PER ASPERA AD ASTRA.

This Latin phrase, which translates to through hardships to the stars, is how United States immigration lawyer Ryan Barshop describes his health transformation journey.

A lifestyle shift that started two years ago, the 40-year-old New York native said that while the change has not been easy, it has however made a huge difference in his life that has seen him transform from being morbidly obese to be in incredible shape right now.

It is something that Mr. Barshop, in hindsight, said he is very thankful of being able to do before it was too late.

Mr. Barshop originally came to the Philippines 16 years ago as a volunteer for the US Peace Corps, returning for good in 2012 and has since been a practicing immigration lawyer, focusing on consular processing, a specialized type of immigration law dealing with embassies and consuls.

His expertise is the embassy here in Manila and the US consul in Ho Chi Minh City, work that requires him to alternate between Manila (he resides in a condominium unit at the Bonifacio Global City area when here) and Vietnam every other week.

Mr. Barshop said that he was a very active individual when he was in his 20s, engaging in muay thai and kickboxing and was then in tiptop shape.

A sedentary life caught up with him when he started law school and went on to practice. The days that he would exercise and be active dwindled, and his eating habits were anything but ideal.

And the damage of such neglect grew through the years the once active and vibrant Barshop gaining over 100 pounds in a span of 10 years and grew very depressed, which he said affected not only his personal life but also his work.

It all came to a halt three years ago when Mr. Barshop said he hit rock bottom.

I started to hit rock bottom in November 2016, and I was kicked very hard because of work reasons. May 30 the following year was when I took the plunge to change my ways, said Mr. Barshop, who said that at his biggest he tipped the scales at 260 pounds.

I was just unhappy with myself, with my life, and it was affecting my work. I was just not a happy person at all. I literally felt I was going to die. I felt I had 10 years before I die. It was that bad.

So on my 38th birthday I realized I have nothing else to lose but if I dont get healthy now its gonna be too late. So I made a lifestyle change and the rest is history, said Mr. Barshop.

Mr. Barshop intimated that his health and wellness transformation journey has been a roller-coaster with its ups and downs but the reason he is doing it is not lost to him, which serves as the motor that keeps him going.

NUTRITIONHe said that change for him came largely through nutrition eating the right food coupled with the needed exercise.

The change is 70 to 80 percent nutrition. I started realizing that whatever I consume in my body has consequences. They say abs (abdominal muscles) is made in the kitchen because if you dont have a healthy lifestyle, you dont focus on good nutrition, going to the gym means nothing, the lawyer said.

You have to constantly focus on nutrition. I saw a weight change within weeks and I started developing muscles and so on, he added.

Work also has not gotten in the way of his lifestyle shift.

While eating the right food, Mr. Barshop makes sure he follows his workout regimen both here and in Vietnam.

I have two workouts, here and in Vietnam. I prefer working out after work. So here, three days a week, I have personal training which I do in my condo gym. I frequently do circuit classes at Saddle Row and most recently have become active in adidas Runners Manila, and then I train by myself, he said.

He went on to say that since embracing a fit and healthy lifestyle, the impact on him has been thorough.

It helps me to be a better person. Being healthy allows me to do many things. Physically, mentally and emotionally I feel better. I have more fun doing things shopping, travelling and others. People come up to me and be amazed and I love sharing my experience, Mr. Barshop said.

CELEBRATIONAs a form of celebration of the gains he has made in his fitness journey, Mr. Barshop went on a two-week trek to the Base Camp of Mount Everest in September, joining a group of hikers.

He said that making the trek was on his bucket list and being able to survive and do it made him more determined to continue the fitness path he has chosen to go on.

Everest is a pinnacle of success, symbolic for someone who thought he would die. It was my way of saying I survived, said Mr. Barshop, who described the trek as the toughest he has had to do, both physically and psychologically, so far.

He drew parallel as well between his move to healthy living and his Everest trek, saying, Anybody can do it. You dont have to settle with what you have. Its not going to be comfortable and it takes self-control. Anything is possible. Its realistic.

Two years since his shift towards fitness, Mr. Barshop said the challenge continues but he is undeterred, just as he encourages others to go on their own journey of health transformation.

One of the quotes I live by now is Per aspera ad astra, which translates to hardships to the stars. Getting to where I am right now was not easy. I had to undo 10 years of hard damage in my life. Its going to be a process, so give it time, he advised.

You start when you are ready, and youll know when you are ready. I did it when I was ready. People were telling me about being healthy and all, but I had to realize it for myself. You dont have to hit rock bottom though like I did. Some people would be content with what they have, but I wasnt, Mr. Barshop added. Michael Angelo S. Murillo

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Ryan Barshop: Making the move to healthy living - BusinessWorld Online

The shift to value-based care can sometimes be seen as a challenge for the tens of thousands of home-based care providers that operate in the U.S. But WellSky is trying to make sure it can be viewed more as an opportunity.

The Overland Park, Kansas-based health care software company recently launched WellSky REACH, which it dubs a new initiative to help post-acute and personal care providers more effectively collaborate with health payers and risk-bearing health systems.

As part of the initiative, WellSky has already partnered with three well-known providers: Intrepid USA Healthcare, Concierge Home Care and Healthy Living Network.

REACH which stands for risk-enabled, analytical and coordinated health care is a tool for these providers to ride out the storm that is value-based care, WellSky CEO Bill Miller told Home Health Care News. As more people aged and more dollars and care got pushed into post-acute settings, WellSky recognized that the solutions of yesterday would no longer be adequate, which would lead to foreign and problematic environments for providers.

The theory behind WellSky is that we are the company thats helping our providers thrive in those environments, Miller said. Those three providers, a lot of their business is predicated off the fact that they are going to be one of those progressive health providers in home care, hospice and other settings. And they realize theyre going to need a great technology partner.

Healthy Living Network had already recently switched over to the WellSky platform before the REACH partnership because of the recommendation from its clinical leadership.

What also helped WellSkys case was its predictive analytics capabilities. The analytics department at WellSky is in-house, and thats what intrigued Healthy Living Network CEO Julio Quiones about it the most. They were building that analytical component into their tool, and it wouldnt be from an outside source.

Were working with some payers on starting this journey from volume to value, Quiones told HHCN. And for us, the predictive analytics is critical in our ability to execute on that journey.

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The Folsom, California-based Healthy Living Network is a home health and hospice provider. It operates 33 agencies across seven states in the west. Quiones, who came on as the Healthy Living Network CEO in 2017, is also bullish on WellSkys ability to connect provider to payer in general.

The REACH team is helping us create a platform between payer and provider, where they can help get data from both sides, tie it together, create insights and work with us on creating protocols around actions depending on what the data says, Quiones said. We really saw them as forward thinking, and it really fits the path we want to head down.

Miller believes that REACH is an enticing tool to all of WellSkys potential clients, and eventually will be applicable for all of them as well.

WellSky REACH does not yet have quantifiable goals, as to how many clients they want to work with or a number of patients they want to reach. For now, the idea is simply focusing on driving better care.

Theres a great alignment in world views between our companies, Quiones said. We think that alignment with WellSky leads to better results over time, and I think you see that with them creating the REACH platform.

On a high level, increased collaborations between at-home care providers like Healthy Living Network and technology partners like WellSky is becoming far more common, especially when it comes to non-medical home care.

Historically, non-medical home care agencies havent been great at collecting and acting on data. Thats changing, however, prompted by payers realization that the home is often the lowest cost and most effective site of care.

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WellSky Tries to Bridge Gap Between Payers and Providers with REACH - Home Health Care News

The latest snapshot of the habits and health of Australia's children shows two-thirds are in front of screens for more than an hour every day while 96 per cent don't eat enough vegetables.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare on Tuesday released its first report on the country's kids since 2012, revealing its data on the experiences of children - generally aged between zero to twelve - at home, at school and in their communities.

While the nation's kids excelled in some areas of healthy living - in 2017-18 almost three quarters ate enough fruit each day - there were definite areas for improvement with only four per cent eating enough vegetables and almost half having at least one sugar-sweetened drink a week.

In 2018, the majority of the nation's kids were participating in organised physical activities outside of school however, in 2011-12 less than a quarter of kids between five and 14 were getting the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day and less than a third met the screen-based activity guideline limit of no more than an hour a day.

The report also noted that bullying registered as an issue for many children - in 2015 almost three in every five year 4 students reported that they had experienced bullying monthly or weekly during the school year.

The rise of the internet has enabled that bullying to spread online, according to AIHW spokeswoman Louise York.

"In 2016-17, receiving unwanted contact and content was the most commonly reported negative online experience for children aged eight to 12, experienced by about a quarter of all children," Ms York said in a statement.

In the decade to 2017-18 the number of children who registered as obese or overweight remained around the 25 per cent mark.

The report noted the impact of household finances - including whether adults living in the household have jobs - on children's health, emotional wellbeing, education and ability to take part in social activities.

In 2017-18 it found there were two million low-income houses in Australia, with about a quarter of those having at least one child aged between zero and 14.

However, Ms York says data shows most Australian children have the foundations to support good health and wellbeing as they grow up, with the numbers of mothers who smoked or drank during pregnancy down.

In 2018 nine out of 10 children aged two were immunised.

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Most Aussie kids not eating their veggies - 7NEWS.com.au

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --Tivity Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: TVTY), a leading provider of nutrition, fitness and social engagement solutions, announces the launch of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). The role of the Tivity Health SAB is to review and advise on product strategy and new product concepts to provide an objective, external perspective in the context of proven evidence, emerging research, and trends in nutrition, exercise and social sciences.

