As a personal trainer, I work privately with individual clients who have unique goals, situations and backgrounds. However, I see very similar mistakes that all people make when it comes to taking care of their health.
Mistake #1: Allow health to fall to the bottom of the priority list.
Parents are selfless when it comes to their children, but ignoring your own health creates a negative ripple effect that just gets worse as you age. Besides being a good role model for kids, parents that make time for exercise and eating right have more energy and stamina to care for their families and run their households. And, they are
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| Don't let this be you!! ;-) |
more likely to be around for each milestone their child experiences.
Even if you don't have children, put aside the work for one hour per day to walk, stretch, exercise, do some meditation or stress relief, and plan some healthy meals.
Mistake #2: Snack and eat out too much.
Snacking between meals can be a good way to even out blood sugar levels and control overeating at mealtime, but only as long as the foods are low-calorie and nutritious, like fruit or a small handful of unsalted nuts. But regularly dipping into a bag of chips, chocolate, candy and other packaged foods can cause steady weight gain and clogged arteries.
Restaurants are a business; their goal is for you to keep spending money. To ensure this, they target your dopamine receptors by offering foods high in sugar, fat and salt. Add large portion sizes, and one reckless night out can set back weight loss efforts by a week.
Keep healthy snacks on hand, find some easy recipes that you can make at home, and learn how to make healthier choices when you do go out to eat. Last, stop eating once your physical hunger is satisfied. This will take some practice!
Mistake #3: Seek unhealthy ways of coping with stress.
Eating mindlessly in front of the TV is one example. Consuming several alcoholic drinks each day is another. But chronic worrying also increases cortisol levels and can have a huge impact on health. Excess cortisol interferes with sleep, encourages fat storage and can lead to Cushing's Disease. Regular loss of sleep increases the hormone ghrelin which causes you to eat more, thereby extending the vicious cycle of stress, irritability and poor health.
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| We all want more sleep! |
Consider cognitive behavioral therapy to learn better ways of coping. At least take a walk to
clear your head, listen to music, engage in a creative project or spend time with loved ones (including pets!).
Mistake #4: Lift and move incorrectly.
When you practice bad posture day in and out, your body molds into that position. Most people are already experiencing pain, especially in the neck and back. Bad posture adds substantially to the pain, and to the chance of injury.
Take computer breaks, stand tall and relax the shoulders. Pilates is also a great way to work on postural muscles. Also, take the time to learn proper lifting techniques. Your back will feel better, I promise!
Mistake #5: Play sports, but don't work on conditioning.
So you think you'll get in shape by playing tennis? I consider the opposite to be true: Get into shape so you can play tennis (or whatever sport you love).
Chronic overuse of muscles and joints leads to injuries. But you can prevent many problems like tennis elbow, shoulder pain and knee injuries by doing two days of conditioning exercises each week. The basics include flexibility, balance, strength training and core work.
Many of you have met (or heard of) my retired racing greyhound, Gracie. Soon after we adopted her, she was diagnosed with chronic renal failure. Despite the vet's gloomy outlook, she survived (and thrived) an additional 2 years more than expected. A few weeks ago, she passed away after a difficult last month. 
