Start 2013 off right with these simple strategies
Whether it was to eat better, exercise more, or get more sleep, if you are like many Americans, you made a New Year’s resolution related to your health.
Last January, Thomson Reuters and NPR released a health poll (.pdf) that showed more than a third of all respondents had resolved to lose weight at some point in the preceding five years.
HISD’s Food Services Department has compiled a list of five simple strategies to help employees meet their health-related goals.
- Avoid yo-yo dieting—Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many goals. Yo-yo dieting usually causes additional weight gain in the long run. Make changes that are reasonable and can be maintained in order to keep the weight off.
- Keep moving—Try to stay physically active by going on small walks during your lunch break or after dinner. Take the stairs and park further from your office building to get in extra steps. Try using a pedometer to measure your success.
- Shop smart—Stick to the outside aisles of the grocery store for the fresh produce and meats. Center aisles usually contain processed, less-healthful foods. When choosing packaged items, focus on reading food labels and look for options low in fat, sodium, and sugar.
- Snack smart—Choose a lean protein source or nutrient-dense foods for snacks if you are hungry in-between meals. Try a handful of nuts for the in-between meeting cravings. Other great snacks are low-fat cheese, fruit with peanut butter, low-fat granola and yogurt, and veggies with hummus.
- Don’t go it alone—Involve your whole family or get a friend involved to eat healthfully with you. Encouraging loved ones to participate in healthful eating habits can help keep you on track and hold you accountable.
Employees may also wish to join The Matchup, a wellness event that gives people the chance to motivate themselves and others to lose weight. Teams of five compete over three months and the winning teams get up to $10,000 (first place is $10K, second is $5K, third is $3K).
Last June, two HISD teams won big (see related story here), and new teams are forming now for January and February.
“Everybody knows that diet and exercise are the keys to lasting weight loss,” said Manager of Nutrition Services Amanda Oceguera, “but little changes can make a big difference, so don’t be discouraged if you’re making steady progress, but it’s happening more slowly than you would like. Just keep going. You’ll get there in the end, and who knows? You just might be the inspiration someone else needs to do the same.”
