Easy habits to transform your body
Friday, Apr 13, 2012
New Straits Times ( Malaysia )
New Straits Times ( Malaysia )
Doctors have said it countless times... that the hardest thing for them to do is not prescribing medications or procedures but rather, the little lifestyle changes that affect their patients' health in a big way.
For example, sleeping pills will not be of much help to an insomniac if he refuses to change his habit of downing an espresso every night.
Likewise, no amount of weight-loss pills will have a lasting effect if the patient continues to binge on oily foods and refuses to exercise.
While it's true that good habits should start from young - research shows that people who work out in their 20s have better health and are trimmer in their 40s - it is never too late to change.
It is important to ensure that you embark on these changes in a gradual manner. This will give you a greated chance of success at sticking with them.
One strategy is to change just one habit each month. This gives your body and tastebuds time to adapt. Trying to make all these changes at once can be stressful, and will very likely result in failure.
Remember, changing your habits will only have an impact on your health if the changes are permanent.
Here are some small changes we can adopt today for better health tomorrow.
1. Eat rightChoose fruit and vegetables for their rich micronutrients. Opt for brown rice and noodles. Some taste adjustment may be necessary, but it is well worth the effort.
2. Take skim milkLow in fat, skim milk has calcium for your bones to keep osteoporosis at bay, minus the sugar and other ingredients found in some commercial milk
3. Reduce calorie intakeAs we age, our body’s metabolism rate is reduced. That explains why it’s easier to pile on but harder to lose the extra kilos. So eat less calorie-dense food such as cakes and opt for more vegetables which pack in fewer calories.
