5 Super Easy Wellness Habits You're Not Doing, But Should Be

By: Kristie Delgado, MS, GMC’s Fitness Specialist

Health goals—whether it’s losing 10 pounds, eating healthier or sleeping a full 8 hours each night—are great in theory. But the truth is it takes a lot of hard work, and even more patience to achieve these goals.

So much so that many of us feel overwhelmed or defeated before we’ve even started. That’s because when we look at our end health goal, all we see is every little obstacle and challenge, everything we have to give up and how long it’s going to take to be successful. But what if we just decided to forget about our big health goals—at least for now?

Instead, let’s focus on micro-goals, or things we can all realistically and easily do today—right this very moment. Now you may be tempted to overlook these small steps—will they even make a difference? The answer is yes. In fact, habit-change research has shown that setting micro-goals—regardless of the goal is—and achieving them is what actually matters most. This success and consistency helps to improve confidence, provides momentum and increases your motivation to set a new goal.

So if you’re wondering what your first micro-goal should be, here are 5 that are easy enough to get done, but will still make a (surprisingly) big impact on your health and wellbeing.

1.    Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up, every day.

We wake up dehydrated every morning. Starting your day with a glass of water (before you slug down that cup of joe) can increase energy, decrease cravings and improve mental focus.

2.    Complete a 2-minute dynamic warm-up routine once a day.

After lying in bed all night—or sitting in an office chair all day—our joints don’t stand a chance. With lack of motion, they get rigid, stiff and creaky. That’s where a quick warm-up comes in. Moving your joints and muscles through their full range of motion increases blood flow, lubricates joints, prevents discomfort and pain, and will make any exercise more effective.  

3.    Add one-half cup of veggies to your daily diet.

Even if you’re not a fan of veggies, you can likely handle one-half cup (for example, that’s 5 broccoli florets or 6 baby carrots). Remember, eating fiber-rich vegetables can help with a feeling of fullness after a meal, which aids in weight control and regulating blood sugar levels. Let’s not forget all of the vitamins and minerals that reduce your risk of chronic diseases, too.

4.    Take a 2-minute brain break.

It may not sound like much, but taking even just a few minutes to detach and decompress from what you’re doing can improve concentration, decrease anxiety and stress, and increase productivity. Use those 2 minutes wisely, though, by enjoying some music, guided meditation or getting some movement.

5.    Spend 5 minutes journaling before bed each night.

You’ve survived all day and now it’s time to actually lie down and get some much-needed rest. But even when our bodies are winding down, this doesn’t mean our minds got the memo. Often times, this can be a time when stress, worry and anxiety reach their peak. To counteract that, try journaling for just 5 minutes as this will give you chance to reflect on the day, work through your thoughts and write down anything you don’t want to forget.  

Take the first step.

Whether your health and wellness goal is to eat healthier, lose weight, work out more, or simply to feel better, they all start the same exact way: with one small step. To help increase your confidence and boost your motivation, these micro-goals are a perfect place to start. And if you ever have any questions, are in need of support or guidance or are just ready for the next step of your fitness and health journey, you can count on the experts at GMC’s Fitness & Performance Center.

New Year = More Exercise? Start With These Workouts

If you’re one of the thousands who have made a New Year’s resolution to exercise more—kudos to you. While there may be some doubt as to how effective these resolutions are, any excuse to exercise—improved health, stress relief or weight loss—is a good one.

But before you let your excitement get the best of you, let’s take a step back and make sure you’re kicking off your renewed commitment to exercise the best way possible. Especially if you’re like many who’ve left their exercise routine in November, just as the holiday season settled in.

The truth is, if you’ve taken a month or more off from your exercise routine, you’ll need to ease back into workouts. That means listening to your body and accepting that you may not be able to exercise with the same intensity or endurance as before. But not to worry, you’ll be back up to speed in no time (thanks, muscle memory).

So, if it’s too quick to jump back onto the treadmill for an hour, or attend your favorite HIIT class, where should you start? With resistance exercises.

Not only are there ample benefits that resistance exercises offer (don’t worry, we’ll get to those), they’re also a great way to activate muscle groups and enhance strength, while also minimizing injury and impact. And these exercises will do a great job of revving up your heart rate, too.

Here are just some of the benefits of resistance exercises:

·      Reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke

·      Strengthening bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis

·      Increasing energy and decreasing fatigue

·      Improving depression, anxiety and mental clarity

·      Improving blood pressure

·      Reducing body fat

Five simple resistance exercises (that you can do anywhere):

1. Chair Stand/Squat

·         Stand tall with good posture.

·         Push hips back and down, keeping upper body straight and knees over the heels. Do not let your knees shift forward over your toes. Weight should be centered between ball of foot and the heel.

·         Sit down completely without releasing the tension. Push through your heels, activating your glutes, to rise to the starting position.

·         To increase the challenge: Try adding weights.

2. Bent Knee Bridges

·         Lie on your back, with your knees bent at an angle that allows you to keep your feet flat on the ground. Feet should be hip-width apart.

·         Pushing through your heels, and activating your glutes, lift your hips towards the ceiling until your shoulders, hips and knees are in a straight line. Hold for a count of one-one thousand then slowly lower yourself to the starting position.

·         To increase the challenge: straighten one leg at the knee, holding it in the air so that the thighs maintain alignment with each other. Perform all repetitions on one leg before lowering raised leg, then repeat on.

