This Week's Healthy SC Challenge Tips – First Family Encourages Healthy Changes in Nutrition, Exercise and Tobacco Use
May 5, 2009
COLUMBIA, SC – May 1, 2009 – The Healthy SC Challenge is the Sanford family’s effort to get all South Carolinians to do just a little more to live a healthier lifestyle. The tips are designed to encourage individuals and communities to live healthier lifestyles in three categories – nutrition, exercise and help to quit smoking. The tips can also be found on the challenge’s website, www.healthysc.gov.
Healthy Tips
Nutrition
Am I really hungry? The sensation of hunger is instinctual. For many people, the first twinge of hunger sends them searching for food, often before they need to eat. Feeling hungry at the start of a meal is good, but eating every time you feel hungry can result in overeating.
You can monitor your appetite and eat accordingly. Before a meal, rate your hunger on a scale of zero to 4:
0 = not hungry
1 = slightly hungry
2 or 3 = moderately hungry
4 = overly hungry, starving.
Your goal should be to eat when you are between 2 and 3. If you’re eating at 0 or 1, it may be for an emotional reason (such as anxiety) or a situational reason (seeing a food commercial on TV). Meanwhile, if your hunger level is 4, you may be vulnerable to overeating and should pay attention to eating slowly. And try not to go for long periods between meals.
-American Dietetic Association,www.eatright.org
Physical Activity
Incorporate a leisurely paced 15-minute thermal walk after each main meal.
The thermal effect from your digestive system paired with the walk will have a cumulative effect on raising your average daily metabolism. Furthermore, it serves as a signal that your meal is complete and will quickly become a healthy routine.
-Adam Martin, Fitness Director at Hilton Head Health, www.hhhealth.com
Tobacco
Be prepared for relapse or difficult situations – Most relapses occur within the first three months after quitting. Don’t be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people try several times before they finally quit. Here are some difficult situations to watch for:
-Alcohol. Avoid drinking alcohol. Drinking lowers your chances of success.
-Other smokers. Being around smoking can make you want to smoke.
-Weight gain. Many smokers will gain weight when they quit, usually less than 10 pounds. Eat a healthy diet and stay active. Don’t let weight gain distract you from your main goal-quitting smoking. Some quit-smoking medications may help delay weight gain.
-Bad mood or depression. There are a lot of ways to improve your mood other than smoking.
If you are having problems with any of these situations, talk to your doctor or other health care provider.
– www.smoking-cessation.org
The Healthy SC Challenge is an outcome-based, cooperative effort aimed at encouraging individuals, communities and organizations across the state to show shared responsibility in developing innovative ways to improve the health of South Carolina’s citizens. For more information about the Healthy SC Challenge, please visit www.healthysc.gov, or call 803-737-4772.