The Tivity Health SAB is comprised of eight experts in the fields of nutrition, obesity and weight loss, fitness and exercise, aging, social health, and precision medicine. Its members include former Nutrisystem SAB members Arthur Agatston, M.D.; Caroline Apovian, M.D., FACN, FACP, FTOS; Ted Kyle, RPh, MBA; and Jay Satz, Ph.D. who are joined by new board members Evan Forman, Ph.D.; Sandro Galea, M.D., MPH, DrPH; Chris Mason, Ph.D.; and Christine Rosenbloom, Ph.D., RDN, FAND.

"We are excited to announce the new Tivity Health Scientific Advisory Board, and we are grateful for their commitment to the Tivity Health mission," said Donato Tramuto, Chief Executive Officer, Tivity Health. "These distinguished professionals help us evolve our products and ensure that we are delivering highly impactful solutions to improve the health and vitality of our members and customers."

Tivity Health is actively addressing the social determinants of health, (SDOH) defined by the World Health Organization as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. With its family of healthy life-changing solutions, Tivity Health's goal is to transform the aging experience and reduce factors that lead to serious health issues and high medical costs; including chronic conditions, obesity, inactivity, social isolation, and loneliness.

The Tivity Health SAB will ensure product strategies and solutions to impact SDOH are supported by scientific evidence. They will also advise the company's research strategy and approaches to test and optimize product effectiveness and value.

The former Nutrisystem SAB was instrumental in the success of programs and products such as Turbo10, Lean13, Turbo13, and DNA Body Blueprint, as well as the development of the South Beach Diet program.

The new Tivity Health SAB has the expertise to ensure a strong scientific foundation for effective, differentiated products for healthy living and aging across all Tivity Health brands including SilverSneakers, Nutrisystem, South Beach Diet, and the recently announced Wisely Well, a new meal delivery program that will offer fully prepared meals to meet the dietary needs of older adults.

For more information on Tivity Health's SAB and its members, please visit http://www.tivityhealth.com/scientific-advisory-board.

About Tivity Health, Inc.

Tivity Health (Nasdaq: TVTY) is a leading provider of healthy life-changing solutions, including SilverSneakers, Nutrisystem, Prime Fitness, Wisely Well, South Beach Diet and WholeHealth Living. We are actively addressing the social determinants of health, defined as the conditions in which we work, live and play. From improving health outcomes to reversing the narrative on inactivity, food insecurity, social isolation and loneliness, we are making a difference and are transforming the way we do health. We are also proud to host an annual Connectivity Summit that brings together stakeholders from all over the United States to discuss and create opportunities for older adults to live their best healthy lives. Learn more at TivityHealth.com

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SOURCE Tivity Health, Inc.

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Tivity Health Announces Formation of New Scientific Advisory Board - BioSpace

By DAVID J. HILL

In collaboration with the community, UB is focusing the expertise and passions of researchers and students from across the university on a major new effort to address one of the most pressing problems facing the city of Buffalo: health disparities among people who live on the citys East Side.

The university today announced the launch of the UB Community Health Equity Research Institute, a center that will conduct research that addresses the root causes of these health disparities, while developing and testing innovative solutions to eliminate health inequities in the region.

The vision of the institute is to ensure that wellness and social well-being become a reality for all people in Buffalo, including people of color residing in underserved neighborhoods and who are more likely to have serious, chronic and often preventable diseases, as well as significantly higher mortality rates.

Faculty researchers and students from 10 UB schools will collaborate within the institute.

The Community Health Equity Research Institute exemplifies UBs longstanding commitment to engage with our local partners to build a healthier, stronger, more prosperous region, President Satish K. Tripathi said. We have founded this institute on principles of social justice that our university community hold dear specifically, the belief that all of our neighbors across all neighborhoods deserve the right to a bright, healthy future.

The new UB institute builds on the work of the community-wide African American Health Equity Task Force formed in 2014 in response to the striking health disparities experienced by African Americans in Buffalo, particularly in the East Side zip codes of 14204, 14206, 14211, 14212 and 14215.

The task force is a coalition that includes UB, Cicatelli Associates Inc., Concerned Clergy of WNY, Erie County Medical Center, Millennium Collaborative Care, NeuWater & Associates, the Population Health Collaborative of WNY and other community groups and community members.

I know in the communities I represent poor health care continues to be a major issue for many of the residents who live there, said Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes.

We know that some of the root causes for poor health among many African American communities are lack of access to health care, lack of healthy food options, environmental pollution, poor housing, lack of exercise and unemployment, among others, Peoples-Stokes added.

Thanks to the new UB Community Health Equity Research Institute and the hard work of the African American Health Equity Task Force, were now taking some real action in addressing these issues in our most underserved communities. All residents deserve the chance to lead healthy and happy lives. The UB Community Health Equity Research Institute is a major step toward health equity for all residents.

African Americans living in the citys East Side experience higher rates of poverty and suffer from higher rates of lung cancer and infant mortality in addition to increased risks of hospitalization for heart failure and diabetes compared to the white population, according to the 2017-19 Erie County New York Community Health Assessment by the Erie County Department of Health.

In addition, 3 in 5 African Americans living in Buffalo die prematurely, twice the rate of whites.

Much of this health inequity is caused by social determinants: high unemployment, underdeveloped neighborhoods, absence of grocery stores and poor access to health care, among others.

By uniting UB researchers who possess a broad range of expertise from medicine and public health to law and management the institute aims to negate the effects of decades of federal and local policies that have created racial, residential and educational segregation and disinvestment in communities of color.

This interprofessional community of faculty, students and community partners will perform research that employs a community participatory research model to inform regional health and social policy. This model engages the community by allowing residents to drive the research agenda and participate in the design of the research and the studies conducted.

This is a historical moment, for not only the University at Buffalo but for the community, said George F. Nicholas, pastor of Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church and convener of the African American Health Equity Task Force.

The issues of health disparities are caused by the social determinants of health, which are rooted in generations of racial oppression beginning with the enslavement of African people and continuing now in uneven distribution of resources and public policy, Nicholas added.

I am encouraged that the university, under the leadership of President Tripathi, is willing to be bold in engaging in problem-solving with the goal of bringing health equity for all in this region. This goal can only be attained with the major contributions by this multidisciplinary institute working in close collaboration with other community partners.

The institute will be comprised of faculty and students from the following UB schools: Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Nursing, Public Health and Health Professions, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Social Work, Architecture and Planning, Law, Management, the Graduate School of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences. It will also leverage the expertise and resources of UBs Community for Global Health Equity, the Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Office of Research Advancement.

With the launch of the UB Community Health Equity Research Institute, were further developing a strategic plan to address the health disparities that exist on Buffalos East Side and among African American and poverty-stricken populations, said State Sen. Timothy M. Kennedy.

I commend President Tripathi for dedicating significant resources to this endeavor, and thank the UB educators and students who will help shape this important conversation and identify comprehensive, long-term solutions that will improve wellness and city-wide health outcomes, Kennedy said.

Timothy Murphy, SUNY Distinguished Professor and senior associate dean for clinical and translational research in the Jacobs School, will lead the institute. He is also director of UBs Clinical and Translational Science Institute.

Leadership will also include the following associate directors: Susan Grinslade, clinical professor, School of Nursing; Henry Louis Taylor Jr., professor of urban and regional planning and director of the Center for Urban Studies, School of Architecture and Planning; and Heather Orom, associate professor of community health and health behavior, and associate dean for equity, diversity and inclusion, School of Public Health and Health Professions.

The institute will also name a research administrator and a steering committee that will meet monthly to guide strategic priorities.

Were pioneering some unique and innovative approaches to medical research and health care in Buffalo, Murphy said. With the talent and expertise at UB and other local institutions, we have the opportunity to become a national leader in developing solutions to health inequities.

Three key goals will guide the centers work:

As we continue our work to make the city of Buffalo a place of inclusion and opportunity for all, it is essential that all our residents have access to the health care and health tools necessary to achieve the healthy lifestyle they deserve, Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown said.

This new initiative, which will include UB staff and students, as well as numerous nonprofit, neighborhood and church organizations, will help us develop and deliver innovative health solutions to our most underserved residents, especially those who live on Buffalos East Side, Brown added.

Funding for the centers research will come from a variety of sources, with a heavy focus on National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants. The center aligns closely with NIHs funding priorities, which include health disparities research.

The work of the institute will build upon several new and ongoing grant-funded projects underway at UB focused on improving health and access to health care in Buffalo. The projects include:

Launch of the Community Health Equity Research Institute is an example of UBs ongoing efforts to deepen its impact and outreach in the many communities it serves. The institutes objectives are aligned with the strategic goals of the university focused on providing students with transformative, innovative and research-grounded educational experiences; promoting a university-wide culture of equity and inclusion; deepening the universitys engagement with the community; and achieving greater societal impact locally and globally.

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New UB institute to address health disparities in Buffalo - UB Now: News and views for UB faculty and staff - University at Buffalo Reporter

For many workers, retirement can't come soon enough. You may be counting down the days until you can leave your job and start living life on your own terms, traveling or spending time with family -- or simply relaxing.

However, many workers also end up needing to work longer than they'd like. Roughly half of baby boomers have no retirement savings at all, according to a report from the Insured Retirement Institute, and one-third of boomers say they don't expect to retire until at least age 70 -- if they ever retire at all.