3. Bent Over Rows

·         Stand tall with good posture and weighted object in hand.

·         Keeping your upper body/back straight, your knees slightly bent and your shoulders pulled back and down, hinge at the hips as far as you can without rounding your back. Lower the weights until they are directly below the shoulders, maintaining tension. Ears, shoulders and hips should stay in alignment.

·         Maintaining this position, pull your elbows straight up to the ceiling, keeping the forearms vertical. Slowly lower the weighted object to directly below the shoulder. Complete all repetitions before standing up.

·         To increase the challenge: Try increasing weights with each set.

4. Seals

·         Lie face down on the ground with your feet extended (toes pointed/relaxed) and your neck neutral, looking down at the ground.

·         Slowly peel yourself off the ground, lifting your head, then your chest and lastly your rib cage away from the ground. Hold for a count of one-one thousand then slowly lower yourself to the starting position.

·         To increase the challenge: Change up your arm position and extend the length of each rep. Place your fingertips on the back of your ears with your elbows flared out to the side. For even more of a challenge, place arms straight overhead in a Superman position.

5. Inclined Planks

·         Stand tall in front of an elevated surface. This could be a table, a bench, etc.

·         Hinge at the hips, maintain good posture and place your elbows on the surface so that they are bent to 90° and directly below the shoulder joint.

·         Keeping your abdominal muscles pulled in and down, step your feet back until your body is in a straight line from the ears through the shoulders, hips and knees to the ankles. Hold this position (aim to hold it for 15 seconds).

·         To increase the challenge: Try using a lower surface. Once you can complete three 60-second planks at that height, progress to a lower surface until you are able to complete all three planks on the floor.

We’re with you from the start.

Whether you’re just starting out or you’re ready to take your exercise regimen to the next level, GMC’s established Sports Medicine program can help. Our experts work to shift your focus away from difficulties to goals, from discomfort to confidence, from injury to strength. This is made possible with our extensive range of services, our knowledgeable specialists and numerous resources. We’re with you every step of the way.

4 Cold-Weather Exercising Problems—Solved

When the winter months arrive, bringing with them colder temperatures and fewer hours of daylight, it’s enough to make even the toughest exerciser head indoors. But for those of you that are tough enough to endure the chilly weather—you know who you are—you’ll likely encounter at least a few of the season’s unique difficulties. Between tight muscles, stiff joints, sniffles and toes that are numb, staying active in the cold is anything but easy.

So, despite your dedication to staying active, if you think exercising in the cold bites, listen up. Kristie Willhoit, MS, Fitness Specialist with GMC’s Sports Medicine Program, provides easy ways to overcome some of the most common cold-weather annoyances.

   1. You’re either too hot or too cold. When it’s chilly outside, layers are your best friend—you can take things off or add on as needed. However, even when you dress in layers, it’s still hard to find that perfect temperature.

Solution: It may sound obvious, but before heading out for your activity, make sure to check the weather. This doesn’t just mean looking at the temperature. Check to see what the humidity is and whether or not it’s overcast, as both of these things will make it feel colder. To avoid a cold start to your workout, warm up indoors to get your blood flowing.  And don't forget to throw on a sleeveless vest while you’re at it.

   2. The cold air hurts your throat. If your throat is moist and warm, rapidly breathing in cold air comes as quite a shock to your body. Surprisingly, though, it isn’t actually the coldness of the air that’s the problem—it’s the dryness. When you’re mouth-breathing instead of nose-breathing your body doesn’t have a chance to filter, warm or humidify the air. This can irritate your throat and cause coughing for hours after.

Solution: If you’re not battling the sniffles and can handle breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, that’s the best way to minimize throat irritation. But if you’re a tried and true mouth-breather, try wearing a scarf or bandana around your nose and mouth to keep in some of the moisture and warmth.

   3. Your runny nose just won’t quit. The same magic your nose uses to warm and moisturize the cold winter air for your lungs is the same thing that causes it to run. So, when the air is especially cold and dry, your nose is working overtime to create moisture.

Solution: While it isn’t exactly glamorous, one of the best things to do to battle a runny nose is to bring tissues with you. But if that feels like a nuisance, you can try putting some petroleum jelly around your nose; this will give your nose the illusion of more moisture and will prevent chapping.

   4. Your muscles and joints feel tighter than normal. No—it isn’t just your imagination. The cold temperatures cause muscles to tighten up and lose elasticity, both of which can make injury more likely. On top of that, it isn’t just your muscles that feel the chill; your nerves are affected, too, making it difficult to sense pain or discomfort at the first sign.

Solution: You’ve already heard it, but it’s worth saying again: take the time to warm up. Not only will you have a better, more enjoyable workout, but it will prevent injury. By doing a gradual warm-up for at least 10 minutes, starting indoors and continuing outdoors, you’re helping to up blood flow to your muscles, tendons and joints, which will minimize your risk for injury.

The key is to perform movements that utilize all your major muscle groups and take your joints through their full ranges of motion—think body weight squats, straight-leg kicks, torso twists, arm circles and side lunges.

Conquer the cold.

GMC’s established Sports Medicine program is focused on transforming the way you exercise. Our experts work to shift your focus away from difficulties to goals, from discomfort to confidence, from injury to strength. This is made possible with our extensive range of services, our knowledgeable specialists and numerous resources. You don’t compromise on exercise, so don’t compromise on care.