10 SNEAKY WAYS TO GET FIT AND HEALTHY-WITHOUT REALLY TRYING!

THIS IS A LONG ARTICLE BUT HAS SOME GOOD INFORMATION.
10 Sneaky Ways to Get Fit and Healthy—Without Really Trying
By: Nicole Nichols : 9/23/2009

It's called "stealth health" and it's a philosophy that's gaining ground among experts, food manufacturers—and people who want to live a healthier life. Even if you haven't heard of it (I hadn't either), you're probably already using these principles into your life. It's about taking small actions every day to improve your health, nutrition and fitness levels in BIG ways. We've been advocating a small-steps approach for years, whether in the form of 10-minute workouts or fast break goals. We believe that doing something is always better than doing nothing. And yes, that 10 minutes on the treadmill or that single serving of vegetables DOES make a difference.

When you start small, you feel accomplished. That initial success inspires you to make additional positive changes in your life. So you continue, getting healthier, fitter, and leaner over time—all by starting with a few small changes.

10 ways I sneak fitness, nutrition and motivation into my days—and you can, too!

Choose fruit to quell a sweet tooth. When it calls, I try to eat a serving of fruit first.. Most of the time, these fruity treats do the trick, but if not, I'll choose a sweet snack knowing that I have boosted my fruit quota for the day before giving in.

Practice good posture in front of the computer. I try to be aware of my posture at work. I've set up my desk so that my computer screen is higher (to discourage slumping and slouching). Set a few reminders on your computer (or a post-it note on your planner) to remind you to think about it and readjust throughout the day. Your posture will improve, your core will be stronger and I bet you'll experience less pain in your neck, shoulders and lower back, too.

Add fruit to pancakes, waffles, ice cream and other desserts. If I'm going to go with a sugary breakfast treat like pancakes, I'll add fruit to them like nobody's business. I know that pancakes doused in syrup aren't exactly a healthy breakfast, but by adding some low-cal, filling, antioxidant-powered fruit to the meal, I know I'm getting some good nutrition along with my sugar fix. Same goes with ice cream. I'll try to add one serving of fruit to a serving of ice cream. It "stretches" your dessert further and boosts the nutrition of the final product.

Sit on a stability ball. You can make this one small change at home or at work. I sit on a ball chair all day, which helps me sit with better posture and encourages me to keep my abs engaged for better balance and core strength. You can sit on a ball while you watch TV, use the computer at home, or sit at work. If you're going to be sitting, you might as well make it work for you!


Commit to 10 minutes of fitness. I don't care if you've never exercised or if you're a triathlete. Committing to 10 minutes of fitness can help you stick with a solid fitness program—and be successful on the days you really don't want to exercise. This is one of my best tricks to staying fit.

Look at SparkPages and popular blogs. This quick motivational trick will help you stay focused. It keeps you in touch with family and friends!

Practice portion control. Measuring and consuming smaller portions of your foods is one of the easiest ways to make changes to your diet without feeling deprived. You can enjoy dessert, pasta, and other comfort foods as part of your healthy diet as long as you watch your portions. When it comes to treats, read labels and serve yourself a single portion. At your favorite restaurant, cut down on the calories and fat simply by eating half of the meal and saving the rest for later. If you ate half the size of meals you're accustomed to, you'd be eating half the calories, fat and sodium—a small change that will really add up.

Add more veggies to frozen meals. Of course, cooking meals from scratch is an important thing if you want to eat healthier. But we don't always have the time or energy to do that. I rely on frozen lunches (like Amy's brand) a couple times per week, but I never find them to be very filling or high enough in vegetables for my taste. My standby is frozen broccoli. I'll add at least 2 servings of it to every frozen meal. It boosts the veggie content and it's EASY. If you don't like the taste, try another vegetable you do like—or mix it into your meal to make it go down easier.

Walk through the office. I sit in front of the computer for more than eight hours each day, as I'm sure many of you do, too. Email is a nice timesaver, but I try to get up at least once or twice each hour—whether I'm walking to a co-worker's desk instead of emailing, heading to the café to get another cup of water, or choosing to use the restroom on the other side of the office. It's a chance to stretch my legs and add a few more steps to my otherwise sedentary day.