If you want to keep working in retirement, there's nothing wrong with that. But if you're forced to work longer than you'd like because you can't afford to leave your job, that could put a damper on your retirement plans. By making a few simple lifestyle changes, however, you can get into the habit of saving more money so you can retire sooner.

Image source: Getty Images

One of the easiest ways to save for retirement is to set up automatic contributions, so that a set amount of money goes straight from your paycheck or bank account to your retirement fund every week or month. This makes saving effortless, because you don't have to think about it. However, it is important to check in on your savings regularly and increase the amount you're contributing.

There's no exact formula as to how much you should save or how often you should increase your contribution rate, but aim to boost your savings rate at least once a year, or whenever you get a bonus or raise.

Also, you don't have to boost your contribution rate significantly to see your savings spike. Even if you can only save an extra $10 or $20 per month, that adds up to hundreds of dollars per year. And if you're able to increase your savings by that rate year after year, your retirement fund will grow exponentially.

If you're not tracking your spending, it's tough to get a clear picture of exactly where all your money is going. And when you don't know where all your money is going, it's challenging to figure out if you're overspending, and where you can cut back.

Tracking your spending doesn't have to involve complex spreadsheets and calculators. In fact, there are several apps that can manage your money for you, even breaking your expenses down into different categories to make it easier for you to see all your costs in one place. From there, you can set spending limits and goals for yourself so you can save a little more each month.

Be sure to be consistent when tracking your expenses, too. Try your best to stick to your spending limits every month, and if you notice any patterns -- like if you consistently overspend on the weekends, or when you're out with friends -- be especially diligent about keeping your spending in check during those times. After a while, tracking your spending will become second nature, and it will feel like more of a healthy lifestyle habit than a tedious task.

When retirement is still decades away, you may be tempted to focus more on the short-term goal of saving a little each month. But it's just as important to think about your long-term goals, because that can help you determine whether you're doing enough right now to reach them.

Especially when it comes to saving for retirement, if your savings are off track, it's much easier to correct the problem when you catch it early. If you wait until you're 5 years away from retirement to realize you're hundreds of thousands of dollars short of reaching your saving goal, there's not much you can do at that point.

Every year or two, take some time to think about your retirement goals. Consider factors like the age you'd like to retire, how much you think you'll spend each year in retirement, and how long you estimate you'll live. All of these things will impact how much you need to save, so if any of these goals change, you'll need to adjust your retirement plan.

Next, throw all this information into a retirement calculator to see how much you should aim to save. Even if you've already done this, it's a good idea to recalculate your retirement number every year or two to make sure you're still saving enough. If your results show that you should be saving more each month than you currently are, that's a sign that you're falling behind. The earlier you can make adjustments and start saving more, the better shot you have at retiring when you want.

If your goal is to retire sooner rather than later, you'll need to supercharge your savings to ensure your money will last the rest of your life. Fortunately, you don't have to win the lottery or inherit a fortune to do that. By integrating a few healthy financial habits into your lifestyle, you can save more and increase your chances of enjoying an early retirement.

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3 Easy Habits That Can Help You Retire Sooner - The Motley Fool

Minister for planning Cameron Dick said the changes followed extensive consultation with the community, industry and local government. Earlier this year we released our proposed model code for neighbourhood design and asked Queenslanders which elements should be made mandatory, he said.

There was an overwhelming response to this, with more than 20,000 pieces of feedback received, he added. Residents, industry groups and councils all agreed we could do more to create active and healthy neighbourhoods for Queenslanders. So weve listened and acted, introducing five mandatory elements, while leaving cul-de-sacs in the hands of councils to determine standards best suited to their local areas.

The five mandatory neighbourhood design elements being introduced are:

Heart Foundation Queensland CEO Stephen Vines said it was important new neighbourhoods were designed to get Queenslanders moving. Good design is at the heart of healthy living, and the way our neighbourhoods are designed is connected to how much physical activity we do, he said. With exercise levels low and obesity on the rise, we must create walking-friendly environments that encourage Queenslanders to be more active, more often.

Introducing minimum standards across the state will go a long way towards encouraging residents to be more active. It will also help to reduce the risk of heart disease, our single biggest killer, and other chronic conditions.

Dick said the model code and the mandatory elements were about getting the fundamentals of new development right, in a consistent manner across the state. This is a step in the right direction to enhance quality of life for all Queenslanders, regardless of where they live, he said. These changes prioritise people and walking, and will ensure the foundation of neighbourhood design in Queensland is right.

Further consultation will now take place with industry and local government to finalise the technical aspects of how mandatory elements of the model code will be implemented.

The revised model code is expected to come into effect in the first half of 2020.

Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk

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Queensland sets rules for building healthy neighbourhoods - Construction Index

There are about 27 million people in the U.S. with Type 2 Diabetes. Another 86 million have pre-diabetes, meaning their blood glucose is not normal, but not high enough to be diabetes yet.

For the majority of healthy individuals, normal blood sugar levels are as follows: Between 4.0 to 6.0 millimoles per liter, or mmol/L (72 to 108 milligrams per deciliter, or mg/dL) when fasting; and up to 7.8 mmol/L (140 mg/dL) 2 hours after eating.

Diabetes is when your blood sugar or glucose levels are higher than normal. The goal is to bring down those sugar levels. Its high carbohydrate foods like breads, cereals, rice, pasta, fruits, milk, alcohol, and desserts that can cause this rise.

Your eating plan should focus on the amount and type of carbs you put on your plate throughout the day. You should include these items:

If you have diabetes, drinking alcohol may cause your blood sugar to either rise or fall. Plus, alcohol has a lot of empty calories, meaning no nutritional value. If you drink, do it occasionally and only when your diabetes and blood sugar levels are well controlled.

If you are following a calorie-controlled meal plan, one drink of alcohol should be counted as two fat exchanges.

Exercise in Spurts: Its important to get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day to help manage your diabetes. Too busy? Break it up into three shorter spurts. Try 10 minutes of strength training in the morning. Play an active game with the family during the day, or take a brisk stroll at lunchtime. Then, walk your dog in the evening. This combo can help improve your blood sugar control and make heart disease less likely.

If you are on medication and the medication doesnt seem to be working, there are variables. Maybe dosage needs adjusting. Perhaps another drug needs to be considered. Home testing kits help you monitor levels and regular visits with your doctor are a must.

Dont give up. Stay diligent, ask questions and research information. Its your body and you are 100% responsible for taking good care of it. Stay healthy, my friends.

Jody Holton writes about health for The Port Arthur News. She can be reached at jholton3@gt.rr.com.

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HEALTHY LIVING Getting control of blood sugar levels - Port Arthur News - The Port Arthur News

Event at Ocean County Mall a One Stop Shop for Health Matters

By Maria Scandale | on February 05, 2020

(Supplied Photo) David Diehl

Former New York Giant and two-time Superbowl champion David Diehl will be the special speaker at a public health event at noon on Friday, Feb. 21, at the Ocean County Malls center court, Toms River.

Diehl will be there to commemorate Health Champions Month and the special event 3D: National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention/Always a Choice, Never an Accident.

The event itself goes on from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as the Ocean County Health Departments annual Healthy Living and Education Expo. The noontime commemoration is part of bringing awareness to the importance of healthy living and an active lifestyle.

Our Annual Healthy Living and Education Expo is a One-Stop-Shop where the public can gain information on addiction, driving safety, healthy living, access to care, diabetes prevention and patient education, the county health department announced.

Attendees can find:

The commemoration at noon will also be attended by several dignitaries: Freeholder Gerry P. Little, freeholder liaison to the Ocean County Health Department; Daniel E. Regenye, Ocean County public health coordinator; New Jersey 9th District Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf, county director of Administration and Program Development; Bradley D. Billhimer, Ocean County prosecutor; and Peter A. Curatolo, Ocean County Health Department chief of administrative services.

Taking part in the expo will be educators, students, local businesses, law enforcement, military members, RWJ Barnabas Health, Deborah Heart and Lung Center, Hackensack Meridian Health and AtlantiCare.M.S.

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Former NY Giant to Speak at Healthy Living Expo - The SandPaper

WATERVILLE Colby College has received a $16 million gift from college trustee Marieke Rothschild and her husband, Jeff Rothschild, to support three of Colbys highest priorities financial aid, the arts and health and wellness.

This is a magical gift, Colby President David A. Greene said in announcing the gift Thursday. It accelerates the implementation of initiatives that better the lives of students and strengthen the college. It will also encourage others to join in at this important moment to guarantee Colbys mission is met at the highest level.

The Rothschilds gift will be used in three ways, with $5 million designated to help make the college affordable for low- and middle-income families, $5 million to support a final push to complete fundraising for a new athletics and recreation center under construction on campus and $5 million to support the future 75,000-square-foot Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts on campus, according to a news release.

The Rothschilds previously donated $4.5 million to Colby to be used for financial aid, which the release says set the college on a path to create some of the most generous and straightforward financial aid packages issued at liberal arts colleges.

The additional resources for the Rothschild Family Endowed Financial Aid Fund will extend the Colleges capacity to level the playing field for lower-and middle-income families seeking an extraordinary education for their children. Colby has focused on affordability for all talented students seeking a liberal arts education, and is one of the few institutions in the country that meets 100 percent of demonstrated need without student loans.

