Amanda's New Year's Tips for a Healthy You!
Amanda Rothe, RD/LD/CDE
Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator
Medina Healthcare System
830-426-7777 /fax 830426-7485
arothe@medinahospital.net
The New Year is a great time to start thinking about improving your health. Health means different things to different people. Some people want to improve their physical health with better nutrition, more exercise, or adequate rest. Others may want to work on emotional health by decreasing stress and attempting to enjoy life more. True wellness may mean a good balance of both physical and emotional health.
Selecting wellness goals should not be limited to just a New Year resolution, but rather, they should be set continuously throughout the year to successfully achieve lifelong results. You may refer to the commonly used acronym S.M.A.R.T as a guideline when creating your wellness goals. S.M.A.R.T. stands for: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Ask specific questions: What do I want to accomplish? Where will I do it? When will I do it? Who can help me?
Improving your physical wellbeing may be selecting one or several new healthy habits. While one person may be looking to exercise three or more times a week for thirty minutes, others may be trying to select healthier food choices such as choosing a serving of vegetables every day at lunch or limiting fast food to 2 times a week. Sometimes improving health may mean reducing stress in one’s life by increasing stress relieving activities such as dancing or reading a book. A person may also set a goal to get the right amount of sleep. Health is not just about fitness, it’s more about developing healthier habits that will result in a healthy lifestyle.
So, as we embark on a new year, let it be the spark that starts the fire to your new found enthusiasm toward wellness. Make each day a step in the right direction to a better, healthier you.
Medina Healthcare System offers nutrition consultations with a registered dietitian. This service is often covered by insurance with a doctor's referral. For more information, ask your doctor or contact Dietitian Amanda