| Nutrition & Physical Activity |
What is a Healthy Eating Lifestyle?
Healthy eating means eating a variety of foods that gives your body the nutrition it need to maintain a healthy weight, feel good, and have energy to perform daily tasks. These nutrients include protein, carbohydrates, fats, water, vitamins, and minerals.
Calories are an important number to know to stay healthy.
The amount of calories you need each day depends on:
Healthy eating means eating a variety of foods that gives your body the nutrition it need to maintain a healthy weight, feel good, and have energy to perform daily tasks. These nutrients include protein, carbohydrates, fats, water, vitamins, and minerals.
Calories are an important number to know to stay healthy.
The amount of calories you need each day depends on:
- Your age
- Your gender
- How active you are
Include these healthy foods in your daily meal plan:
- Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products
- Lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts
- LIMIT saturated and trans fats, sodium and added sugars
START WITH SMALL CHANGES
- Reflect on your personal preferences and goals
- Think of each change as a "WIN" as you build your positive habits
- Take one day at a time!
- Be active in things that interest you
- Find a friend or family member with the same goals. Share recipes and plan activities
Daily exercise reduces your risk of chronic diseases and improves overall well-being!
4-Types of Physical Activity:
- Aerobic Activity : Any exercise that increases breathing and heartrate. The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 5-7 days a week. Low impact aerobic exercise may include swimming, cycling, walking, and rowing. Higher impact exercises would be running, jumping rope, and performing high impact routines or step aerobics.
- Muscle strengthening exercises, also known as resistance training, should be included 2-3 times per week. These activities should work your major muscle groups (such as back, chest, hips, abdomen, shoulders, and legs). Resistance training can increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
- Flexibility : Stretching different muscle groups. Moving more freely will make everyday tasks easier. This could include things from tying your shoes to looking over your shoulder as you back your car out of your driveway. It's important to stretch warm muscles and too not stretch too far where it would be painful. Stretching after aerobic activity or strength exercises would be the best time to include stretches.
- Balance : The ability to maintain the body's center of gravity. Balance exercises help reduce the risk of falls and other injuries. Individuals at risk of falls should do balance training 3 or more days a week. All individuals can benefit from including balance training a couple times a week.
Guidelines to Fitness:
Children and Adolescents (ages 6-17) should have an average of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day. Additional physical activity past the 60 minutes can provide additional health benefits.
Adults (ages 18-64) need 150-300 minutes every week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75-150 minutes of vigorous exercise. Evidence shows that some physical activity is better than none (WHO 2020).
Pregnancy and Postpartum: Safety first, if there is a medical reason your doctor has restricted your activities please follow his or her instructions. Physical activity during and after your pregnancy is an excellent way to stay healthy. Women should get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. It is best to spread your workouts throughout the week. Women who have engaged in vigorous aerobic activity before conceiving can continue to do so, provided their health care provider is aware of this.
Older Adults (ages 65 and above): Evidence demonstrates that balance and functional exercises reduce the rate of falls and engaging in a range of different types of physical activity can help improve a wide range of physical functions (WHO 2020). Combining balance, strength, endurance, gait and physical function should be incorporated at moderate or greater intensity 3 or more days a week.
Children and Adolescents (ages 6-17) should have an average of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day. Additional physical activity past the 60 minutes can provide additional health benefits.
Adults (ages 18-64) need 150-300 minutes every week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75-150 minutes of vigorous exercise. Evidence shows that some physical activity is better than none (WHO 2020).
Pregnancy and Postpartum: Safety first, if there is a medical reason your doctor has restricted your activities please follow his or her instructions. Physical activity during and after your pregnancy is an excellent way to stay healthy. Women should get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. It is best to spread your workouts throughout the week. Women who have engaged in vigorous aerobic activity before conceiving can continue to do so, provided their health care provider is aware of this.
Older Adults (ages 65 and above): Evidence demonstrates that balance and functional exercises reduce the rate of falls and engaging in a range of different types of physical activity can help improve a wide range of physical functions (WHO 2020). Combining balance, strength, endurance, gait and physical function should be incorporated at moderate or greater intensity 3 or more days a week.
CLICK ON THE PHOTO for fitness activities that best suit your needs.
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How Many Steps Should You Have in a Day?
Word on the street is that 10,000 steps a day should be everyone’s goal. To clarify, it actually depends on your present fitness level and what you would like to accomplish.
On average, the typical American walks about 3,000 to 4,000 steps a day. Experts stay to start tracking your step on a daily basis and figure out your average. This will determine your baseline. You can then work towards a goal of adding 1,000 steps daily or aim for 10,000 steps a day. The take home message is that if you want to lose weight you need to make your daily step goal higher than your baseline assessment.
Advantages of Walking:
Walking is the easiest form of exercise, almost everyone can do it! You don’t need any fancy equipment or a gym membership.
Searching for a different scenic terrain and finding the right pair of shoes to wear are the hardest obstacles to overcome. Regular exercise, such as walking, can help reduce your risk of chronic health problems.
Ideas to Add More Step to Your Day:
- Try to listen to music while walking.
- Include the family.
- Instead of sending an email. Go find your colleague at their desk.
- Include the family.
- Take the dog for a walk.
- Walk while waiting for an appointment.
- Schedule workday walks.
- Park farther away.
- Take the stairs.
- Get up and move every hour. If you have a job where you sit the majority of your day, try marching in place for 5 minutes, stretching exercises, or do some sit-ups.
Northeast Wisconsin Trails:
Ahnapee State Trail/Ice Age Trail (Algoma, Casco, Luxemburg, Kewaunee & Sturgeon Bay)
Whitefish Dunes StatePark (Sturgeon Bay)
Eagle Bluff Trail (Fish Creek)
Peninsula State ParkTrail (Fish Creek)
Maribel Cave Trail (Maribel)
Point Beach Point (Two Rivers)