Under the funding formula, families earn up to $65,000 annually can expect to pay nothing toward tuition, according to the release. Families with a total household income of up to $150,000 with typical assets can expect to pay $15,000 or less annually through the Fair Shot Fund.

The Gordon Center is a critical component of Colbys intent to have the finest arts programs associated with a liberal arts college and, in partnership with Waterville, to have the arts be a defining part of the cultural traditions in central Maine, according to officials.

The athletic center is expected to open later this year and will offer a wide range of opportunities for the community to pursue active, healthy lifestyles, including varsity sports, intramural and club activities, and individual health and wellness.

Our initial goal in supporting Colby was to provide financial aid that would build on the colleges commitment to attracting talented students from all backgrounds, Marieke Rothschild said in the release. As we talked with President Greene and continued to understand the colleges priorities, we were struck by the ongoing efforts to provide students with the support necessary to have extraordinary experiences related to the arts and an ongoing commitment to healthy living.

The Rothschild gift includes $1 million to be directed to the Colby Fund over several years to ensure the college has the flexibility to direct resources for its most pressing needs.

Marieke and Jeff Rothschild are rare in their depth of knowledge about organizations and what they need to succeed in challenging environments, Greene said. And, their generosity is rarer still. The best way to show true gratitude for their spectacular support is to deliver on the promise of these initiatives and for others to join in to make them fully possible.

Colby officials say the gift will have an immediate and long-term impact on the community by more deeply integrating the arts and a healthy, active lifestyle into the student experience.

Serving as a creative laboratory for the performing arts, the approximately 75,000-square-foot Gordon Center will bring together theater, dance, music, and cinema studies into a highly collaborative and multidisciplinary space for creative expression supported by multimedia and interactive technologies, the release says. The building will house a major recital hall as well as a series of flexible spaces for teaching, rehearsal, and performance along with a multipurpose forum that knits together the various venues. Students will engage with the center through a number of programs across academic disciplines.

Colby also is enhancing programs and opportunities for all students to be engaged at the new athletics and recreation center. Exercise studios, mindfulness and meditation rooms, and fitness and education programs will be part of the mix. Activities such as kickboxing, Pilates, nutritional cooking and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, as well as personalized training options for all levels, will be included.

Were very impressed with how hard the college is working to make these new initiatives available to the entire campus, as well as the broader community including Waterville, Maine and New England, Marieke Rothschild said. This is an incredibly exciting time for Colby, and were looking forward to seeing the significant impact that these dynamic initiatives will have on the college and community.

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Colby College receives $16 million gift for financial aid, the arts, health and wellness - Press Herald

According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States, accounting for one in every seven deaths. Those who understand the facts about heart health, however, can reduce their risk for developing heart disease and learn how to live healthy.

During February, also known as American Heart Month, Parkview Health, in partnership with the Parkview Heart Institute and Parkviews community hospitals, will host a series of heart-healthy events and activities aimed at increasing the awareness of heart disease.

Lighting of the Parkview Heart Institute and Parkview Hospital Randallia, Feb. 1-29

Parkview will go red for the month of February, shining a red light on the west side of Parkview Heart Institute on the Parkview Regional Medical Center campus, as well as the east side of Parkview Hospital Randallia on Carew Street.

Mindfulness and Your Heart, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Feb. 6 at Parkview Center for Healthy Living at the Parkview Warsaw YMCA, 1305 Mariners Drive, Warsaw

The heart is the largest working muscle in our body, and yet so much can influence its proper function. Join Sabeena Ramrakhiani, MD, Parkview Physicians GroupCardiology, as she shares how mindfulness and meditation are not only good for the mind, but how they also play a role in the health of your heart. Light, heart-healthy hors doeuvres will be served. This event is free, but registration is required; call 260-266-6500 (toll-free 844-835-0003).

National Wear Red Day, Feb. 7

Parkview co-workers, patients and visitors are invited to help raise awareness of concerns related to heart health by wearing red on this national awareness day.

Heart and Stress: A Holistic Approach, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Feb. 11 at Parkview Center for Healthy Living at the Parkview Warsaw YMCA, 1305 Mariners Drive, Warsaw

Join Leshia Howell, RN, nurse navigator, Parkview Health, as she shares a holistic approach to stress and your heart. Holistic stress relief addresses how you respond to distressing triggers as a whole person mind, body and spirit and how you can respond in a way that positively impacts your health and happiness. Come listen and learn how to be stressed less and relax a little more. This event is free, but registration is required; call 260-266-6500.

Heart Healthy Nutrition Program, 2:15-3:15 p.m. Feb. 12 at Parkview Center for Healthy Living at the Parkview Neighborhood Health Center, 3350 E. Paulding Road, Fort Wayne

Research shows that people with diabetes are more likely to develop heart disease and have a greater chance of having a heart attack or stroke. In this class, you will learn important lifestyle measures for diabetes management, including heart-healthy eating, physical activity and more. A quick demonstration on how to prepare a heart-healthy, diabetic-friendly recipe will be provided. This program is free, but registration is required; call 260-266-6500.

Thank Your Heart: Drum Circle, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 at Parkview Center for Healthy Living at the Parkview Warsaw YMCA, 1305 Mariners Drive, Warsaw

February is the month we tend to think about hearts; however, we tend to take our heartbeat for granted. Join Laura Hillyard, artist in residence, Parkview Healing Arts Program, as she guides you through an evening of drumming. Let this be a way to thank your heart for beating every day. This event is free, but registration is required; call 260-266-6500.

Monthly Meeting of the Her Heart Support Network at PHI, 6-8 p.m. Feb. 13 at Parkview Regional Medical Center (Entrance 4, third floor, conference rooms A/B)

All female cardiac patients are invited to join this local support group for women with heart disease. PHI experts facilitate the monthly meetings. Februarys topic will be What Happens in the Cath Lab.

Sixth Annual Love Your Heart Expo on Feb. 20 at Parkview Mirro Center for Research & Innovation, 10622 Parkview Plaza Drive, Fort Wayne

The free Love Your Heart Expo will feature two sessions, starting at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Local experts will explain how your genes are not your health destiny. Guests may also visit learning centers and participate in health screenings. Registration for this event is currently closed. Sign up for the waitlist at http://www.parkview.com/loveyourheart.

Healthy Heart Seminars, 5:45-7 p.m. Feb. 27 and 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 28 at Parkview Center for Healthy Living at the Parkview Warsaw YMCA, 1305 Mariners Drive, Warsaw

Come to Apps and Information to learn how to better manage high blood pressure. Participants can learn about the DASH diet and how it helps lower and manage blood pressure, as well as the YMCAs Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring program. This event is free, but registration is required; call 260-266-6500.

Happy Heart session at StoryPoint, 2 p.m. Feb. 28 at StoryPoint, 3715 Union Chapel Road, Fort Wayne

Participate in rhythm-based activities and guided imagery, while learning about ways to manage the personal stress and depression that can be unique to living in a retirement or assisted living setting. Heart-healthy snacks will be provided. RSVP by Feb. 26 by calling 260-483-5590.

CPR Certification, 7:30 a.m.-noon Feb. 28 at Parkview Center for Healthy Living at the Community Learning Center, 401 E. Diamond St., Kendallville

Trained instructors from Parkview Noble Hospital will lead you through the American Heart Associations Heartsaver course so you can be prepared to save a life. Cost is $15, and registration is required; call 260-266-6500.

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Parkview encourages heart health throughout the region during American Heart Month - FW Business

SAINT PETERSBURG, Fla. The inaugural Jack and Jill Tutus and Tennis shoes 5K Run/Walk will be held Feb. 29 in downtown Tampa. The event is organized by the Greater Tampa Chapter of Jack and Jill to raise money for local organizations promoting healthy living for families in our communities. It also helps raise funds for the Jack and Jills of America national philanthropic foundation.

Jack and Jill of America is a national non-profit organization of mothers who nurture future African American leaders ages 2-19. The organizations mission is to focus on educational programming, community service, legislative advocacy, and philanthropic giving.

To register and learn more about the event go to greatertampajackandjill.org

Tune into Great Day Live weekdays from 9 to 10 a.m. on WTSP-TV.

Hosts Kendall Kirkham and Java Ingram bring you the latest in what everyones talking about, from trending stories, lifestyle and entertainment news, buzz-worthy, pop culture moments, and all things fun and exciting happening around Tampa Bay.

Whether its people making a difference, talented artists and musicians, delicious food, fun activities to do and make with the family, lovable animals, entertaining events and big names coming to town, weve got you covered. We hope to bring you a wealth of information to live your best life and start your morning right!

Like us on Facebook at @greatdaylivetampabay or on Instagram at @greatdaylivetampabay.

If you have an interesting segment idea, send an email to mrancourt@wtsp.com

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About Kendall:

Kendall Kirkham joined Great Day Live in November 2017 from Memphis, Tennessee, where she served as morning co-anchor for WMC Action News 5. Prior to her stint in Memphis, Kendall served as co-host of "Tulsa Live" at KOKI in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Kendall also worked at KETK in Tyler, Texas, The Dallas Morning News and started her career as an intern for The Ellen Show and E! Entertainment.

Kendall has interviewed countless celebrities and notable figures, from Bob Woodward to Arsenio Hall, John Travolta and Paula Deen. Shes hit 9 Gs with the U.S. Airforce Thunderbirds, raised money for various charities in three local Dancing with the Stars competitions, and even played a gangster on stage for a traveling Broadway show. Kendall is most proud of her work with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She continues to support the hospital in various capacities today.

