Our bodies are designed to be active, and if you deny yourself that natural need for activity, you can suffer serious health consequences. Aim for getting half an hour of exercise three times a week, and more if you have the time. Ideally, this should be a good balance of cardiovascular exercise and resistance training.

2. Drinking Water

Sometimes people ask me " Chris, if you could sum up health in a single word, what would it be?" I always answer the same: water. Water is the stuff of life, and it is extra important for active people. If you don’t get enough water, you will have less energy, your workouts will be less effective, and you will have a more difficult time thinking clearly. How much water a person needs can vary greatly depending on body weight, amount of physical activity, and environment, but generally most people should get into the habit of drinking eight full glasses a day. It might help some to simply fill up a gallon water jug every morning and drink it continuously throughout the day.

3. Flossing

Flossing regularly goes beyond just keeping your teeth healthy. Increasing evidence is showing that, strange as through it may sound, flossing is a important part of heart health as well. Studies have shown a link between acquiring periodontal disease and acquiring heart disease. So if you value your heart health, don’t limit your tooth care to just brushing once or twice or day. Pick up a pack of floss and spend a few seconds every evening getting between each set of teeth.

4. Stretching

When a dog, cat, or just about any animal first wakes up, what does it do first? It starts a brief stretching routine, usually starting with the back and neck, and proceeding to the legs. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line we humans lost this instinct, and the result is a lot of stiffness, sore muscles, and pain. Taking the time to stretch regularly will make your more flexible, more pain free, and give you more energy.

5. Walk When You Can

Don’t automatically drive you car somewhere when you could just as easily walk. Even something as simple and effortless as going for a brief stroll down to the store and back will burn calories and increase your heart rate. See if there are nature trails around where you live and go on hikes for fun. Don’t always fight for the closest parking space at the mall or the grocery store. Park instead at the back of the parking lot, enjoy the more plentiful empty spaces, and get a brisk walk to and from your car.

6. Read Nutrition Information

As a personal trainer in HB, I always tell clients to be aware of what they are putting in their body. It’s important to get into the habit of learning about what you are about to eat before you eat it. The first step to a healthy lifestyle is education, and you should apply what you know about nutrition as your scan over the nutritional information. How many calories are you consuming with this meal? How much fat and protein? What kind of fat?

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