ummertime is a season when
healthier eating and increased
movement comes almost automatically.
A warm day lends itself to hiking,
swimming, canoeing or gardening.
The abundance of fresh-picked produce
and the ease of barbecuing result in
delicious, nutritious summer meals.
Increased energy to focus on oneself
and healthy living often accompanies
the relaxed pace of summer living.
Summer is a time to maintain
healthy habits that are already
established, as well as to make
necessary changes to improve one’s
health through healthier eating and
active living. For those who are ready
to make changes in their lives,
summer lends itself to numerous
opportunities. The importance of
establishing realistic goals and taking
small steps must be stressed, even in
a season conducive to healthy living.
For maximum results, when making
a change, it is best to create SMART
goals. These are specific, measurable,
action-oriented, realistic and time-
framed. They result in increased
success because of the time spent in
developing them and considering
one’s individual needs and routines.
When establishing goals, it is helpful
to share these with a family member,
friend or health care professional
who will support you in your journey.
Change is challenging, and positive
support and encouragement will
“keep you going when the going gets
rough.” Another’s perspective is
helpful when setting timelines and
developing realistic goals. You might
want to participate in a road race oreven a marathon. Depending on your
current activity level, this could be a
long-range goal. A realistic goal for
summer might be walking or running
on a daily basis. The length of walk or
run would depend on your current
fitness level. A supportive person can
listen and even offer suggestions to
assist you in setting these goals. Once
this first challenge is met, another
slightly more ambitious goal can be
set. Making your initial goal too lofty
or ambitious can set you up for
frustration and defeat. This may then
result in limited progress with other
healthy living goals.
Once the goals are set, you have a
framework for the changes you want
to make. It is helpful to think about
any challenges and barriers that could
arise as you begin to change, such as
a family vacation, illness, rain and
unexpected work commitments.
Thinking about these in advance allows
you to come up with strategies to
manage the unexpected rather than
become frustrated. An indoor walking
or exercise routine can replace an
outdoor run when the weather is bad.
Purchasing proper rain gear to allow
you to be outdoors in any type of
weather could be another solution.
When planning a vacation, keep in
mind your healthy living goals. Pack
snack bags of cut-up vegetables, fruit,
nuts, air-popped popcorn and unsalted
pretzels for that hike or long drive. Take
along lots of water to stay hydrated.
Being prepared allows you the choice
of snack. Sometimes, you may opt for
an ice-cream cone on a hot day. Other
times, you will go with your prepacked
snack to keep you energized. Both
options can be part of healthy living.
As already mentioned, it is wise to
begin with small steps as you move
into healthier living. It is great to
create SMART goals related to healthy
eating and activity. It is wise to begin
with one goal as a first step. Too many
goals related to eating and activity,
even if they are SMART goals, will
require considerable time and energy.44 JULY 17, 2019
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Achieving a healthy lifestyle by Anne MacDonald
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