Kendall is a proud Texas native. She grew up in the Fort Worth area and graduated from Texas Christian University with a degree in Radio/TV/Film.

Kendall is thrilled to join the Great Day Live team and is having a ball highlighting this thriving community. She hopes to bring a smile to viewers at home every single day. In her spare time, Kendall enjoys exploring the countless sights, sounds and eats of Tampa Bay with her husband Jason and son Knox.

About Java:

Java Ingram is a New Orleans native/Texan and is excited to call Florida home! Prior to joining the Great Day Live team, Java served as host of a lifestyle-entertainment show in Birmingham, Alabama. She also woke up dark and early, weekday mornings to help drivers make it to their destinations safely as a traffic anchor.

Java started her on-air broadcast career in the birthplace of Elvis Presley, Tupelo, Mississippi. In Tupelo, she served as morning news anchor, producer and reporter.

Javant is an award-winning journalist, having been recognized by the Associated Press for Best Anchor, Best Reporter and Best Franchise Reporting, just to name a few.

When she's not working, Java is very passionate about giving back to the community, having served on the corporate boards for The Boys and Girls Club of North Mississippi, The Civic Ballet Company, The Doniphan Dance Project and the Leadership Council for the Boys and Girls Club of Central Alabama. She has volunteered also with a number of civic organizations.

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Jack and Jill tutus helps promote healthy living - WTSP.com

After a couple weeks of low-key activity around Columbia, not to mention this wonderful weather weve been having, Im ready for the citys next big event, which is happening Friday.

This one requires a strong liver and that you wear a necklace made of pretzels. I also hear there will be 25 pounds of gummy bears at this thing, bears that have been soaking in 4 liters of coconut rum.

Winterfest Beer Blast returns Jan. 17 for its ninth year. This is always a great and well-attended event, at least according to the photo evidence that helps fill in the blurry gaps and foggy memories. Its also a lot more than an evening spent roaming around Westbury House just off the square tasting all kinds of craft beers, ciders and more from dozens of breweries around the Southeast region.

To those who dont drink, are in recovery or arent 21 yet, there are many other reasons this event is important to the Maury County, to say the least.

Winterfest Beer Blast is first and foremost a fundraiser for Columbia CARES, each year raising more than $5,000 in ticket sales alone (the nonprofit also receives private donations and sponsorships). Columbia CARES is the areas only HIV/AIDS advocacy group, which for almost 30 years has fought to break the stigma of the disease, while also helping patients get the medicine and treatments they need to live healthy, normal lives. Its incredible work that Columbia CARES does, and worth your time in getting to know the organizations story.

It certainly opened my eyes to a few new things when I wrote a story about Columbia CARES for The Daily Heralds monthly Healthy Living tabloid insert in December 2018. December is AIDS Awareness month, with Dec. 1 recognized as World AIDS Day.

Columbia CARES Director Tim Jones, who was diagnosed with HIV in the 1990s, has a great story himself, and is someone Id want in my corner if I were ever given the news, Im sorry to tell you, but your results came back positive. The most interesting takeaway from our interview was just how much the world of AIDS and HIV has changed in the last 25-30 years, and that it isnt exactly considered the death sentence it once was.

You still dont want to get it, thats for sure, but its more manageable these days, and can be handled with the right tools. It takes education, an understanding of your personal case and figuring out the right cocktail of meds to keep it under control. Organizations like Columbia CARES are there to help make that transition as stress-free as possible, to connect patients with the right doctor or offer financial support when available. They even have a 20-minute test onsite for those who think they might have symptoms of HIV, or to rule out any possibility that might be the case.

The point is, organizations like Columbia CARES are there for people in need, with the message to anyone reaching out for help that, we are here, and you are not alone in this. It was also surprising to hear just how many people use Columbia CARES, and that they come from all over the Mid-State, because there really isnt another place like it.

To put it simply, Columbia CARES needs all the help they can get because its work goes beyond Maury County, which can be a lot to take on. It should also raise awareness that more places like it are needed. If giving a few bucks means helping someone in need, while getting fun night downtown in return, who wouldnt want to be part of that?

Beer Blast is also a great way to meet the masterminds behind some of Columbias local brewhouses and other businesses, such as Asgard and Bad Idea Breweries, Briarworks pipe factory and Battleground South Cigar Lounge. There are usually a few local independent brewing connoisseurs serving up samples as well.

My favorite part is when Jones shows up with about a dozen pizzas halfway in, always arriving at just the right time.

If this years Beer Blast is anything like years past, there will be a photo booth, lots of heavy snacks and social interaction. Sometimes the best part is simply stepping back and watching the night progress as everyones walk gets a little wobblier, and their laughs a little louder.

Beer Blasts main event will run from 7-10 p.m. this Friday, but those with $50 VIP tickets will have early access starting at 5:30 p.m. General admission is $25 and tickets may be purchased at http://www.winterfestbeerblast.simpletix.com.

Jay Powell is a reporter for The Daily Herald. Contact him at jpowell@c-dh.net or follow him on Twitter @JayPowellCDH.

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Winterfest 2020 blasts off for its ninth year Friday - Columbia Daily Herald

More than 100 million adults in the U.S. are living with diabetesor prediabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

People with diabetes or prediabetes can improve their health by joining a Healthy Living with Diabetes workshop sponsored by Area Agency on Aging of Dane County.

In six weekly sessions, Healthy Living with Diabetes gives participants strategies for managing diabetes, including techniques to deal with symptoms and information about healthy eating, appropriate use of medication, exercise and working effectively with health care providers. Participants learn to make realistic, achievable action plans, share their experiences and help each other solve problems.

Healthy Living with Diabetes will be held on Mondays from March 2 to April 6 at Bridge-Lakepoint-Waunona Community Center, 1917 Lake Point Drive, Madison. The workshop fee is $20.

For questions or to register for the program, call Amy Stoddard at 441-9661.

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Agency offers program on healthy living with diabetes - The Cambridge News

Chris JacksonGetty Images

Meghan Markle received the title "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex" when she married Prince Harry in May of 2018. But before she married into Britain's royal family, she was an actress on the hit show Suits, and ran her own lifestyle site called The Tig. Meghan has always been passionate about health, exercise, food, travel and the latest trends in all of it. And she's dropped her tips through the years on how she stays zen and balanced. Here are 40 pieces of her best health advice.

1Be chill about aging.

"As Im getting older, my approach to aging is quite different," she told Best Health in 2016. "I make sure that I take care of my skin and body, especially with the work hours I have. And I dont just take care of myself for aesthetic reasons but because how I feel is dictated by what Im eating, how much rest Im getting, and how much water Im drinking. If I dont have time for a long workout, Ill grab my dog and go for a quick run. Being active is my own moving meditation."

2Make fitness a priority.

"Meghan Markle's fitness definitely takes priority; shes very focused on her health," Meghan's trainer, Craig McNamee, CSCS, founder of Catalyst Health in Toronto, Canada, told WomensHealthMag.com in 2018. "When she gets to the gym, theres no real complaining. She gets down to business right away and really enjoys it." (Another reason the royal is #goals.)

3Try running.

"Meghan is an avid runner, so she already did a lot of treadmill work on her own," McNamee explained to WomensHealthMag.com in 2018. "Wed look at what her run frequency was like that week" and build workouts around that.

4Take your skincare seriously.

In an interview with Allure in 2017, Meghan revealed her tried and true exfoliator. "I really love the Tatcha Rice Enzyme Powder," she said. "It just sort of foams on your face and gives you a really subtle exfoliation." In addition to exfoliation, Meghan also mentioned being a fan of Jan Marini skincare products. "I've been using their serum lately," she said. "It's a nice glycolic one that makes your skin really glow-y."

5Enjoy motherhood.

She previously said about parenthood, "Its magic. Its pretty amazing. And here I have the two best guys in the world, so Im really happy."

6Be realistic about social media.

"You see photos on social media and you dont know whether shes born with it or maybe its a filter. Your judgement of your sense of self-worth becomes really skewed when its all based on likes, Meghan said on her trip with Prince Harry to New Zealand in October 2018.

7Focus on your posture.

"Generally speaking, we had a full-body approach," her trainer McNamee told WomensHealthMag.com in 2018. "And since Meghan was onscreen, we really focused on posture." To do so, he always included posterior chain (glutes, back, hamstrings) exercises, in addition to plenty of core (abs, back, obliques, pelvic floor) work.

8Pick up strength training.

Meghan is also into circuit-based strength training. When she was still filming Suits in Toronto, she and her trainer McNamee met up three to four days a week, for 45-minute training sessions. "For Meghan, we tried to schedule these workouts early in the day, to make it a priority," he told WomensHealthMag.com in 2018. McNamee took a high-rep (20 to 25), low-weight strategy for Meghan's fitness routinerather than heavy lifting.

9Stay close with your mom.

Meghan and her mom, Doria Ragland, have an incredible bond. According to Oprah, Doria also loves yoga (and is currently a yoga teacher).

10Make time to stretch.

"Yoga is my thing, she confirmed to Canadian magazine Best Health. I was very resistant as a kid, but she [mom Doria] said, Flower [her nickname for Meghan], you will find your practice just give it time. In college, I started doing it more regularly," she added.

11Find makeup and skincare that works for you.

