YOUR HEALTH: Easy-to-Implement Steps to Gaining/Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle in 2009

Boyd D. Lyles, Jr., MD Executive Vice President/ Chief Medical Officer

As Americans look for ways to take better care of themselves -- both to improve and maintain their health, and to cut health care spending – U.S. Preventive Medicine Chief Medical Officer Dr. Boyd Lyles suggests the following guidance for adopting a healthier lifestyle in 2009.

Take Baby Steps
Don’t try to change more than one bad habit at a time. Overeating, making poor food choices, not exercising and smoking is a sure route to failure. One way to avoid becoming overwhelmed and quitting before you have made progress is to tackle one habit at a time. If you need to change your diet, add exercise, and quit smoking, start by changing your diet or becoming more physically active. All other changes are easier once you have successfully tackled the first challenge. For example, most find it easier to quit smoking once they’ve begun eating better and exercising.

Eat Breakfast
Yes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Without breakfast, the body receives the message that it's going to be starved, which causes it to down-regulate or slow your metabolism. The result: you don't burn as many calories and you have less energy. To jump start your metabolism and have the energy you require to get to lunch without hunger, be sure to get some protein and fat in that breakfast.

No time for a sit-down meal? Try a protein bar or peanut butter on a whole wheat English muffin. Both provide the energy-sustaining protein and fat necessary to take you through to your next meal, and include some fiber. No, a plain bagel or donut won't do it. Nor will fruit alone -- which is mostly carbohydrate. If you'd like a piece of fruit for breakfast, choose one higher in fiber to gain more lasting energy, such as an apple or banana. And, a couple of eggs a few times a week are fine. Eggs, as studies show, are NOT inherently evil; a couple of eggs a few times a week will not significantly raise cholesterol (provided they're not fried or combined with cheese and bacon). Given their protein and fat content, they're much better at sustaining energy.

Consume Fluids
While there's no defined minimum of fluid intake per day, remaining hydrated is essential for optimal function and stamina. Caffeinated beverages don't really count. The best beverage is water.

Take a Multi-Vitamin
No matter how good your diet, you're likely deficient in your recommended intake of fruits and vegetables -- especially dark leafy greens. You needn't take an expensive multivitamin. Just read the label and be sure it contains RDAs close to 100 percent in the basics: the Bs, C, D, and E.

Be Extra Careful When Eating Out
Restaurant meals are fraught with danger: too many calories and too much fat, salt and sugar -- all of which mean too much contribution to the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, weight gain, and diabetes. Portion sizes are the biggest in years. Many meals actually exceed 1000 calories -- nearly as much as the daily calorie allotment for some of us -- and contain more saturated fat, salt, and sugar. Eating with a group is even more dangerous. Studies of group ordering behavior reveal more food is ordered and consumed.

There are a few tried and true approaches to curbing the dangers of eating out. Decide what you'll order before you get to the restaurant so you are not overwhelmed with choices and tempted to make a bad choice. Before the meal, take the edge off your appetite by eating a salad or drinking a warm beverage -- warm is better than cold for helping you feel full. Or simply order less -- an appetizer instead of a meal, or share a meal -- and avoid the temptation of having too much food in front of you and lacking the discipline to only eat half and take the rest home.

Exercise
Exercise doesn't happen. It must be planned. Pick a time of day that you have the most control over protecting so you can commit to exercising. Then pick an activity and setting you enjoy. You can't stick with exercising if you can't set aside the time, and don't enjoy what you're doing and/or where you're doing it.

Exercise needn't be a lengthy affair. Studies show that as little as 15 minutes per day, three to five times a week can make a difference. Thirty minutes a day, three to five times a week is better. Don't discount even minor efforts to become more active. Look for small ways to increase your physical activity. When you can, take the stairs. When shopping, park further away. Rather than wasting gas and time circling the parking lot for a space close to the store, you benefit from putting an extra bit of walking into your routine. While pace is important, distance is better; every little bit counts.

Eliminate Soda
Quite simply, soda isn't good for you. One 36 ounce serving of soda contains about 450 calories. The amount of exercise needed to burn that much soda is approximately the equivalent of three miles of rigorous walking. It's your choice: either work out more or stop drinking soda. Sugar-free sodas aren't much better. Carbonated beverages of any type have been shown to deplete bone density. The long-term impact of sugar substitutes is unclear, and studies reveal that drinkers of large quantities of diet soda are more likely to gain weight.

Quit Smoking
Cigarette smoking is the number one preventable cause of disease and death. That said, it's often easier to quit smoking once you've adopted a healthier diet and begun exercising. Not wanting to undo all the good the other changes are having significantly strengthens the will to quit.

Practice Prevention
It is especially tempting to ignore good prevention in tough economic times such as these. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish. Ultimately, maintaining good health is less expensive and easier to achieve than regaining health if you’ve lost it. Whatever your current health, be sure to get those recommended preventive checkups and screenings.