Exercise in front of the TV. Most nights, there's nothing I'd rather do than watch TV. Often, I'll do some simple core exercises, such as Pilates, while I'm watching my favorite shows—or at least during the commercials. Even if I just do three sets of 10 repetitions, it's better than sitting still!

Interestingly, not everyone is a fan of this approach. Associate professor at the NYU School of Medicine, Marc Siegal, MD, told WebMD that the idea of stealth health is, "a small, gimmicky idea to target people with very unhealthy lifestyles," and that these small actions are like "using a Band-aid to stop a hemorrhage." In other words, stealth health isn't a long-term answer for the very people who need to make the most drastic changes to save their health. I can understand how some health conditions are dire and require immediate, sometimes drastic, changes, but I'm not sure I agree. I think that many people are overwhelmed by what it takes to get healthy, lose weight, or start exercising. Overhauling your diet, lifestyle, and exercise routine (or lack thereof) overnight is mind-boggling! This approach sets many people up for failure, causing them to give up before they even try. But starting with small tasks is manageable. Certainly, eating a piece of fresh fruit each day—even if that's the only healthy thing you do—matters, don't you think?

TIP OF THE DAY - TUESDAY

DE-STRESS YOUR COMMUTE. Less driving means less road rage. Instead of stressing out in traffic, relax as you ride a bus or train, carpool (so you only drive sometimes), or bike to work (to release stress and endorphins). Well we don't have that problem in Klamath Falls, probably because you can't take a bus or a train to work unless you work in Eugene. I don't know of anyone who car pools around here either. So I will de-stress my commute to work by walking slower down the hallway.

TIP OF THE DAY - MONDAY

SQUEEZE STRESS AWAY. By squeezing a stress ball, you contract the muscles in your hand and arm. As you release, your muscles relax, reducing tension and relieving stress. Use it to take out your frustrations. This sounds simple enough. I wonder where you find these magic stress balls.

TIP OF THE DAY - SUNDAY

CRY IT OUT. Some experts believe crying is an important stress reliever. Perhaps that is why you feel better after a good cry. Instead of holding in those feelings, open the flood gates to release them. I think that is why women love "chick flicks". We can cry at a movie and whatever else is bothering us. I love it.

TIP OF THE DAY - SATURDAY

JUST SAY NO!!! Say no to drugs and alcohol. Although these may seem to relieve tension, relying on them to cope will hurt your health and resilience. Find healthy ways to deal with stress and emotions. I hope and don't think any of us have a problem, if you do get help. Don't get this tip confused with prescribed medications. There are some medical problems that do require medication and there is nothing wrong with taking pills that a doctor prescribes, just be careful, and do all you can to take them only as long as necessary.

WEIGH INS FOR THE THIRD WEEK OF SEPTEMBER

IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SEPTEMBER IS ALMOST OVER. Not everyone checked in this week and I for one miss hearing from you ladies. You are the ones that keep me going. So don't be shy. It doesn't matter if you lost, gained, or like me stayed the same. Let us know how you are doing. Here is how we did last week:
Liisa lost 1.5 pounds
Angela is shy this week, she gained but how much? She isn't saying.
Becky stayed the same.
Renee stayed the same.
Linda lost 1 1/2 pounds.
Yvonne stayed the same.
Elizabeth stayed the same and,
Joleane lost 2.5 pounds.
Way to go ladies. Let's keep going,
Can't wait to see you all in less than 1 month.

TIP OF THE DAY - FRIDAY

STOP OVER PLANNING. If your calendar is full and you're a slave to your day planner, you might be overscheduled and overstretched. Cut out a few things so you spend your time doing what's important to you. This is a great tip. I have not used a day planner since Daniel graduated and it's great. I think it is more of a problem with families. Most families spend too much time in the car going from one event and activity to another that they really don't spend enough good quality time as a family and that is sad. Plus mom is the one who seems to get stretched the thinnest.