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Commit To Your Wellness - Part II
by Lisa Martin
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Make Meal Planning a Family Event
One of the simplest ways to keep your health on track is to plan your meals. Many of us wake up with two questions on our minds: "what should I wear today?" and "what should I make for dinner?" Running in the door at dinnertime having to come up with that constant "six o'clock solution" creates stress and leaves us open to less-than-healthy answers.
For many people, last-minute meals often mean hitting the drive-through on the way home or ordering take-out meals several times a week. While a bucket of chicken or a pizza can be a great treat, as regular fare it is hard on your body and can be hard on your wallet. Try calling a family meeting when everyone can be there and ask your family if they are willing to take a more active role in dinnertime planning and preparation. Get clear on everyone's time commitments, and then come up with a "dinner agenda" for the upcoming week.
Move for the Joy of It
Okay, you know that exercise is good for you. You know that regular exercise reduces stress, decreases cholesterol levels, lowers blood pressure, strengthens your immune system and improves the health of your heart. Even though you know all this, it is still challenging, if not downright impossible, for you to fit regular exercise into your life.
There are several reasons exercise programs ebb and flow. First, if the exercise program feels like a "should" you likely won't keep it up. If you are trying to "fit it in" rather than commit to it as a priority, you likely won't keep it up. If it starts out too big—like telling yourself you are going to go to the gym three times a week or three mornings by seven o'clock—there's a high probability you won't keep it up. But most importantly, if is not joyful, you definitely won't do it. If you want more physical activity in your life, try looking at exercise differently.
List the activities you loved to do as child. What kind of movement was fun for you? Remember the things you used to do as a young girl, when you weren't concerned about "getting in shape" or keeping off the pounds. What activities were a part of your life up until your schedule became "too busy" for exercise?
To bring joyful movement back into your life, try starting with small steps. Commit to doing whatever it is you love to do for a short amount of time each day. When you focus on the joy of exercise, it no longer feels like a "should;" it becomes something that you really love and want to do.
About the Author
Lisa Martin is the founder of Briefcase Moms™, a company that is dedicated to helping time-starved working mothers who want to manage the competing priorities of motherhood without guilt and stress. As a mother and professional personal coach with more than 18 years of corporate and entrepreneurial experience, she understands the stresses facing career-committed professionals. Struggling to balance work and family? Sign up for Briefcase Moms™ complimentary publications Taking Care of Mom™ and Success & Balance. Copyright 2003 Lisa Martin
Article Source: www.homehighlight.org
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