Five guidelines to keep a healthy lifestyle

By Suzanne LambertSpecial to CSMS MagazineMost people seem to be interested in breaking down the pounds, rather than taking a serious look at their overall need for a long and healthy lifestyle.  Since getting thin is all that matters, little attention is being paid the long-term effects on the heart, liver, kidneys and arteries. Now, there are five crucial guidelines that will help people achieve positive physical and mental health. Here they are as follow:Positive mental attitudePositive mental attitude can be treasure to cherish every day, it is something that some people naturally have and others dream of. Perhaps you’ve been labeled a “glass half empty” person for most of your adult life. “But how do I develop this you ask?” Positive thinking, like any habit, is something that requires daily reinforcement. It’s a positive behavior. According to recent scientific studies, positive thinking requires a more gracious attitude acknowledging the many gifts of life. Consider your intelligence, your health, your friends, your spirituality, and your family.Make dietary changesTo do that, experts say, one needs to begin by having a short-term weight loss goal, even if he or she is 100 pounds overweight. Your short-term goal should focus on simply shedding the first several pounds. Not everyone gets the same results right away. For some, it may take a week, but for others, it may take a month. Don’t be discourage; eventually you’ll lose the weight and control it forever.Free yourself from weight control and break the bondage to foodDon’t be obsessed with weighing yourself every day—once a week is more than enough. Whatever the scale says, you need to keep at it. Consistency will eventually pay off. You will all be okay. Be more concerned with what pleases you. It’s time to simply liberate yourself from the scale and be more concerned with your health and longevity. Let your mirror be your daily scale. It will reflect your progress better than any electronic weight monitor. Losing body fat and getting more tone are important than numbers in a number scale.Daily exercisingMany people agree that this guideline is truly the basis of any long-term weight control. But it must be done in a very pragmatic way. You should not let it leave you breathless, sweating, and sore, or “twitching and puking”. It will help you to lose weight. However, you must exercise every day. The good news is that by exercising every day, this will elevate your metabolism for six to eight hours after you exercised and burned more calories than someone who’s been sitting around. Try to start with at least ten minutes every day, increasing by five minutes a week and building up to at least thirty minutes. Any exercise that elevates your pulse for a continued period of time will work; however, choose an exercise that fits into you lifestyle and one that can be enjoyable as well.Escaping the boredomIt’s critically important to have friends in your life, but most importantly the right ones. Friends who support you, think positively, charming, fun, and motivate you. Surround yourself with people that understand your desire to make healthy decisions. Keep yourself busy with many physical activities because boredom leads to eating more fatty substances such as sugars and starch.            By respecting these guidelines, one can easily increase the odd of having a long and healthy life style. Stay focus.Also see Which Vitamins and Minerals work best for you?Valuing Buildings Over Employee Health America’s LossThe EPA’s Unconscionable SilenceAmerica’s Illusion of Health and SafetyNote: Suzanne Lambert lives and works in Quebec City, Canada. She wrote this piece exclusively for CSMS Magazine.