Meghan shared with Allure in 2017 about her makeup routine. "I don't wear foundation in real life. My routine is very simpleI call it the five-minute face. It's just Touche clat, curled lashes, mascara, Chap Stick, and a little bit of blush. That is my favorite kind of look. If I'm going to amp it up for night, then I use M.A.C. Teddy eyeliner, which is a really beautiful brown that has some gold in it."

12Drink your greens.

"It's easy to fall into the trap of rushing for a coffee when you hit that 4 p.m. slump," she told Today. "But if I blend some apple, kale, spinach, lemon, and ginger in my Vitamix in the morning and bring it to work, I always find that sipping on that is a much better boost than a cup of espresso."

13Keep working on self-acceptance.

"My 20s were brutala constant battle with myself, judging my weight, my style, my desire to be as cool/as hip/as smart/as 'whatever' as everyone else. My teens were even worsegrappling with how to fit in, and what that even meant," Meghan wrote in a blog post on her 33rd birthday on her old website The Tig in August 2014, accodring to Marie Claire. "[I]t takes time. To be happy. To figure out how to be kind to yourself. To not just choose that happiness, but to feel it."

14Use resistance bands.

Meghan's trainer McNamee told WomensHealthMag.com in 2018 that she particularly loves doing lower-body exercises using a mini bandwhich can conveniently be used just about anywhere.

15Be a supportive friend.

This past summer, Meghan flew from England to the United States in order to support her close friend Serena Williams as she competed in the US Open final. Best. Friend. Ever.

16Learn to enjoy cooking.

"I grew up on the set of a TV show called Married with Children, where my dad was the lighting director," she told Best Health in 2016. "Because of the content of the show, my dad would have me help in craft services, which is where they make all the food and nibblesthats where I started to learn about garnishing and plating. After being there every day after school for 10 years and seeing the appreciation of food, I started to learn the association between food and happiness and being able to entertainI think thats where the seed was planted."

17Challenge yourself in your workouts.

"Wed take into account any yoga postures she was trying to improve, and focus our efforts in those areas," Meghan's trainer McNamee told WomensHealthMag.com in 2018. In other words, if Meghan was dead-set on mastering a headstand, McNamee would include some more core exercises in her fitness routine.

18Find a nutrition plan that works for you.

Meghan revealed to The Chalkboard in 2015 that her daily breakfast at the time consisted of a Clean Cleanse vanilla shake with blueberries or an acai bowl with fresh berries and Manuka honey. She also shared the recipe for her favorite smoothie, which also uses Clean Cleanse vanilla powder.

The Clean Cleanse powder is part of the Clean Program, a 21-day nutritional cleanse that, according to the program's website, can boost your skin, sleep, digestion, energy, weight loss, and mental clarity.

19Block out gossip.

Meghan has previously said she doesn't read anything in the press, and that she and Harry make any effort to drown out noise when it comes to their relationship.

"It has its challenges, and it comes in wavessome days it can feel more challenging than others. And right out of the gate it was surprising the way things changed. But I still have this support system all around me, and, of course, my boyfriend's support. I don't read any press. I haven't even read press for Suits. The people who are close to me anchor me in knowing who I am. The rest is noise. Of course it's disheartening. It's a shame that that is the climate in this world, to focus that much on that, to be discriminatory in that sense. I think, you know, at the end of the day, I'm really just proud of who I am and where I've come from and we have never put any focus on that. We've just focused on who we are as a couple. And so when you take all those extra layers away and all of that noise, I think it makes it really easy to just enjoy being together."

20Volunteer your time to a cause you care about.

This year, it was revelaed that Meghan regularly volunteered at a soup kitchen in Toronto when she was working on Suits.

"Meghan Markle was an active supporter and volunteer of St. Felix Centre during her time living in the city while working on Suits. She volunteered on a regular basis in our kitchen as part of our Community Meals Program. The duchess also donated food from the set of Suits, and on one Thanksgiving she brought in all the food, turkeys and the fixings for over 100 people."

21Experiment with different eating styles.

She told Best Health in an interview in 2016: "I try to eat vegan during the week and then have a little bit more flexibility with what I dig into on the weekends."

22Check out new fitness studios.

In Meghan's guest editor's letter in Vogue, she mentioned an affinity for London-based fitness studio Heartcore's Ritual class. "Heartcore's new Ritual class is a high-energy, cardio-based mat workout incorporating elements of yoga, Pilates and barre," the description in Vogue reads.

23Embrace your favorite food.

In an interview Meghan did with former First Lady Michelle Obama for British Vogues September issue (which Meghan guest-edited, btw), Meghan revealed she loves tacos.

"So, over a casual lunch of chicken tacos and my ever-burgeoning bump, I asked Michelle if she would help me with this secret project," the Duchess wrote.

24Be independent, even when you're in a relationship.

I can tell you that at the end of the day I think its really simple, she told Vanity Fair of her relationship with Prince Harry. Were two people who are really happy and in love. We were very quietly dating for about six months before it became news, and I was working during that whole time, and the only thing that changed was peoples perception. Nothing about me changed. Im still the same person that I am, and Ive never defined myself by my relationship.

25Make food a family affair.

"I am a big fan of Sunday suppers. Whether we're eating lamb tagine, pot roast or a hearty soup, the idea of gathering for a hearty meal with friends and family on a Sunday makes me feel comforted," she told Today. "I enjoy making slow-cooked food on Sundays, like Filipino-style chicken adobo. It's so easycombine garlic, soy (or Bragg Liquid Aminos), vinegar, maybe some lemon and let the chicken swim in that sauce until it falls off the bone in a Crock Pot."

26Speak about your passions.

Meghan said during a panel discussion on International Women's Day in 2019, Your confidence comes in knowing that a woman by your side, not behind you, is actually something you shouldn't be threatened about but, opposed to that, you should feel really empowered in having that additional support that this is really about us working together."

27Find a creative outlet, like writing.

Before becoming royal, Meghan ran a lifestyle site called The Tig. She shared with Allure in 2017, "The Tig has been sort of swirling in my mind for years as something I wanted to do. My mom was a travel agent, so off-the-beaten-path travel has always been a big part of my life. And growing up in California, farm-to-table dining was something that I experienced. I'm the person friends come to when they want to find the perfect restaurant or boutique hotel on the outskirts of Paris. As opposed to scouring the Internet for a travel guide, wouldn't you rather ask the people who are really cool who go there? That's what I do. So I wanted to get all of that and put it together on one site."

28Always have healthy snacks on hand.

She previously told Good Housekeeping what snacks she likes: "Hummus, carrotsbecause I love them and so does my dog, Bogart, strangelya green juice, almond milk, for sure, and a chia seed pudding I make every single week. So easy, so good. I really love to cook."

29Value your education.

According to Glamour UK, while speaking to students and staff at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, the Duchess of Sussex talked about the value of education and the cost of university.

As a university graduate, I know the personal feeling of pride and excitement that comes with attending university, she began. From the moment you receive your acceptance letter to the exams you spend countless late nights studying for, the lifelong friendships you make with your fellow alumni to the moment that you receive your diploma, the journey of higher education is an incredible, impactful and pivotal one. I am also fully aware of the challenges of being able to afford this level of schooling for many people around the world, myself included. Getting honest about the difficulties of paying for life as a student, she said, It was through scholarships, financial aid programs and work-study where my earnings from a job on campus went directly towards my tuitionthat I was able to attend university. And, without question, it was worth every effort.

30Start your day with hot water and lemon.

Meghan shared with Delish in 2018 that when she shot Suits, she'd have hot water with lemon right when she woke up, then eat steel-cut oats with bananas and agave syrup for breakfast.

31Spend time with furry friends.

The Duchess of Sussex had two dogs when she was living in Toronto at the time she met Prince Harryrescues named Guy and Bogart. According to Vanity Fair, Guy made the move with Meghan to London when she and Harry began seriously dating, and Bogart remained behind in Toronto with friends of Meghan's.

32Let yourself indulge.

Meghan shared with Delish in 2018, "I'm always hoping I'm having lunch with people, so we can share fries. It's its own food group for me."

33Practice moderation.

According to Harper's Bazaar, Meghan named her now-defunct lifestyle blog The Tig after her favorite brand of red wine, Tignanello. "God, do I love wine; a beautiful full red or a crisp white. But if its cocktails, I love a spicy tequila cocktail, negroni, or good scotchneat," she said. "Do the things you enjoy within reason," she says. "Know your body and what works for you and youll be fine."

34Define yourself how you want to.

"You don't have to play dress up to be a feminist. You are a feminist exactly the way you are. You can be a woman who wants to look good and still stand up for the equality of women. There's no uniform for feminism; you are a feminist exactly the way you are," she told Create & Cultivate in 2017.

35Practice meditation.

According to Bustle via Meghan Markles former blog, The Tig, she practiced Vedic meditation. Vedic meditation comes from the Veda, which is the ancient Indian system of knowledge from which yoga, meditation, and Ayurvedic medicine all stem, according to the New York Meditation Center.

36Mix veggies into your favorite dishes.

Meghan told Delish in 2018 that a friend convinced her to slow-cook zucchini for four to five hours, until it breaks down into a "filthy, sexy mush" to toss with pasta. "The sauce gets so creamy, you'd swear there's tons of butter and oil in it, but it's just zucchini, water and a little bouillon," Meghan said.

37Take breaks from your daily routine.

Meghan told Delish in 2018, "When I'm traveling, I won't miss an opportunity to try great pasta. I come back from vacation every year with a food baby, and I've named her Comida. I get to the set and I'm like, 'Hey, Comida's here, and she's kicking.'"

