You At Your Best

By Karen riCe you at your Best Even with the best intentions, resolutions have historically proven hard to keep. Instead of setting yourself up for failure, simplify your health-based goals. That can lead to a higher success rate and a healthier, happier you. Here are some simple goals to try: • Walk more. It is easy to get preoccupied with the "10,000 steps per day" mantra that many people follow and that certain fitness trackers promote. Walking 10,000 steps daily, which equates to roughly five miles per day, is a healthy goal, but it may not be realistic for everyone. Take stock of how many steps you currently take each day, and then resolve to walk 2,000 more. As your body acclimates to walking more, add another 2,000 steps, continuing to do so until you reach 10,000 steps or a goal that's right for you. • Learn something new about being healthy. Informed health decisions require gaining a greater understanding of your body. Rely on a reputable source such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to learn more about how to be healthy. • Spend less time on social media. Staring at your phone or tablet for multiple hours browsing tweets or checking messages might not be the best thing for your physical and mental health. Browsing the internet may take up time that could be better spent engaging in physical activity. According to Dr. Elia Abi-Jaoude, a staff psychiatrist at the Hospital for Sick Children and Toronto Western Hospital, various studies have shown how excessive social media usage can adversely affect relationships, sense of self, sleep, academic performance, and emotional well-being. • Eat more whole foods. Whole foods, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and fish, contain various nutrients the body needs to function at peak capacity. These foods may help reduce the risk of many diseases and help people maintain healthy body weights. Start slowly by introducing a new whole food to your diet each day. A gradual approach is more manageable than going on a drastic diet. • Just add water. You are what you eat, but also what you drink. A recent study found that consumption of sugar- sweetened beverages, particularly carbonated soft drinks, may be a key contributor in the epidemic of overweight and obesity. Skip sweetened beverages (even fruit juices can be unhealthy if consumed in excess) and opt for more water or unsweetened teas. • Find a physical activity you like. Rather than resolving to join the gym or signing up for a 5K because it's what everyone is doing, find a physical activity you truly enjoy and aim to do it a few times a week. Maybe it's a sport like tennis or recreational cycling with the family. But if the idea of a gym membership excites you, then by all means sign up. Avoid restrictive health and wellness resolutions that can be unsustainable. By downsizing expectations and taking small steps towards to your goals, you may be more motivated to stay the course en route to a healthier you. Downsize your resolutions Weight loss: Should you go keto ? By Karen riCe you at your Best Fad diets come and go. And when it comes to diet trends, 2020 was definitely the year of keto. But should you consider a keto diet for your weight loss goal? The experts think not. The keto diet takes the low-carb diet to a whole new level. Basically, a keto (or ketogenic) diet involves eating very few carbs and plenty of fats. Butter is OK, but you'll be skipping the bread. While these diets are referred to as "keto diets," the Harvard Medical School notes that a true ketogenic diet is different from the keto diets that have become so popular. What is a ketogenic diet? Keto diets may vary, but many are built on a foundation of low carb intake and high protein consumption. However, a true ketogenic dietary plan focuses on fat rather than protein. A ketogenic diet is low-carb and relies on fat to supply as much as 90 percent of a person's daily calories. How does a ketogenic diet work? The ketogenic diet tries to force the body into using a different type of fuel known as ketone bodies, which are a type of fuel produced by the liver from fat stores. This differs from other diets, which rely on glucose from carbohydrates to fuel the body. Getting the liver to create ketone bodies and reach a state of ketosis, in which the body is breaking down protein and fat for energy, isn't necessarily easy, as it requires people to consume fewer than 20 to 50 grams of carbs a day. To put that in perspective, the Harvard Medical School notes that a medium-sized banana typically contains 27 grams of carbohydrates. In addition, WebMD notes that reaching ketosis typically takes three to four days, and eating too much protein can interfere with the body's ability to get there. Is a ketogenic diet safe? The Harvard Medical School notes that a ketogenic diet was originally recommended to reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures in children. People considering a ketogenic diet to lose weight may end up disappointed and could even be putting their health in jeopardy. "While (the ketogenic diet) also has been tried for weight loss, only short-term results have been studied, and the results have been mixed," said registered dietitian Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated 6 | you at your Best | nWaDG.CoM/youatyourBest January - Goals for Great HealtH | sunDay, DeCeMBer 27, 2020

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