My City Wellness Winter 2022

The state of our overall health and well-being depends on how we care for the many different as - pects of our lives. The physical, mental, social and professional realms of our experience must all be addressed to maintain our emotional success and often, our happiness. So, how do we do it? How do we focus on everything effectively at once and give each its prop- er share of attention? How do we keep our lives stable? How do we find life balance? Balance is de ned as “a condi- tion in which di erent elements are equal or in the correct pro- portions.” at means that the various elements must receive equal (or nearly equal) daily con- sideration – a seemingly impossi- ble task for most given the chaotic nature of the world; however, with proper habits and planning, balance is an achievable goal. First, before balance can be achieved, good habits must be formed in each of the four main areas of our lives. ese are the physical (exercise, nutrition, sleep, etc.), mental/emotional, social (relationships, family, outside in uence) and professional (work and self-actualization). Each area is complex in nature and involves di erent factors for each of us; but a few general adjustments can help us move toward achieving this goal. PHYSICAL As the New Year begins, it brings an opportunity for each of us to plan for the biggest changes.

We choose to eat better, get more exercise, or get more sleep. We aren’t always successful, but ac- knowledging an area of struggle is the rst step toward improvement. For simplicity’s sake, the physical aspect of life can be di- vided into two sections: exercise and nutrition. Here are a few tips for improving in each: Exercise 1. Ease into it. Don’t attempt to run five miles on your first day; you could injure your- self or become discouraged by the goal. Start slowly and work up to your target. 2. Get outside or mix it up. Keep your mind involved. A change of scenery or different work- out altogether can help you stay connected to your plan. 3. Set realistic goals. is one is important. If you create incre- mental goals to reach while moving toward your overall goal, you will gain more con - dence with every small win. 4. Plan for 30 minutes of activity each day – a min- imum of at least 150 minutes of exercise per week is rec- ommended. That’s five days of 30-minute workouts. You really do have the time. 5. Don’t feel guilty if you miss a workout or fall short of a goal. Don’t dwell on it. Get right back on the horse. e only loss is abandoning your goals entirely. Nutrition 1. Eat breakfast. Skipping the rst meal of the day is perhaps the No. 1 mistake we make. We op- erate our best when well-nour- ished and a solid breakfast is key. Co ee by itself doesn’t count.

2. Introduce more vegetables/ fruits into your diet. This is a simple and relatively inexpensive way to improve your nutrition. Possibly plan one or two “vegetarian” din- ners per week. 3. Drink water. Get rid of the sugary drinks (Coke, Pepsi, etc.) and juices. Substitute with water and, if you miss the “ zz,” learn to love carbonated water. It’ll work if you give it a chance. 4. Invest in helpful appliances. Slow-cookers, for example, can keep you out of the drive- through on days when you really don’t feel like cooking. Load it up in the morning and when you get home from work, dinner’s ready. No rea- son to order that pizza. 5. Plan your weekly meals. Take time on the weekends to think about what your “dinner week” looks like and stick to it. Don’t forget to plan a pizza night or night out every once in a while; however, make it the exception and not the habit. Extras 1. Sleep. is o en underrated necessity a ects all aspects of our waking lives. To have opti- mal energy during the day, nd the best way for you to get the adequate nightly amount. 2. Find a doctor and make your appointments. If you are lucky enough to be able to a ord visiting a physician, do it reg- ularly. e goal is to prevent problems before they start and the vast majority of ailments can be mitigated by simple behavioral changes. Don’t let it get to surgery, or worse. 

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