38Work on being kind to yourself.

"We just need to be kinder to ourselves. If we treated ourselves the way we treated our best friend, can you imagine how much better off we would be?" she said. "Try to find a space inside of you that reminds yourself that yes, you can have questions and self doubt, that's going to come up, that's human. But at the end of the day, you are enough exactly as you are."

39Try Megaformer workouts.

In an interview with Harper's Bazaar, Markle shared her love for the Megaformer, a machine created by workout guru Sebastien Lagree, founder of the Lagree Method. "[It] is hands-down the best thing you could do for your body," Markle said. "Your body changes immediately. Give it two classes, and you will see a difference."

40Carry tea tree oil.

She told Allure in 2017, "The one thing that I cannot live without when I'm traveling is a small container of tea tree oil. It's not the most glamorous thing, but if you get a cut, a mosquito bite, a small breakout, no matter what it is, it's my little cure-all. It's inexpensive, it's small enough to carry on, and I bring it with me all the time."

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40 Meghan Markle-Approved Diet And Workout Tips To Try - Women's Health

LOMA LINDA, Calif. Six mornings a week, youll find Heinz Lindsor in the gym.

I do aerobics. I exercise with a ball, he says.

Whats more impressive than his workout routine is his age.

I am 80 plus, he says.

And hes not the only octogenarian in this gym located inside Loma Linda Universitys Drayson Center.

My diet is an all plant-based diet, Dr. Benjamin Lau says.

Benjamin Lau and his wife Esther walk a mile to the gym every day for their half-hour workout. They are both in their 80s.

I put a lot of emphasis on food, Esther Lau says. That's probably the most crucial, what we eat and also how active we are.

In Loma Linda, California, being able to do a one-hour aerobics class later in life isn't uncommon. Much of the fuel to stay active and healthy for the people in this city is religion.

Started to work out I got really excited, oh this is great because I feel really vibrant, I feel 40 again. Is this possible, God? Marijke Sawyer says.

Loma Linda is home to one of the largest concentrations of Seventh-day Adventists. The Christian denomination puts an emphasis on a healthy diet and exercise.

Most Adventists, like 72-year old Sawyer, dont smoke or drink alcohol.

"My body is actually the temple of God, she says. So, therefore, whatever I put in I want to keep it whole. Clearer minds, better body, better performing in my life.

Many also follow a vegetarian diet.

Lots of fruits and lots of vegetables, and we grow a lot of our vegetables, so mostly unprocessed, Esther Lau says. "I cook very simply. Basically, I dont use any oil to cook but I do eat food that's naturally high in oils, like avocados, nuts and seeds.

Jackie Tucker, 71, is a lifelong vegetarian.

My grandfather died at 60 of a heart attack, Tucker says. My father died at 73 with blood-related heart disease so I know that the exercise and a diet have made a difference.

National Geographics Dan Buettner named this community one of his five original Blue Zones," places across the globe where people are living longer and healthier lives.

Loma Linda was the only Blue Zone listed in North America.

"It becomes normal, it becomes a way of life, Sawyer says. For me not to come out and not exercise, I would be frazzled because I just feel so much better. And my age I dont feel like Im 72. I love it.

But in Loma Linda, there is no fountain of youth or magic spell to be able to work out like Lindsor later in life.

A person who is motivated, he says, he or she can do a lot of good things to maintain a good level of health.

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A senior community in Loma Linda, California is thriving when it comes to health. These are their secrets - KSBY San Luis Obispo News

Losing weight, toning-up the body, relieving stress are three reasons most people want to join a fitness club. But people can also become fitter by merely incorporating a few techniques into everyday activities. This technique is called "functional training".

People use basic functional movement patterns in everyday life: pushing, lifting, pulling, hinging, squatting, rotating, walking and running are such movement patterns. Functional training incorporates exercises that improve peoples proficiency in these movements giving them an edge and helping them reach their health goals.

The idea behind functional training is that each exercise should be natural and carried into daily life. Functional training is used by physical therapists to rehabilitate patients.

Rehabilitation exercises are designed to help patients regain normal functioning and return to healthy living. Thus, activities that make up functional training are not new, but their incorporation into fitness regimes for ordinary healthy people has only recently become trendy. Some fitness training exercises that are a part of functional training are: squats, deadlift, wall ball, rowing, push press, push jerk, plank and stepups.

Fitness studios around the country are integrating functional training into their offerings. There are thousands of functional fitness workout videos on YouTube, many of which have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. The popularity of functional training gives rise to the question of why it is beneficial to health. The answer to this question is provided below.

SIMPLE AND SAFE FOR EVERYONE

Functional fitness when performed strengthens muscles, thus making it easier for practitioners to complete daily tasks and activities. Participants use their bodies and mostly free weights to exercise, which is simple and very safe. Functional training works on the entire body; it does not act on isolated muscles. It produces compound movements by engaging every part of a body efficiently. Because the whole body is trained, the body becomes prepared to deal with stress and impact as a single unit. Unlike some exercises which exert few muscle groups, functional training makes the whole body fitter.

STRENGTHENS THE CORE

Functional training makes the bodys core stronger! Muscle groups like abdominals, hips, and scapulars must be strong for the body to maintain stability. Several functional exercises work on core muscles even when they are exercising another part of the body. Also, functional training eliminates modern everyday problems such as neck and back pain, poor posture and ensures a balance between the bodies two halves.

MANY FUNCTIONAL EXERCISES BURN FAT

Even though functional training emphasises training movements, not muscles, is the most less useful exercise in making you leaner and stronger. For example, gymnasts do functional training and hardly have an ounce of fat. They use their body weight to perform gravity-defying movements that sculpt their physique.

LIFTS UP YOUR MOTIVATION

The final reason functional training is ideal for becoming fit is it increases participants motivation, formats like CrossFit believes in building a community around fitness. When people see a clear purpose behind each exercise in their programme, it encourages them to continue doing so as long as possible. It is an effective and extremely safe way to become fitter, stronger, and healthier.

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Functional is the way for fitness - India Today

Posted: Dec 17, 2019 / 09:47 AM EST / Updated: Dec 17, 2019 / 11:15 AM EST

In this weeks Healthy Living, we are taking a look at Googles most-searched diet of 2019: intermittent fasting.

Also known as time-restricted eating, intermittent fasting doesnt focus on what you eat but instead when you eat.

The schedule can look a few different ways, some people will fast for a day and eat normally the next, while others fast for two days a week but maintain a normal diet the other five.

The schedule Dr. Deborah Herchelroath follows is fasting each day, restricting eating to six to eight hours a day.

It can give more energy and I also feel like its a healthier way of eating. Theres no science behind three meals a day, and we really shouldnt be snacking throughout the day, so it has taught me to be more aware of the way I eat and when I eat, Herchelroath said.

So the idea of breakfast being the most important meal of the day is actually a myth!

Herchelroath says the standard American diet is linked to insulin resistance and fasting gives our body the benefit of a break. Some research shows fasting can lower cholesterol, decrease insulin in the blood and even help with weight loss.

Restricting your food wont overpower a poor diet. What you eat still matters.

There are two ways to diet. What we eat or when we eat and what he really believes in is putting it together. So, its not like in that six-hour window I can eat cake and cookies and do okay. I still have to be cognizant of what goes in my mouth, Herchelroath said.

For most of the population, intermittent fasting is relatively safe, but Herchelroath suggests first checking with your doctor. Those who are pregnant, have type-one diabetes, chronic illness or who are training for an event should take special consideration.

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Healthy Living: Intermittent Fasting - ABC27

Many will make health-related resolutions for the new year and some will consider weight loss programs to help reach weight-related goals.

WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers, has been around for 55 years.

The programs website says WW is a scientifically proven program for weight loss and wellness, with Digital, Studio and Personal coaching solutions to help meet your goals.

Two local women shared their WW successes with Daybreaks Amanda Peterson.

Stacy Koppenhaver started WW in July 2018 and has lost more than 100 pounds since. She credits WWs program saying it was a lifestyle change that combined weight loss, exercise and mindset.

Melissa LaCagninaalso used the WW program, losing 70 pounds in a year.

When did you start your weight loss journey?My journey with Weight Watchers started on October 20, 2018, after realizing I needed to do something about my weight.

How long did it take?As of my 1 year anniversary, I was down 70 pounds. This journey is ongoing for me.

Did you find success? How so?I have had much success with Weight Watchers. Weight Watchers teaches individuals to be more aware of what they are eating without eliminating food from their diet. Weight Watchers looks at your weight, height, gender, and age to determine how many points an individual can eat each day. The food we eat all has a certain point value. For example, the Dannon light and fit greek yogurt I eat is 2 points. The Tumaros wraps I eat are 1 point. The great news is, that there are so many zero point foods! These are foods that Weight Watchers has deemed as foods that they found individuals dont tend to overeat, such as fruits, veggies, and so many other options. There is also a bank of Weekly points you can use throughout the week in addition to your daily points. You can use these as you see fit with your lifestyle. I like to save those extra weekly points for the weekend when my family and I like to eat out. You can roll up to 4 points over each day. You can also earn fit points if you like exercising. I personally do not exercise at all during my journey. So much of my success is due to my mindset and the food choices I am making. As you eat food, track it in the helpful Weight Watchers app and it will subtract what you have eaten from your daily points. This way you can visually see what you have left for the day. In my opinion, it changes the way I look at food in a healthy way. There is a lot of flexibility with this program.

