1. Set Goals
“Establish a healthy goal like ‘I’d like to exercise more and eat a more healthful diet’ and then break the goal down into small realistic goals, like going to the YMCA three to five times per week. Drinking more water daily, working up to eight, eight-ounce glasses per day. Eating five servings of veggies and fruit each day. Including fiber in your meals. Getting quality sleep every night. Reducing the amount of processed food consumed. Resting when your body tells you to. Overall, make small changes that are sustainable over time. Enjoy life in a healthful, active way, moving more and eating well.”
Michelle Lobingier, senior wellness director for the Harrisburg Area YMCA, Harrisburg, Camp Hill, Elizabethville, and Dillsburg, PA, ymcaharrisburg.org
2. De-stress
“Stress is a huge culprit as to how our bodies get out of balance. Cortisol, the hormone that is meant to buffer our stress, can also create additional problems. Be sure to take stress off your digestive system by eating every four hours, drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water, and focusing on protein in your diet. This will assist in keeping your blood sugar balanced so you aren’t tempted to taste every cookie that passes your way. Hormones have so much to do with every element of our lives, from sleep to energy to weight gain. At BeBalanced, we work with our clients to adapt long-term solutions through natural hormone balancing.”
Paget Rhee, BeBalanced HormoneWeight Loss Centers, York and Harrisburg, PA, bebalancedcenters.com
3. Chew on This
“Chewing your food well can improve your health. In this fast-paced world of multi-tasking, we grab breakfast on the run, take a lunch in front of a computer screen, and may not have time to sit and enjoy dinner. (Do we really dine at all?) Chewing your food well can improve the muscles and bones in your mouth, initiate the production of saliva which helps with digestion, and most importantly decrease ‘just not feeling right’ after eating. There are no teeth in our bellies to mechanically break down what we eat; large chunks of food in the belly invite bacteria to produce gas. This gas can result in bloating and other digestive problems. So take the time to chew your food.”
Therese Regan, MS, CDE, RD, LDN, Diabetes and Nutrition Center, Lancaster General Health, Lancaster, PA, lancastergeneralhealth.org/LGH/Our-Services/Diabetes/Diabetes---Nutrition-Center/Nutritional-Counseling.aspx
4. Be Consistent
“I have realized one main similarity in people just starting out: ‘I want to be healthy NOW.’ Whether someone chooses running, weight lifting, nutrition, etc. as their means of getting heathy, they want to see the results right away. So my piece of advice for getting healthy in 2018 is to pick one avenue and be CONSISTENT. There is no quick fix to the long-term goal of health and wellness. It is life-long, and a consistent effort must be put forth.”
Nate Conrad, sports performance director, Elite Therapy and Fitness, Mechanicsburg, PA, elitetherapyfitness.com
5. Be Active
“Live an active lifestyle. Walk, hike, ride a bike, take the stairs, park in that spot that's farthest from the entrance. Just commit to moving your body more than you did the day before to make progress.”
Lori Fry, group fitness instructor, Heritage Hills Athletic Club, York, PA, heritagehillsathleticclub.com
6. Be Accountable
“Accountability is my secret weapon for finding health and wellness. I think that success comes from having a reason to show up for your health and wellness goals. Accountability can come from registering for a class, having a workout buddy, putting it on your calendar, or hiring a pro. The best pros still follow this. Nothing is more helpful than knowing your Pilates trainer is waiting for you, thinking about ways to make your lesson more challenging, to help you reach your goals.”
Allison Zang, owner/instructor, Absolute Pilates & Barre, Mechanicsburg, Lemoyne, Enola, Harrisburg, PA, absolutepilates.co
7. Be Mindful of “the Big Picture”
“At Bala Float Center, we encourage whole-spectrum health planning, which includes mental and physical well-being. As a health professional active in the industry for 20 years, I have seen weight loss as the primary motivator for health changes, only to watch clients self-sabotage due to high stress and mental demand. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s all about lowering your cortisol levels. This not only enables you to feel calm and collected but also allows the body to lose the unwanted weight. In my opinion, relaxation and diet are first on the list to stabilize hormones and mental outlook. After these two critical components are in harmony, the second step is to add an enjoyable, low-intensity exercise plan that will lead to a sustainable and lasting wellness program.”
Chris Smeltz, practicing licensed massage therapist, certified personal trainer, owner, Bala Float Center, Lancaster, PA, balafloatcenter.com
8. Find Balance by Floating
“There are countless mental and physical health benefits to floating; floating will naturally place your body into homeostasis. Homeostasis is a state in the body when all systems (endocrine, nervous) are balanced and at rest. Your body is constantly pulled out of this critical state by many types of stressors, including the mental or emotional stress of modern-day living, intense environmental stimuli, sleep deprivation, environmental toxins and poor diet. In the state of homeostasis, the body can heal itself on a cellular level. Flotation therapy is excellent for everyone, especially individuals with fibromyalgia, insomnia, migraines, muscle and joint pain, depression and anxiety, high blood pressure, and pregnancy discomfort.”
