It’s easy to gain weight by sitting on the couch and watching TV while eating frozen pizza and potato chips. But it’s even easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle by taking a few simple steps to help keep the doctor away.
Here are nine suggestions that will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- Save your skin. Skin cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer in California. In fact, one in five Californians is expected to get skin cancer in their lifetime. Make sure to apply sunscreen when you’re under the sun.
- Calculate calories. Visit www.caloriecontrol.org to measure your body mass index, your ideal daily number of calories and how many calories your favorite activities (like brushing your teeth) burn.
- Bike to work. Cool Santa Cruz County mornings lend themselves to a leisurely bike ride in the morning; plus, biking to work gives riders a chance to burn some calories and stretch their legs before a long day at a desk. Read about bicycle-friendly legislation at www.bikeleague.org.
- Discourage mosquitoes. Get rid of standing water on your property, including flower pots, old car tires, rain gutters and pet bowls. The little buggers breed and lay eggs in standing water before hatching and coming after you.
- Choose whole grains. Read the food label and look for whole-grain cereals, pastas and breads.
- Not having fun playing sports? Buddy up, suggests www.kidshealth.org. Children have more fun with a friend, especially when trying a new sport or activity. Most adults would say the same.
- Pursue good nutrition. Go for the whole fruit instead of juice. Whole fruit has been shown to satisfy hunger better than juice, while adding more fiber, vitamins and minerals. Still craving liquid? Make a smoothie using whole fruit instead of pouring a glass of juice.
- Fun fact: Fight flab in outer space. In zero-gravity environments outside Earth’s gravitational pull, there is not enough resistance from gravity to keep muscles strong. Astronauts use a Resistance Exercise Device to simulate gravity’s effects so they can maintain muscle tone during long stays in space.
- Quit smoking. A smoker who smokes a pack each day at $5 a pack and quits will save more than $1,800 a year.
Information compiled from www.medicalnewstoday.com, www.kidshealth.org and the California Department of Public Health.
