Food, Fitness and Football

A Message from Dr. Stephen Kindred –
Assistant Vice President, Corporate Medical

At the turn of the New Year, many people focus their attention on food and fitness (and of course, college and professional football)! According to many health experts, eating better and exercising more are two of the “top 10” New Year’s resolutions. If maintained, both can lead to long-term, positive health benefits.

Healthy eating begins with learning new ways to eat, such as introducing more fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and reducing foods that contain a high amount of fat, salt and sugar. By doing so, you will get a better balance of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

As I tell my patients, healthy eating is also one of the best things you can do to prevent and control many health problems, such as:

• heart disease
• high blood pressure
• type 2 diabetes
• some types of cancer

Adding exercise to your daily routine is a great complement to a well-balanced diet. As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Remember to visit with your physician before starting a new exercise program, especially if you experience any health concerns.

As with healthy eating, exercise can also decrease the risk of the health problems mentioned above. Regular physical activity also:

• improves mood
• boosts energy
• promotes better sleep
• adds an element of fun

Playing a pick-up game of football in the backyard is a fun form of exercise for David, Business Analyst in Corporate Administrative Services, and his children. However, weighing in at nearly 248 pounds in 2010, he found it more and more difficult to play with his kids. “I wasn’t able to make it even 10 minutes,” admits David. “The disappointment in their eyes when I said I needed to take a break and then not get back up to finish the game was too much to bear.”

So, David initially decided to make changes in his dietary routine. “First, I gave up soda pop and fried foods, and then I cut out the fast food restaurants,” says David. “This made a huge difference! I started seeing some weight come off and my motivation grew from there.” He discovered a love for fruit and leaned on it during times he would have normally grabbed a bag of chips or a candy bar.

After David gained control of his food habits, his focus turned to fitness. He started an exercise routine of 30 minutes of walking and 30 minutes of weight training every other day. “The weight continued to fall off at a regular rate of about 3-4 pounds a week,” adds David. “I have lost 50 pounds since I started this journey and have kept it off. I feel so much better and more alive than ever! I am able to hang with my kids in a full game of football now and can pound out 5-6 mile runs. The thought of going backwards again is a nightmare and I refuse to let it happen.”

Keep Moving Forward
David is fortunate and has been able to maintain his plan through self-motivation. However, if you are like many others and find it difficult to stick with your New Year’s resolutions, think about some small changes you can make. Pick those you can keep doing and do not try to change everything at once. Set easy goals you can reach, like having a salad and a piece of fruit and/or walking the stairs and parking further away each day. Make long-term goals too, such as having one vegetarian dinner and/or attending a fitness class each week.

Find your focus in 2012 and stick with it!  Empowering you to Live Well, Be Well.

Additional Resources
Visit MedicineNet for 8 Tips for Making and Keeping Healthy New Year’s Resolutions.

Transform your resolutions into realistic changes that you can maintain throughout 2012 with the help of the American Dietetic Association.

For more tips on how to stick to your New Year’s resolutions or on how to get started on improving your health now, visit the Mayo Clinic website.