Chris Smeltz, practicing licensed massage therapist, certified personal trainer, owner, Bala Float Center, Lancaster, PA, balafloatcenter.com
9. Stretch, Release and Move Tight Muscles
“We find that the body takes the path of least resistance to get the job done, but it may not be the most efficient movement pattern. Over time these overworked muscles can get tight and cranky, so we suggest starting with myofascial release (foam rolling, massage, etc.) to generate blood flow to tight areas and over time decrease the stiffness within the joints.”
Megan Eckenrode, certified Pilates instructor, NASM CPT, FNS, CES, owner and founder, Athena Warrior Fitness, Carlisle, PA, athenawarriorfitness.com
10. Mix it Up
“Challenge your body and your mind by changing up your workouts and adding something new. Functional fitness should make for a functional body, and it takes a balance of stretching and mobility, weight and strength training, plus the cardio of high-intensity workouts.”
Megan Eckenrode, certified Pilates instructor, NASM CPT, FNS, CES, owner and founder, Athena Warrior Fitness, Carlisle, PA, athenawarriorfitness.com
11. Practice Kindness
“We spend a lot of time judging ourselves and judging others, and we miss out on a lot of living in the process. Being kind begins with being responsible for our own anger and not blaming it on others. If we respond to others from our own anger (especially for little things that bother us), we’re going to miss an opportunity to build a bridge. Everyone will feel the stress of that. If we can acknowledge our own anger and redirect it—to request the behavior that we want rather than criticizing the behavior we do not want, communication becomes possible. It might mean getting into that person’s shoes and understanding some part of what they have to say. Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication is a valuable tool.”
Julie Aha, MA, LMT, RCST®, RYT, owner, yoga instructor and massage therapist, bodyWise and Gettyoga, Gettysburg, PA, gettyoga.com
12. Be Real
“Stay consistent. Commit to three days a week and stick to it. Often people jump in head first and try to do five days a week and fail. Instead, commit to three days and stick to that for a few weeks before further committing to additional days. Also, don’t allow yourself to have excuses. Look, if you’re sick, you’re sick. But, too often, once the first few weeks of the resolution have worn off, people begin to search for excuses. Ditch your excuses, and you will see results.”
Tim Steel, owner, CrossFit Hershey, a division of Performance Fitness, Hershey, PA, crossfithershey.com
13. Breathe
“Learn basic Pranayama, or the art of breathing, for stress relief (from the tradition of yoga). I call it the side door to meditation. Many times people try to meditate and have a hard time calming their thoughts. Trying to meditate can be like a dog chasing its tail around. If you really stop and listen to your breath—that is, the length, the temperature, and the tone of your breath—then the by-product is that you have automatically stopped thinking and worrying without forcing anything to happen. You simply refocus. Some breathing techniques are calming; some are energizing. Pranayama can be delightful and it has very far-reaching health benefits—such as for high blood pressure, headaches, and anxiety—because it directly calms the autonomic nervous system.”
Julie Aha, MA, LMT, RCST®, RYT, owner, yoga instructor and massage therapist, bodyWise and Gettyoga, Gettysburg, PA, gettyoga.com
14. Get fit with H.I.I.T.
“In today’s fast-paced culture, take advantage of H.I.I.T. (high-intensity interval training) classes. These 30-minute classes are packed with cardio and strength work that will get you results fast. Momentum offers a variety of H.I.I.T. classes including GRIT (strength using weights, barbells, and cardio moves) and SPRINT (cycling). Get in. Get out. Feel great!”
Tracey Wakeen, owner, Momentum: Female Fitness & Health Club, Mechanicsburg, PA, momentumfit.com
15. Focus on your Hamstrings
“Stretch your hamstrings every night. Tired legs generally mean tight legs. If your hamstrings stay tight for too long, this often can lead to low back pain. Just a few minutes is all it takes.”
Dr. Brian Becker, D.C.,Becker Chiropractic Center, P.C., Lemoyne, PA, beckerchiropractic.com
16. Use the Buddy System
“Work out with a friend. Seeing your friends at the gym (either early in the morning or after work) will help with your motivation. Surround yourself with like-minded people. Be around people who want to see you become successful.”
Tim Steel, owner, CrossFit Hershey, a division of Performance Fitness, Hershey, PA, crossfithershey.com
17. Plan…to Be Well
“One of the reasons that individuals find themselves making unhealthy decisions around stressful times is because they are ‘reactive’ instead of ‘proactive.’ I always tell my patients ‘if we don’t plan to succeed, we default to failure.’ Meals have to be planned, exercise has to be planned, and sleep has to be prioritized. Allow a little planning to transform your health this year!”
Jessica Shoemaker, ND, Natural Paths to Wellness, Camp Hill, PA, naturalpathstowellness.com
18. Protect your Immunity
“When searching for a sweet treat, choose ‘nature’s candy’ (antioxidant- and nutrient- rich fruits and berries) instead of processed sugars. Sugar inhibits our immune system’s white blood cells from engulfing and destroying bacteria. This effect happens within 30 minutes of consuming sugar and can last for up to five hours! ‘Nature’s candy,’ however, is full of vitamins C and E, beta carotene and zinc, which all strengthen your immunity.”
Jessica Shoemaker, ND, Natural Paths to Wellness, Camp Hill, PA, naturalpathstowellness.com
