Your Weekly Challenge:
Help yourself more … check your portions!
By Bernadette Kathryn, LMT, IHLC
When it comes to eating,
you can sometimes help yourself more
by helping yourself less.
~ Richard Armour
One of the reasons for this game is to help us ALL establish healthy habits that will allow us to go gracefully through life doing the things we truly enjoy and living the life we imagined ~ pain free, disease free, and full of the vitality that we all deserve!
Our society has had a dramatic increase in obesity during the past 20 years. More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) and approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese. Those are startling statistics!
Obesity-related conditions include:
- heart disease
- stroke
- type 2 diabetes
- certain types of cancer
- some of the leading causes of preventable death!
According to the CDC – Center for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese
- Since 1980, obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has almost tripled
- The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S. was $147 billion in 2008 U.S. dollars
Obesity is a combination of excessive food energy intake and lack of adequate physical activity. A Meal Ideas for Living Fit and physical exercise are the mainstays of treatment for obesity. Food plan quality can be improved by reducing the consumption of energy-dense foods such as those high in fat and sugars, and by increasing the intake of dietary fiber.
Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing prevalence in adults and children. Public health officials view obesity as one of the most severe public health problems of the 21st century. In 2013, the American Medical Association classified obesity as a disease.
With daily movement and Meal Ideas for Living Fit as part of our core components ~ we are setting the stage for our success in preventing this disease and all its related illnesses. We have the power to choose, a gift that we have to exercise as our right to live a healthy, vibrant life.
What changes can you make in your life & inspire in others that will assist their improved health through lifestyle options?
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- Are you following the Game Guidelines?
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- Are you eating fully Sanctioned Meals?
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- Are you cooking Living Fit Foods?
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- Are you getting 6-8 hrs sleep daily?
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- Are you consuming 2-3 liters of pure water daily?
Take a look at your family health history ~
What lurks in the shadows of your family health history?
What habits play a role in your family’s health that could be corrected through lifestyle choices?
Make a declaration today ~ Share with your team, family, and friends
Share on Facebook ~ inspire others to get moving, eat healthily and live a vibrant life!
from M ~ beauty / beast
My family has a couple of worrying indicators, especially on the male side of the family.
My Grandfather had diabetes
My father had heart surgery
My brother had a heart attack at the age of 37
As far as health habits, my brother’s was the most easily correctable, just quit smoking. I think my father’s is more about over eating and too much partying
I don’t know enough about my Grandfather to be able to comment.
Learning what “fit” means for me at this stage of my life has been something I am devoting myself to. For the first time in my life I am doing exercises that appropriate to my needs on a CONSISTENT basis. That means, perhaps, 10 – 15 mins a day of rehab/strength training exercises, 5-10 mins of foam rolling most days and a 30 minute swim or bike ride. Big difference, and more enjoyable. I have people often asking me what I am doing to be so fit and I am happy to share this message with them; learn what works for YOU!
With diabetes and heart disease in my family, I have been aware of the need to adopt better lifestyle habits than my parents and grandparents. I have always exercised regularly, but as I got older healthy eating has been the biggest challenge. I thought giving up sweets was like giving up old friends. Now, for the first time, I am making a serious and consistent effort to give up this kind of thinking and behavior. I am getting better at it, but not perfect.
tomorrow i re-join the team. i really miss playing and find i need “my daily practice”. i do so much better following a plan. i will food shop today and get in some form of exercise.
Being healthy and working in the medical field I see what bad habits can cause. Trying to educate moderation so as not to feel deprived even with chronic familial disease is what I try to do.
Lead by example. Learning to reach for water rather that food. Learning to have a couple almonds to maintain blood sugar. Learning to sit, close eyes… even take a power nap over reaching for food when tired or “bored”.
i am aware of some of the family health history but not all. my plan is good self care. regular check-ups and follow ups if necessary. i try to exercise regularly and make healthy food choices.
Working with clients over the years it is obvious to me that SUGAR is a damaging ingredient and processed foods, you average grocery store convenience items are equally risky. I know we all have to weight the benefits of convenience and reality ~ make the best choices possible to manage our lives and that’s where the thought comes in…. how can we learn from others mistakes and make better choices for ourselves and our families?
