Sometimes when people are starting a wellness program, or getting back to making wellness a priority in their life, it seems that making significant change is such a large undertaking that they can’t seem to get themselves started. Wellness means a lot of things and can be different to different people. One person may want to train to be a competitive athlete; another may just want to manage their blood pressure to be alive to see their grandchildren grow up; and others may want to have energy and pants that button. It all depends on what priorities each person has. Wellness encompasses many things and will depend on everyone’s individual goals, needs, barriers and personal preferences.
Some things, like blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels and other vital statistics can be used to determine if you are healthy by medical standards. Other things like body fat level or weight, or more importantly waist circumference, can be used to monitor progress in some instances.
Also, how you feel and how you function are great indicators of your health, but it’s still important to get regular checkups with your medical provider and your dentist, so you can determine if there are any factors that you need to consider about your overall health.
Depending on what level of wellness you are starting at (or starting again at), there are many things you can do every day to take ownership of your health and wellness. Although some people may have a family history of certain disease and be predisposed to certain things, or have the misfortune to have a genetic defect in their cells, a high percentage of disease is preventable. We are not victims of our bodies, we are the stewards of them.
Here are a few things you can do to move toward wellness at different “levels”:
REALLY EASY
• Get an annual physical & bi-annual dental checkups
• Drink more water
• Use sunscreen and stay out of the sun when possible
• Floss your teeth every day and brush 2-3 times per day
• Don’t text while driving
• Chew your food
• Get up and move for 3 minutes every hour
PUT IN A LITTLE EFFORT
• Develop safer driving habits
• Add more vegetables to your meals
• Get enough better quality sleep
YOU CAN DO THIS
• Reduce sodium, fat and sugar from your diet
• Exercise more
YOU ARE A ROCK STAR
• Eat clean
• Exercise 5-6 days per week, according to your personal goals, with a combination of cardio, weight resistance and yoga/stretching/relaxation.
Liz Jones is the Wellness Coordinator for the City of Mesquite. She is a writer, certified yoga instructor, personal trainer and wellness coach. She holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and Strategic Management, with a graduate certificate in Ethics and Leadership. Her undergraduate studies included communication, business, writing, art, fitness, and dance. Liz Jones can be reached at: [email protected].