Here are more than 100 small steps you can take today to start you on the path to a healthier life:
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1. Walk to work.
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2. Use fat free milk over whole milk.
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3. Do sit-ups in front of the TV.
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4. Walk during lunch hour.
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5. Drink water before a meal.
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6. Eat leaner red meat & poultry.
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7. Eat half your dessert.
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8. Walk instead of driving whenever you can.
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9. Take family walk after dinner.
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10. Skate to work instead of driving.
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11. Avoid food portions larger than your fist.
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12. Mow lawn with push mower.
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13. Increase the fiber in your diet.
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14. Walk to your place of worship instead of driving.
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15. Walk kids to school.
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16. Get a dog and walk it.
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17. Join an exercise group.
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18. Drink diet soda.
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19. Replace Sunday drive with Sunday walk.
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20. Do yard work.
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21. Eat off smaller plates.
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22. Get off a stop early & walk.
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23. Don't eat late at night.
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24. Skip seconds.
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25. Work around the house.
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26. Skip buffets.
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27. Grill, steam or bake instead of frying.
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28. Bicycle to the store instead of driving.
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29. Take dog to the park.
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30. Ask your doctor about taking a multi-vitamin.
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31. Go for a half-hour walk instead of watching TV.
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32. Use vegetable oils over solid fats.
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33. More carrots, less cake.
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34. Fetch the newspaper yourself.
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35. Sit up straight at work.
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36. Wash the car by hand.
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37. Don't skip meals.
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38. Eat more celery sticks.
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39. Run when running errands.
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40. Pace the sidelines at kids' athletic games.
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41. Take wheels off luggage.
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42. Choose an activity that fits into your daily life.
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43. Try your burger with just lettuce, tomato, and onion.
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44. Ask a friend to exercise with you.
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45. Make time in your day for physical activity.
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46. Exercise with a video if the weather is bad.
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47. Bike to the barbershop or beauty salon instead of driving.
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48. Keep to a regular eating schedule.
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49. If you find it difficult to be active after work, try it before work.
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50. Take a walk or do desk exercises instead of a cigarette or coffee break.
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51. Perform gardening or home repair activities.
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52. Avoid laborsaving devices.
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53. Take small trips on foot to get your body moving.
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54. Play with your kids 30 minutes a day.
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55. Dance to music.
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56. Keep a pair of comfortable walking or running shoes in your car and office.
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57. Make a Saturday morning walk a group habit.
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58. Walk briskly in the mall.
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59. Choose activities you enjoy & you'll be more likely to stick with them.
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60. Stretch before bed to give you more energy when you wake.
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61. Take the long way to the water cooler.
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62. Explore new physical activities.
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63. Vary your activities, for interest and to broaden the range of benefits.
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64. Reward and acknowledge your efforts.
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65. Choose fruit for dessert.
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66. Consume alcoholic beverages in moderation, if at all.
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67. Take stairs instead of the escalator.
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68. Conduct an inventory of your meal/snack and physical activity patterns.
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69. Share an entree with a friend.
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70. Grill fruits or vegetables.
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71. Eat before grocery shopping.
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72. Choose a checkout line without a candy display.
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73. Make a grocery list before you shop.
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74. Buy 100% fruit juices over soda and sugary drinks.
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75. Stay active in winter. Play with your kids.
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76. Flavor foods with herbs, spices, and other low fat seasonings.
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77. Remove skin from poultry before cooking to lower fat content.
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78. Eat before you get too hungry.
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79. Don't skip breakfast.
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80. Stop eating when you are full.
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81. Snack on fruits and vegetables.
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82. Top your favorite cereal with apples or bananas.
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83. Try brown rice or whole-wheat pasta.
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84. Include several servings of whole grain food daily.
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85. When eating out, choose a small or medium portion.
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86. If main dishes are too big, choose an appetizer or a side dish instead.
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87. Ask for salad dressing "on the side".
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88. Don't take seconds.
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89. Park farther from destination and walk.
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90. Try a green salad instead of fries.
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91. Bake or broil fish.
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92. Walk instead of sitting around.
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93. Eat sweet foods in small amounts.
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94. Take your dog on longer walks.
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95. Drink lots of water.
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96. Cut back on added fats or oils in cooking or spreads.
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97. Walk the beach instead of sunbathing.
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98. Walk to a co-worker's desk instead of emailing or calling them.
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99. Carry your groceries instead of pushing a cart.
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100. Use a snow shovel instead of a snow blower.
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101. Cut high-calorie foods like cheese and chocolate into smaller pieces and only eat a few pieces.
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102. Use nonfat or low-fat sour cream, mayo, sauces, dressings, and other condiments.
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103. Replace sugar sweetened beverages with water and add a twist of lemon or lime.
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104. Replace high-saturated fat/high calorie seasonings with herbs grown in a small herb garden in your kitchen window.
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105. Refrigerate prepared soups before you eat them. As the soup cools, the fat will rise to the top. Skim it off the surface for reduced fat content.
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106. When eating out, ask your server to put half your entrée in a to-go bag.
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107. Substitute vegetables for other ingredients in your sandwich.
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108. Every time you eat a meal, sit down, chew slowly, and pay attention to flavors and textures.
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109. Try a new fruit or vegetable (ever had jicama, plantain, bok choy, starfruit or papaya?)
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110. Make up a batch of brownies with applesauce instead of oil or shortening.
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111. Instead of eating out, bring a healthy, low calorie lunch to work.
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112. Ask your sweetie to bring you fruit or flowers instead of chocolate.
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113. Speak up for the salad bar when your coworkers are picking a restaurant for lunch, and remember calories count, so pay attention to how much and what you eat.
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114. When walking, go up the hills instead of around them.
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115. Walk briskly through the mall and shop 'til you drop ... pounds.
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116. Clean your closet and donate clothes that are too big.
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117. Take your body measurements to gauge progress.
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118. Buy a set of hand weights and play a round of Simon Says with your kids - you do it with the weights, they do without.
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119. Swim with your kids.