Tag: #healthyhabits challenge

Have you ever read a nutrition label or could not understand one? Nutrition labels are a very important way to understand what you are eating. They contain the serving information, calories, and nutrients. Learning how to read a nutrition label can help you make healthier decisions in the grocery store. For more information, check out this link on how to read a nutrition label. 

https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label

Once you understand what’s in your food, you know what goes into your body. Using nutrition labels, you can prioritize balanced meals. A balanced meal contains fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins. Fruits and vegetables should take up half of your plate, whereas grains and proteins should take up the other half.  

Fruits: Apples, oranges, bananas, etc. 

Vegetables: Broccoli, peppers, carrots, etc. 

Whole Grains: Oatmeal, whole grain pasta, whole wheat bread, etc. 

Proteins: Chicken, fish, nuts, etc. 

Choosing balanced meals while reading the nutrition labels is great to know what is on your plate. The last component to eating a healthy diet is scheduling your meals in advance. Have you ever been to the grocery store without a list and ended up overspending and buying too much?  Thats what happens when you don’t have a plan. Before your week starts, schedule out what meals you will make each day. This ensures that you know when you need to cook and what you need to buy. Setting aside food for each day is a great way to reduce snacking or ordering takeout.  

Each day, make sure you track the 3 factors of knowing what’s on your plate. Check off when you schedule your meal, read the labels, and eat a balanced meal. Focusing on your diet this month will help you be 1% better every day! 

To learn more about food quality, check out this link to YMCA 360! 

You have been working so hard! Building and sticking to new healthy habits can be so overwhelming. This month, it’s time for some fun. Having a routine is great for your body to keep itself on track, but sometimes it can get boring. In fact, changing up your routine in little ways helps your brain adjust to change and increases creativity. So, to be 1% better in September, try something new!  

There are so many ways to shake up your routine while keeping a healthy lifestyle. Trying new foods, workouts, or hobbies are a great way to do that. Thats why we’ve provided a list of 10 new things to try this month. When you’ve tried that activity, check it off! 

1. Learn a new recipe from a cookbook or online 

2. Listen to a new podcast or music genre 

3. Read a book you haven’t read before  

4. Visit a new place or hike somewhere new 

5. Try a meditation  

6. Invite someone new to workout with you 

7. Try a puzzle instead of watching TV 

8. Workout outside 

9. Try a new workout class 

10. Learn a new word or phrase 

Keep up the good work! Incorporating healthy habits into your life should be a challenge, but ultimately it should be fun. Use this month to be mindful of your routine and where you might need to tweak it. With all the previous healthy habits under your belt, it should be exciting to wake up each day and have a new opportunity to change your routine for the better! 

Burn calories 

Stay moving 

Increase energy levels and improve heart health  

Looking for an easy way to exercise? Getting enough steps in throughout the day is a great low-impact exercise. There are also incredible health benefits from consistently having enough steps in your day! These benefits include a lowered risk of 

• Dementia  
• Premature death 
• Cardiovascular disease 
• Type 2 diabetes 
• Form of cancer 
• Obesity  

Did you know that the CDC recommends having 10,000 steps per day? That is a lot of steps! If you work at a desk, it might be hard to hit the recommended number of steps. While that number might seem impossible, there are always small things that add up. By the end of the month, try each one of these tactics! 

1. Go on a walk 

2. Take the stairs 

3. Park your car further away from your destination  

4. Walk to nearby stores 

5. March in place during TV time 

6. Use a treadmill 

7. Take your dog for a hike 

One way to help keep track of your steps is through technology. Products like smart watches keep track of every move you make! If you walk with your phone in hand, it will also help you keep track! At the end of each day, make sure you log your progress. Building up these tricks to get your steps in will help you hit your goal and be 1% better every day! 

How often do you stretch? Aside from a small stretch throughout the day, people often forget to prioritize stretching. Adding just 15 minutes of stretching each day can have many benefits. Stretching can help with 

• Posture 
• Mobility 
• Flexibility 
• Sleep 
• Blood flow 
• Back pain 

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends stretching at least 2-3 times per week. However, Healthline recommends stretching every day for a smaller time. The bottom line: you need to stretch! 

Try stretching when you wake up to get your mind awake, and before bed to relax! There are tons of muscles in your body that need stretches to help them function well. To learn more about different stretches, check out the YMCA 360 link! 

https://ymca360.org/search?q=stretch+

Your healthy habits are adding up! So far, you are tracking your progress, incorporating cardio, staying hydrated, cooking from home, resting, and working out with a partner. Now, you should track how many days a week you stretch! Continue to keep track and journal your progress with all your Healthy Habits! 

Staying physical can be hard! If you feel discouraged or bored, it’s time to find a workout buddy! This month, we challenge you to reach out to someone who can hold you accountable and help you be 1% better, every day. 

Working out with a friend is a great way to keep you invested in fitness. A buddy can help motivate you and keep you on track. Lack of fitness knowledge and fear of embarrassment tends to keep people from trying new workouts. It’s easy to try new fitness activities when you have a buddy! 

This month, try to motivate each other, try fun buddy workouts, and learn from your partner’s health journey. For inspiration on workouts for two, check out these videos from YMCA 360!  

https://ymca360.org/categories/202/videos/813

Bringing a buddy to a fitness class, to the gym, or just on a walk ensures that you show up. Accountability is a great factor when it comes to building healthy habits. It helps to have someone there to motivate you, push you, and keep you from quitting.Learning from each other’s health journeys can help you find what works best for you! 

Make sure you use the attached tracker this month to mark when you and your buddy held each other accountable!