Americans Get a C-Minus for Health… What About You?

According to a recent study on healthy lifestyle choices, researchers give the average American a C-minus when it comes to taking care of yourself.

Researchers looked at changes in health-related habits over the last 18 years, and found that we aren’t doing so great. The five habits they looked at were exercise, fruit and vegetable intake, weight maintenance, smoking, and alcohol consumption.

They found that people are exercising less, eating fewer fruits and vegetables, and gaining weight. In twenty years, the number people who habitually exercise (three times a week or more) fell from 53 percent to 43 percent. The number of people who regularly eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day fell from 42 percent to 26 percent. And the number of people who are obese rose from 28 percent to 36 percent.

Smoking percentages didn’t change much.

The only good news is that healthy drinking habits are on the rise.

Unfortunately what this means for most people is a greater risk of disease and becoming dependent on prescription drugs to function. That’s not good.

Fortunately, just because the nation as a whole gets a C-minus doesn’t mean you can’t get an A-plus. Healthy habits that will extend your life and improve how you feel are actually pretty easy to develop

First, schedule time to exercise or to get out and do something physically demanding. Write time into your schedule at least three times a week and then make in non-negotiable. Stick to it for four weeks and then it’ll become habit.

The same goes with eating more fruits and vegetables. Eat a piece of fruit with breakfast, a serving of veggies with lunch, and another serving of veggies with dinner. Add in a V-8 at snack time and a piece of fruit before bed and you’re there.

Losing weight is tough, but if you adopt these first two habits, you’ll find it becomes easier. In my own goal to lose weight, I found success by not giving up when I didn’t see results in the first four weeks. After four weeks of exercising and eating better, my body seemed to believe I meant it, and now the pounds are coming off pretty steadily.

Living healthy doesn’t have to be painful… in the long run it’s a lot more fun that accepting a C-minus on your health. Now, that’s painful!

Stay well,
Danny Wallace