Want to look and feel fine? Who doesn't? Here are some simple steps to help you achieve your goal:

• Avoid becoming obsessed with your weight. We all know that weight control is important for well-being and health. Still, remember that your worth cannot be measured on a bathroom scale!
• Always shop with a grocery list and do not deviate from it. That way, you will not be tempted to buy high-calorie junk food.
• Guard against a monotonous diet. It is easier to stay on a fitness or weight-control program if it is filled with an assortment of food.
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, these foods fill you up and help prevent overeating.
• Eat fish several times a week. It is low in calories. Research is showing that some fish oils are good for the heart.
• Limit fatty, fried foods as much as possible. Fats have twice as many calories as protein and carbohydrate foods. By now, we all know that they clog up our arteries, too.
• Eat slowly. Concentrate on the taste and texture of food.
• Drink lots of water and very little alcohol. It is best to drink six to eight glasses of water per day. On the other hand, alcohol has no nutrient value and many calories.
• Exercise daily. Do something you enjoy—like walking, dancing, swimming, or playing ball. It will put you in a more positive frame of mind too.
• Laugh often and smile a lot. At an American Heart Association's meeting, University of Maryland researchers reported that healthy people are more likely to laugh often and use humor to get out of uncomfortable situations. It is good for your heart.
• Finally, be your own “stress-buster.” When the tensions and anxieties of daily life get to you, take three very deep breaths. Next, put things into perspective by asking yourself, “Will this really matter one year from today?” In most cases, the answer is that it will not even matter one week from today.

Paula Mydlenski , Western Kentucky University

See also:
      Adult Health, Head Start Bulletin #75