As Lee’s first cousin, I mirror her response…you name the disease, our family has it….in fact, my father almost endured all of them himself…That is precisely why I am health conscious, weight conscious, and exercise conscious. I cannot afford not to be!
from Joyce – HOT MAMAS
My family has health issues and I try to help them improve by changing my own lifestyle so if they see I can do it, they can do it.
My father died of a heart attack when he was 57 and I was 15, so health has been formost in my mind for a long time now. I make an effort to model good behaviors for my family through eating right, exercising and making time for leisure. I also believe strongly that food is not just fuel, it is community and pleasure, so I make a point of having family dinners, having friends over for meals and bringing food to friends or neighbors who are ill. Getting the whole family active is definitely a struggle for us. I admire Lee and her commitment to making it a family affair.
we have everything in our family- heart disease, diabetes, cancer…we all need to be healthy and stay healthy. I want to find activities that we will always do together – tennis, golf, swimming and never become couch potatoes!
Having arthritis, heart disease and lung disease in my family, I need to exercise and maintain a healthy weight; FOR SURE. I am still wrapping my mind around eating more frequently = less weight. Happy to have discovered that it is really true!
Having arthritis, heart disease and lung disease in my family, I need to exercise and maintain a healthy weight; FOR SURE. I am still wrapping my mind around eating more frequently = less weight. Happy to have discovered that it is really true!
I refuse to ever stop exercising and let the family genes of obesity take over
diabetes tragically took a cousin of mine and runs strong on one side of my family. on the other side of the family tree depression has claimed a few lives. genetics are impossible to escape. exercise, diet, meditation and proper medication are essential for my balance.
From Joyce – Team HOT MAMAS
Obesity and diabetes to anorexia have been in my life since I was a child. I think about this everyday and how I never want to be on either side of the scale. I want a balanced healthy vibrant life full of love, fun, passion and adventure. I DECLARE NEVER TO BE BED RIDDEN! I WILL MOVE EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE AND TRY MY BEST TO KEEP TO A HEALTHY EATING ROUTINE! BALANCE THE SCALES IS KEY FOR ME!
We have diabetes, heart disease and cancer in our history. It will be critical for me to maintain heathy weight and eating habits (while remembering to make time for fun). We also hate doctors but I know it’s important to go at least once annually and not put it off!!
Obesity has literally been the health killer in my family….I vow to never let my weight to get so out of hand as to cause other health issues – there are so many things out of our health control that we MUST be on top of the ones we can control! ….this game helps to support a lifestyle I am proud of….eating healthy, in moderation, exercising daily, and being thankful for what I have. Thanks to Bern and the Hot Mammas!
My family have all lived to ripe old ages in their 90’s but with either heart disease or Type 2 diabetes. So, my challenge is to live as healthfully as possible to avoid or at least delay these diseases when I get to my 90’s.
With heart disease and arthritis on one side of my family and lung disease on the other, I must work against these genetic issues to change the tide of my health. Regular exercise is the most important tool for that.
I learned early on that my family everyone has passed away due to heart disease and cancer ~ I didn’t want to be in that category.
So, I decided that I needed to do something differently… so began my journey and a long journey it has been. To change the habits of childhood. I used to live on some real junk food and had no idea that was actually important until I got sick.
I looked at the illness as an opportunity to learn and change, a chance to learn about food, exercise and what role lifestyle actually plays into a healthy body. There are so many factors to take into consideration it can sometimes be overwhelming when thinking of change.
But, I have found that small changes over a period of time is an good approach ~ honest evaluation, goal setting and support system help to lay the foundation to healthy change!
And, it’s a work in progress!
Well, the big health problem in my family is my father’s heart disease that caused his death at 57. His first heart attack was at (about 43) the age I am now. So this resonates with me very closely. I have much better habits than my parents did, some of which is just a part of better knowledge. Back when he had his first heart attack in the early 70s he smoked, drank, ate red meat. I am sure there were some vegetables, but I doubt very many and I would be surprised if there was any concern about whole grains and sugar. That said, this game is one of the ways I keep trying to address that family history – by being pro-active about maintaining my health.