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December 05, 2005
The 5+2+1 Concept
The 5+2+1 Concept is a simple, consistent, common-sense strategy for long-term weight management. It states:
At least 5 fruits and vegetables each day.
No more than 2 hours of sedentary, non-acedemic activity each day.
At least 1 hour or moderately vigorous to vigorous activity each day.
1. You'll eat what you have available. If you don't buy fruits and vegetables at the grocery store, you won't eat them. If you don't order them at restaurants, you won't eat them. This is the first step. Change your environment. Write down all the fruits and vegetables you like and then BUY them! Order them if eating out! Do you like them cooked, uncooked? Search for new recipes online or find a good low fat cookbook.
2. Our lives have become so "easy" in this technological age. We have remote controls for just about anything. What if you had to change the channel by getting up and walking over to the TV? Or turn off the light using the light switch? Sitting and watching TV is one of the most inactive things you can possible do! Limit yourself to 1 hour a day of television viewing. You can't possible want to watch all those shows?? Pick a few that you really like and then find something else to do. You'll be surprised with how much free time you'll have to finish projects, play with your kids or pets, cook healthy meals or go grocery shopping.
3. Yes, the dreaded E word. On top of our active lifestyle of not being so sedentary, we need to MAKE time for exercise. Which means a bout of exercise of 1 hour in length. Speed walk, jog, run, bike, swim, aerobics, anthing that gets your heart pumping, blood flowing and large muscle groups (arms or legs) moving. And you need to do it today and tomorow, next week, next year and so on. This isn't something you'll do every now and then. Find something you like to do and even switch up your routine every couple of months to prevent boredom.
Take it one step at a time. Maybe, try one of these ideas this week and once you have made it part of your routine, move on to the next. Don't make too many changes at once or you'll be overwhelmed and more likely not to stick with it. That is the goal - be consistent. Consistency gives you results.
Posted by Lisa at December 5, 2005 12:30 PM
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