The app Weight Watchers has is extremely useful. It has a bar code scanner you can use to scan food which will tell you how many points the food is per serving. It also has a community of individuals who are on the program to that you can reach out to for support. The app will keep track of your points if you track the food you are eating. There are many different tools to help you be successful with the program such as recipes, restaurant names with point values for food, exercise ideas, and a personal coach you can chat with at anytime.

If you choose to do the program with the workshop option, you can attend weekly meetings to get extra support from others as well as the leader running the meeting. At the weekly meetings, you can also choose to weigh in and have your weight tracked in the app as well. You can choose to do Weight Watchers with the online only option as well. This will allow you track your own weight with the same great benefits of using the app. Both options have a monthly fee.

Over the last 55 years, WW has changed. Currently, theres a plan called myWW that allows users to fill out a personal assessment and get matched with an eating style.

For more information on myWW, click here.

With the new program, WW also upgraded their app and added an online support group called connect which allows program participants to connect with people around the world.

While Stacy and Melissa are supporters of WW, there are a lot of critics of the program. Some say it may promote disordered eating by labeling foods as good or bad.

Heres a statement from Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Dr. Amy Porto who is the President of the Central Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and an Associate Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Messiah College:

Diets are out and Wellness and Lifestyle changes are in and so it isnt surprising that every commercial diet program has claimed it is not a diet and instead is a lifestyle. Weight Watchers (now simply known by WW) is a perfect example of this re-branding in order to stay relevant to a new generation of dieters. And while WW claims the focus is on behavior goals and not weight goals I cant imagine that anyone joining WW is not looking to lose weight.

While the program does focus on diet and exercise and not a miracle product, it is possible to eat a lot of low-nutrient dense foods and stay within your allotted points.

Its WWs point system that takes away from true healthful eating. Points send the message that some foods are good or bad and that ZeroPoint foods can be eaten in unlimited amounts which can lead to disordered eating habits when looking for ways to get the most food for the least points rather than learning about balanced healthy eating.

Using points to determine what, when and how much to eat rather than getting in touch with the bodys innate cues is often why diets like WW are not sustainable long term. A 2015 study of more than 176,000 higher-weight people age 20 and older found that 95 percent to 98 percent of those who lost weight gained back all of it (or more) within five years (1).Most concerning is WW facilitators are not equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to address questions related to the complexities of nutrition or the concerns of a person with a dysfunctional relationship with food.

Diet advice should not be one-size-fits-all. A registered dietitian (RD) or registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) has the knowledge and skills to review your health history, favorite foods and exercise habits and is your best resource to assist you in developing a safe and realistic eating plan that you can stick with long term.

Rather than spending money on a diet program, the best investment you can make in the New Year is to spend more time in your kitchen. Eating meals that you prepared from the best ingredients you can afford will have the greatest impact on your health long term. And you dont have to wait until the New Year to get started because if it truly is a lifestyle change you want, then that includes the holiday season.

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Healthy Living: The new WW program - ABC27

Preparation is everything.

Is your freezer filled with meals from that expensive diet you abandoned a year ago?

Or maybe you saw the perfect piece of exercise equipment in an infomercial and spent a small fortune on it, only to see it now languish in your guest room.

Or perhaps valuable storage on your phone is still being taken by the fitness tracker that only serves to tell you data you no longer want to know about your sleep, diet and exercise habits.

Those items are wonderful if you use them as part of a comprehensive plan to get and stay healthy in mind, body, and spirit, but living a healthy lifestyle involves more than buying into the latest gimmicky product or fad.

RELATED:Doing These 10 Things Before 10 A.M. Can Seriously Improve Your Health

If you want to know how to be healthy, it's important to recognize that no specific diet or piece of equipment will be what gets you to your fitness goals, but rather your determination and intention to be in it for the long-haul.

Whether your fitness goals is to lose weight, get in shape or simply be healthy, here are three important tips to keep top of mind.

Consider the claims made by those touting the recent crystal water bottle trend, notably popularized on Gwyneth Paltrow's infamous website, GOOP.

These reusable glass water bottles contain a giant crystal said to infuse the water with special healing powers of some kind, with one retailer stating that each crystal possess its own unique frequency known to help with certain ailments and enhance desired qualities in ones life.

If only a rock could do that, right?

Is a jade egg going to balance your hormones? Even if if could, have you seen a doctor to determine whether they even need balancing?

Mari Kondo is awesome, but the tuning fork with rose quartz she allegedly uses in her everyday life and which will cost you a mere $75 is unlikely to restore a sense of balance, in this writer/psychologists humble opinion.

Does a daily celery juice detox make sense?

As stated by the Cleveland Clinic, Our bodies all actually have their own built-in detox machine the liver. If you treat it right with healthy food, physical activity and a healthy body weight, it can do the heavy lifting in eliminating toxins from your body. Drinking juice wont magically fix it or enhance it.

Much like the diet pills involved in the fen-phen scandal back in the 1990s, any magical quick fix, be it vegetable, mineral or other, should fail to pass the common sense test.

Any diet that has no protein, only protein, no carbs, no fats, only carrots or anything else that is extreme and immoderate is highly questionable.

Check with a physician or nutritionist before embarking on an all-or-nothing plan, or ask yourself if it passes moderation muster.

RELATED:What It Really Means When People Talk About 'Living A Healthy Life'

Is your goal to lose weight or eat healthy? Do you want to build muscle mass or be more fit? Are you trying to improve your concentration or check off the sleep box?

Considering what you really want to achieve helps you keep those important and motivating goals in mind. It also helps you choose a plan that is likely to get you to those goals.

Do not let someone else define your goal. If you dont want to quit smoking, youre not going to be able to do it for someone else. When you decide you want to quit, you can put your heart into it.

When deciding on a program, ask yourself if the time, money and effort are going to be worth it to you.

Fads are appealing because the quick fix is so tempting, but when it comes to meeting health and wellness goals, you cant just phone it in.

Prepared meals cost money, but food prep takes time. Gyms cost money, but relying on YouTube workouts may not give you the motivation or structure you need.

Think it through and try a plan you think you can stick with long-term.

If you hate running, dont start a running program. Its as simple as that.

There are plenty of ways to exercise, eat and engage in some type of spiritual practice, the cornerstones of wellness. There are certainly workouts, healthy foods and relaxation or calming practices out there that youll like.

Try something. If it doesnt feel positive, try something else.

Like your last boyfriend, sometimes if you give it time it grows on you. But if it doesnt, move on and find something that feels right.

You decide on a gym that seemed great on your trial days, but after a month, it doesnt feel right.

You plan to work out after work, but after a week you notice youre not sleeping as well or youre too tired to get important things done.

Changing things up and tweaking a plan is a great way to make it your own.

The healthy meals you bought may cost too much to continue forever, but if they worked, find a way to make them yourself on the cheap.

Its not a failure to decide to try something different. Its an opportunity to be creative and come up with something new.

RELATED:10 Wise Habits Of Happy, Healthy Women

Changing entrenched patterns is difficult. You must choose health and wellness every day.

One day it may seem like you can totally do this. The next day, inexplicably, it seems so much harder to skip that caramel latte.

Remind yourself what your goals are, and why theyre important. Text your bestie and wail about how desperately you do not want to go out in the cold and run, and then, not even be able to eat your favorite, totally unhealthy meal.

But keep at it. Its worth it to move toward your goals.

Sticking with your plans for eating, exercise or spirituality daily is fantastic, in theory.

The day someone brings your favorite dessert to the office, maybe give yourself a break. Eating it will probably cause less stress than depriving yourself, as long as it doesn't happen frequently.

If you miss a day of exercise, thats okay. Just don't skip workouts all the time.

Ruthless adherence to new wellness plans can be helpful to get you going at first, but when overplayed that kind of rigidity is more likely to lead to failure than a short detour from the path.

Making healthy changes is often self-sustaining. When you feel better, look better and function better, you will want to do more of whatever got you there.

That said, it doesnt hurt to build in rewards for effort. Putting aside money for something special, or making time to do something youll enjoy, are great ways to self-reinforce.

Using cheat days on meal plans and skipping classes or gym days as a reward can be worrisome, because its a slippery slope. Its more effective to do something positive for yourself when youve achieved two weeks at the gym or on a new meal plan.

Fitness apps that track progress are also reinforcing because you can the results of your effort concretely.

Its normal to slip up on new health and wellness goals. Theres no need for self-criticism, belittling or whatever it is you do when you realize youre not perfect. A lapse doesnt have to be an epic fail.

Evaluate your slip up, decide if you need to make a change, and start again.

Lapses give you good information about your weaknesses. You can come up with ideas about avoiding pitfalls, like not allowing the breadbasket on the table in a restaurant, or making sure you dont avoid the gym because youre avoiding the ex.

Lapses also give you confidence when you see you can regain momentum.

Use your common sense. Its a long and winding road to health and wellness, complete with roadblocks.

Focus on planning your path forward, recovering from setbacks and enjoying the journey.

RELATED:6 Things Healthy People Do Every. Single. Day And You Can, Too!

Judith Tutin, Ph.D., ACC, is a licensed psychologist and certified life coach. Connect with her on her website, where you can request a free coaching call and find out how to bring more passion, fun and wellness to your life.

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3 Simple Hacks To Help You Lose Weight, Get Fit And Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle - YourTango