Announcement
August 27, 2024
Nearly half of adults in America have reported trying to lose weight in the past year, according to the CDC. Below are some helpful tips on how you can start your wellness journey.
The average American adult takes fewer than 5,000 steps per day, with factors such as age or occupation playing a role in activity levels. Walking is a low-impact exercise that burns approximately 100 calories per mile, though exact calorie burns vary person to person. Increasing daily steps doesn’t have to be complicated. Just a few small daily changes can increase your daily step total significantly.
- Walk during lunch break
- Walk your dog
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Challenge your friends using a pedometer or activity monitoring app
Ready to start your fitness journey? Try these four bodyweight exercises. Be sure to use proper form, make modifications as necessary, and keep your core engaged.
- Squat: Start with your feet shoulder width apart. Shift your weight into your back heels and squat down, lowering yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Your knees should remain over your toes.
- Kneeling push-up: Start in the push-up position with your knees on the floor and hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Bend your elbows to lower yourself as close to the ground as possible while maintaining alignment in your back. Push yourself back up into the starting position. This is one rep.
- Stationary lunge: Start with your feet together and take a big step out with one foot. Bend your knees until your thigh is almost parallel to the ground. Raise yourself back up and repeat on the other side.
- Bent Over Row: This exercise requires a weight (dumbbell, household object, empty gallon jug filled as much as you would like). Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, bend your knees slightly, and bend over at a 45-degree angle. Pull the weight in towards your chest while keeping your elbows close to your body. Release your arm back down to complete the rep.
Integral to a healthy lifestyle is good nutrition. Choose nutrient-dense foods that have significant amounts of vitamins and minerals relative to the number of calories they contain, such as salmon, kale, or blueberries. Prioritize protein, which will keep you full longer than carbs and help you build lean muscle. Finally, tracking calories is a good way to ensure you are consuming adequate nutrients without overeating.
Track your progress to help you stay motivated. Remember that results take time, and other people may notice the effects of your hard work before you do. Be patient and have a good support system in place to help you stay driven to your goal.
Congratulations to members Brandi & Carolyn for finishing first and second, respectively, in the Change Your State Challenge in May!
