10 Small Steps To Improve Your Health

10 Small Steps To Improve Your Health

Many of us make health-related resolutions, such as to lose weight, stop smoking or join the neighbourhood health club. While it is common to set high goals, experts say that setting smaller goals could do more for our health.

"Small steps are achievable and are easier to fit into your daily routine," says James O. Hill, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. "They are less overwhelming than a big, sudden change."

Here are 10 to try:

1. Stop gaining weight. Even if you gain just a pound or two every year, the extra weight adds up quickly.

2. Take more small steps. Use a pedometer to count your daily steps; then add 2,000, the equivalent of one extra mile. Keep adding steps, 1,000 to 2,000 each month or so, until you take 10,000 steps on most days.

3. Eat breakfast. Breakfast eaters tend to weigh less and have better diets overall. For a filling and nutrition-packed breakfast, go for oats (steel cut or rolled oats are best)with fresh fruit slices and soy milk.

4. Switch three grain servings each day to whole grain. If you're like the average person, you eat less than one whole grain serving a day.

5. Have at least one green salad every day. Eating a salad is filling and may help you eat less during the meal. It also counts toward your five daily vegetables and fruits.

6. Eat whole fats (nuts, seeds and avocados) and carbs (whole grains, potatoes, beans) and avoid oils and animal fats. At a push go for olive or avocado oil where necessary.

7. Eat more fibre. Fibre is contained in all plant foods, but not animal products. Fibre fills you up and keeps your regular.

8. Make the healthy choice the easy choice. Keep crisps and candy out of the house, and have fruit and nuts on hand to snack on instead.

9. Lose just 5 to 10 percent of your current weight. The health benefits are huge-lower blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides.

10. Keep track of your eating. Write down what you eat over the next couple of days and look for problem spots. Often, just writing things down can help you eat less.