Know how much you’re eating. Americans eat larger food portions than nearly any culture in the world. One key to losing weight and keeping it off is to eat sensible portions. Are you aware of how much you’re eating? • A typical 4-ounce bagel is equal to 4 Pyramid servings. Most adults should eat a total of 6 to 11 servings a day of bread and other grain foods (see the bottom of the Pyramid). So one bagel comprises nearly half your daily intake of grains, according to the modified Pyramid guidelines, which call for less bread and grains in our diet. Think about how you can change your habits. For example, instead of a whole bagel, try eating half a bagel and some fresh fruit. • A medium order of French fries is equal to 4 Pyramid servings. Again, that’s nearly half your grains for the day. Skip the French fries, or order the smallest size. 27 Lose weight if you know you need to. Obesity is reaching such epidemic proportions that the U.S. Surgeon General considers it the nation’s number one health concern. Nearly two-thirds of American adults and 13 percent of children are overweight or obese. Adults and children who are overweight are at an increased risk for some types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and other diseases. If you need to lose weight, talk with your doctor about the right weight management program for you. Then commit to losing the weight you need to lose— through a diet program that includes portion control, exercise, and the support and incentives you need to stick with it. 28 Become a defensive eater. Walter C. Willett, M.D., professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School, offers this advice in his book Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: “Practice defensive eating strategies.” Here’s how, according to Dr. Willett: • Practice stopping before you are stuffed. • Be selective. Don’t eat things just because they are put in front of you. • Spoil your appetite. Have a low-calorie healthy snack such as carrot or celery sticks before eating a meal. • Try keeping it simple. Avoid all-you-can-eat buffets and stick with simple, well-balanced meals. 29 Make healthy choices when dining out. Dining out at a restaurant doesn’t have to mean unhealthy eating. • Share a meal with someone else or bring half your meal home to eat the next day. Typical restaurant servings are often twice the size of a single serving. • Send the breadbasket back. • Avoid fried foods. • At fast food restaurants, order a grilled chicken sandwich and put the fixings on yourself. Choose low-fat condiments. • Drink water instead of soda. Tip: Value meals aren’t such a great deal when you consider the calories and fat you’re consuming. 30 Boost your energy. Exercise and a proper diet are the best energy boosters. • Never skip breakfast. A good balanced breakfast boosts your energy all morning long. • Get exercise. Being active is the best way to boost and maintain energy. • Limit how much alcohol you drink. It depletes your energy. • Avoid overeating. Big meals leave you feeling sluggish. • Have light snacks throughout the day. Frequent small meals and snacks help you maintain a constant energy supply. Choose healthy foods that give you energy, such as fruits, nuts, and yogurt. Avoid candy bars, potato chips, and other foods that are low in nutrients and high in calories. 31 Listen to music and relax. It’s no accident that music is a feature of all human cultures. Music can entertain us, distract us from our worries, stimulate our brains, and help us relax. Figure out the music that relaxes you and use it to reduce anxiety. • Listen to music on the way home after a long day. • Assemble your own “feel good” music collection and play it when you need a lift or distraction. • Expand your music horizons by borrowing music CDs and tapes from your local library or by searching and sampling the legitimate online music services. • Make your own music. Sing or play an instrument. • Be considerate. Music that makes you relax may be annoying to others. 32 Take a nap. More than 50 percent of Americans are sleep deprived. Lack of sufficient sleep is also a widespread problem among teenagers. A study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health suggests that a quick, refreshing “power nap” can do wonders for your mental and physical health. The study found that napping for 20-30 minutes can reduce stress and leave you feeling refreshed. Napping for longer than that, however, can spoil your regular sleep cycle and habits. So don’t overdo it! Nearly one in five adults report making occasional or frequent work errors due to sleepiness. –The National Sleep Foundation 33 Be good to your feet. More than 43.1 million Americans—one in every six people—have trouble with their feet, mostly from shoes that don’t fit properly, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Here are some tips from the AAOS to help prevent foot problems: • Have your feet measured every time you buy new shoes. Your foot size increases as you get older. • Women should not wear a shoe with a heel higher than 2 1/4 inches. • There should be a 1/2-inch space from the end of your longest toe to the end of the shoe. If the shoes feel too tight, don’t buy them. Because a child’s feet are constantly growing, it is important to allow at least one finger’s width from the end of the longest toe when buying shoes. –American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine 34 Get help if you have a hearing problem. Hearing loss is fairly common, especially after age 50. One in three people over the age of 65 have hearing loss. Signs of hearing loss include having trouble hearing clearly, having trouble hearing on the phone, and needing to turn up the volume of the radio or TV to hear. To take a quick, written hearing health test, go to www.audiology.org/consumer/guides/hhqt.php on the Web site of the American Academy of Audiology. Talk with your doctor if you have difficulty hearing. Most hearing difficulties can be helped with a full evaluation by an ear specialist and prescribed treatments and aids. 35 Get support if you are a caregiver. Caring for an older or dependent relative or loved one is emotionally and physically exhausting. That’s why it’s important to seek support for yourself. • Remember that you don’t have to do it alone. Ask for help from family and friends. • Get help from a support group. Support groups are a place to share stories, feelings, and information with others who are going through what you’re going through. Talk with your doctor, your EAP, or your employee resource program to find a support group in your community. • Talk about how you are feeling with the people you love. Give yourself permission to feel what you’re feeling. Let others offer comfort and be there for you. 36 [...].. .37 Look at something beautiful The simple act of pausing in your hectic day and looking at something beautiful can improve your outlook and make you feel good • Put a picture of someone you love in your work area • Take • Put a moment to watch the sunset a vase of flowers in your work area • Hang a favorite print or painting where you’ll enjoy it each day 38 Take care of yourself... does the general population, according to a new study by Circadian Technologies, Inc It’s especially important to take care of yourself if you work nights • Pack healthy snacks and meals and avoid fast food and unhealthy vending machine snacks • Get regular exercise It helps you sleep better • Relax for an hour or so before getting into bed Take a warm bath or shower to relax • Turn off the telephone while... regular exercise It helps you sleep better • Relax for an hour or so before getting into bed Take a warm bath or shower to relax • Turn off the telephone while you are sleeping and darken the room According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 24 million Americans work outside the hours of 7 a.m and 7 p.m . occasional or frequent work errors due to sleepiness. –The National Sleep Foundation 33 Be good to your feet. More than 43. 1 million Americans—one in every six people—have trouble with their. community. • Talk about how you are feeling with the people you love. Give yourself permission to feel what you’re feeling. Let others offer comfort and be there for you. 36 Look at something beautiful. The. from the end of your longest toe to the end of the shoe. If the shoes feel too tight, don’t buy them. Because a child’s feet are constantly growing, it is important to allow at least one finger’s