Health Stats That Might Make You Pause and Think

What do you think is the number two health stats cause of death each year?

According to the National Institutes of Health, obesity, and overweight together are the second leading cause of preventable death, close behind tobacco use.

So our calorie-rich food has become an insidious instrument of death. We are literally digging our grave with what we put into our mouth. Obesity caused by a bad diet and lack of exercise kills some 400,000 people in this country every single year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only smoking-related diseases account for more deaths with a total of 435, 000 annually.

Think about it, while our ancestors battled disease, famine, and starvation, we are killing ourselves with excess. On top of that, we no longer get exercised by having to out and gather or chase down our food. Instead, we are sitting hunched over a computer, a tablet or a mobile phone every day.

A recent article in The New York Times cited several studies showing that sitting for extended periods of time at a desk, in front of a T.V. etc. leads to weight gain and increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and a variety of cancers and early death. The body literally shuts down following prolonged periods of sitting causing a metabolic disaster of such proportions that even getting a full hour of exercise each day can’t offset the impact. Yikes.

We have a serious health care problem right now and most of it is self-inflicted. We aren’t taking proper care of our own health.  It is time to wake up and start questioning the status quo.

Many foods have become highly addictive and can create a super-normal stimulation to our brain. We also can get sucked into the pleasure trap. There are many layers to uncover in our patterns of eating. The bottom line is that our survival instinct kicks in and our primitive brain wants those calorie-rich foods in order to survive. So ask yourself, are you eating consciously or unconsciously?

You are the only one responsible for what you put into your mouth and how often you move your body. Think of your body as a mass of energy. Energy is your life force and vitality.  What you eat or drink either feeds and strengthens your energy or reduces and represses that energy. How you move and rest either circulates and replenishes that energy or depresses and decreases it. Become conscious of what you eat, what you read, what you watch, who you spend time with, and how you move your body.

Think for a moment and decide on even one adjustment you can make, to live a healthier lifestyle starting today. If you are stuck in any area, please reach out for help.

To your good health.

Charlene

7 Steps to a Healthier Life

Are you in a place where you are not satisfied with your current level of health?  Need a healthier life?

Perhaps your current level of fitness, or maybe your current level of energy? Are you feeling overweight and out of shape or are you simply feeling exhausted or stressed out?

Do you want to feel better? Do you want a healthier life?

We all want to change and to feel better but ultimately hate the idea of change. In fact, for real change to happen, we have to be really uncomfortable, in emotional discomfort or feeling afraid. Sometimes it has to really hurt before we will actually move forward and make any change.

Based on over 65 years of life experience around change, I have put together 7 key steps to help with the process of change so you can experience a healthier life.

Step # 1: Find Your Why

When you have a strong emotionally-charged WHY you will be propelled towards the change you want.

Step # 2: Make A Decision

The Latin of the word decision literally means, “to cut off.”  So to make a decision means that you are cutting off any other options and going for what you want to change.

Step # 3: Take Responsibility

Many people believe that their poor health is because of something outside of their control. If you truly want to change…you must take responsibility for your own choices. You must let go of excuses. Let go of victim mentality. Realize that no one has more invested in your health than you. Empower yourself by realizing that you can choose to change.

Step # 4: Change Your Vocabulary

Your thoughts become what you say. What you think and say will show up in your life. What you say to yourself is a reflection of your beliefs and reinforces your behaviors/habits. Changing your vocabulary will help you to imprint new beliefs. Use “I am” statements to reinforce the change you desire.

Step # 5: Look at Your Paradigms

Paradigms are habitual behavior patterns housed in our subconscious mind. The strategy of paradigms is to keep you safe, comfortable and secure. Old existing paradigms can block awareness, so we need to work on expanding our awareness daily.  Paradigms show up in great abundance when we get out of our comfort zone. That is the fastest path to change our non-productive habits.

Step # 6: Make A Plan

Specific, written measurable goals will put you in the top 3% of the people and will increase your chances for success. Prepare for setbacks and keep going with your desired change.

 Step # 7: Be Accountable

Find a support group. Find an accountability partner and/or get a coach or a mentor. Ultimately you are looking for accountability for yourself.  Step by step with the help of accountability partners, you’ll get there. By building in these layers of accountability, you will be much more likely to succeed with your changes.

Keep going over the seven steps until they become familiar and almost second nature. Stay tuned for a webinar that will give more insight on implementing these steps.

If you are looking for a healthier life, feel free to check out https://charleneday.com/personal-health-assessment/.

To your healthier life!

Charlene