealthy foods weighing you down, forcing you to take a napand lose time in your day. 

If you are an emotional eater, keep junk food like potato chips, tortilla chips, ice creamand candy out of the house.  Have healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables with dipsor nuts handy.  If you absolutely feel the need for a treat, buy a small piece of highquality chocolate or your favorite treat and enjoy it, just don't buy any to bring home. 

The closer a food is to its natural state, the better it is for you.  Fresh fruits and berries are great and will satisfy the craving for sweets.  Whole vegetables have lots ofvitamins and minerals, so eat more green, orange and yellow vegetables.  Any pasta or baked goods should be made from whole grains.  Avoid sugary snacks and pastries as well.An apple is good for you, an apple pie really isn't.

Therew are several fad diets that will lead to successful weight loss if you followthem exactly as they are designed.  That doesn't mean every food that fits intoa diet is a healthy food, but it does mean you have to change your eating patternsto fit the diet's rules.  Rather than worry about following a fad diet, think aboutyour health and your lifestyle instead.  Start by learning which foods are good for you.

When we feel down, we look for things that make us feel good.  Rather than reach
for the chocolate when you're stressed, think of something you enjoy doing--
something that feels good to you.  Rhythmic activities like walking/jogging/weight training
or even just doing some cleaning can be healing.  You can let your mind go and work
out problems, find solutions or just daydream for awhile. 

Life is full of surprises -- not all of them good.  Life's little events can often cause stress, anxiety and a bad case of the blues.  Some of these we expect, then there are the unexpected
surprises that test our mental strength.
Unfortunately, we can't predict the future, but we can find ways to relieve stress in healthy ways.  One of the best ways to work out the stress and pull yourself out of the dumps is to move your body -- exercise.

Potatoes have the highest potassium content among the top 20 most frequently
consumed raw vegetables.
One medium potato with skin contains at least 18% of your daily requirement 
of potassium -- more than a banana!
Potatoes are also sodium and fat-free and contain just 110-150 calories per
serving.
A serving of potatoes is about 25 cents - one of the most cost effective ways
of meeting your daily potassium quota.
 

Did you drop potatoes from your menu back when they became the carbohydrate villians of the low-carb diet fad?  That's a shame, because when you prepare them properly, they're very good for you.  They contain fiber, vitamins B6 and C and lots of potassium, plus phytochemicals that help keep your blood pressure normal.  Potatoes are also low in calories.

Working out several times per week will help you lose weight, approximately 2,800 calories
per week according to statistics.  Don't worry about the pace or intensity, get in a good workout.  
Be patient with weight loss.  A healthy rate of loss is 1/2 to one pound per week.
Set a reasonable goal for weight loss, like five pounds in two months.

You will not lose weight any faster if you miss meals.  In fact it will just make you hungrier,
which increases your temptation to eat everything in sight.  You also won't burn as many calories during your workouts as you would if you were properly fueled. 

Want to lose weight?  Strength train.  Increased muscle mass speeds up your metabolism.
Try two to three strength sessions per week.  If you run/walk/jog and strength train, you may not lose weight at first because you're adding muscle.  But you will lose inches because muscle weighs more than fat but takes up less space. 

Running/jogging/walking are effective ways to lose weight, but they aren't the magic bullet.
In fact, you may gain a few pounds early as you lose fat but add muscle, which is denser
and heavier than fat.  But if you are consistent with any of the above activities and stick
to a healthy diet, you'll literally run off some excess pounds.
 

It's tough to look forward to a workout when it's cold and dark, but something to look forward to afterward can make it all better:
1.  Find ten minutes to take a long shower, have a coffee, stretch, nap or whatever makes
you feel good.
2.  Reward yourself weekly - plan a massage, a movie, a shopping trip or just relaxing.
3.  Reward yourself at the end of winter - maybe a vacation?  Plan something to look forward to
to motivate you to stay in shape. 

If you find yourself staring at the treadmill with something close to dread, you may need to try
something different.  Try a new group fitness class or work on other pieces of cardio equipment.
If you're a home exerciser, try working out to a video or simply turn on the radio and make up
your own workout.
Don't be afraid to break out of the old routine and try something different, even if it's not
the same intensity as your usual workouts.  Doing something new can help keep you motivated
and on track. 

It can be tough to stick with your exercise program when winter hits.  It's easier
to stay where it's warm and out of the cold.  The key to staying motivated is to first,
make it as easy as possible to do your workouts and second, to recognize when you start
to get bored with your workouts, make changes before you lose interest.
 

Keep lunch simple, but healthy.  Get a piece of fruit and vegetable for each day's lunch.
Use 100% whole grain bread or make a wrap.  If you like hot meals, try soup or stew, but
buy a healthy brand.  Assemble lunch the night before so you know ahead of time what
you will eat and not just throw anything together.

When it comes to lunch, do you resort to fast food because you are hungry and short
on time?  You can learn to plan lunches and keep within calorie goals and still have delicious
food with great nutritional value.  You need convenient, easy to pack items that are low in calories.  When you go to the store don't get tempted to buy already prepared food--it's
usually high in sodium or sugar and likely to contain more calories from fat than you would expect.

Choose Nutrient-Dense, Low Calorie Foods.  You can cut calories by either eating smaller amounts of calorie-dense foods (the ones that got you fat) or by choosing foods that are low in calories, but rich in nutrients and fiber, like fruits and vegatables.  When you eat nutrient-dense foods, you can eat are large volume, so you don't feel deprived.  Maybe eating an apple rather than a donut as a snack doesn't sound appealing, but you'll get used to it.

If you're like the majority of people
who make New Year's resolutions, your goals are probably related to
health, weight loss and fitness.  How can you make these resolutions
turn into reality?
1.  Choose realistic resolutions
2.  Don't take on too much
3.  Write down your plan
4.  Set small, attainable goals
5.  Make your goals known - they will be more real if you talk about them to others
6.  Stay organized

Planning parties at this time of year
can be a challenge.  Make sure you make lists to know what ingredients
you need and have on hand.  Have all utensils and dishes needed laid
out before people arrive so there are no last minute searches. 
Delegate jobs so you aren't doing it all yourself and you have some
time to relax before the guests arrive.  If you have baked dishes and
want to fix them in advance, freeze them and then reheat.  Avoid things
that have to be cooked at the last minute, such as pasta.

The whirlwind of gift-giving
holidays, marketing blitzes, holiday parties and activities galore that
continues and gains momentum through the end of the year.
While this season is meant to bring feelings of love and cheer, it
also brings stress to many.  Research shows that 80% of us find the
holiday season to be "somewhat" or "very" stressful.  What is it that
has us all hot and bothered?

1.  Doing too much.  We should do things in moderation.  During
the holiday season we often experience too much of a good thing.  Too

Shopping and gift-giving are fun and special, but it can
also be stressful.  Between the crowds, financial stress and not
knowing what to buy for those hard-to-shop-for people makes it rather
difficult when it should be enjoyable.

If you haven't finished the shopping task as of yet, try getting
gift cards.  They are a step up from giving cash and can be spent on
anything the recipient desires.  They are great for mailing
and convenient to have on hand.