7 Tips to a Healthier You

Regular exercise is a critical part of staying healthy. People who are active live longer and feel better. Exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight. It can delay or prevent diabetes, some cancers and heart problems.

Most adults need at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days per week. Examples include walking briskly, mowing the lawn, dancing, swimming for recreation or bicycling. Stretching and weight training can strengthen your body and improve your fitness level. Also

The key is to find the right exercise for you. If it is fun, you are more likely to stay motivated. You may want to walk with a friend, join a class or plan a group bike ride. If you've been inactive for awhile, use a sensible approach and start out slowly.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

7 Tips to healthy eating and physical activity for you.

1. Start your day with a good breakfast. Breakfast fills your "empty tank" to get you going after a long night without food. And it can help you do better in school. Easy to prepare breakfasts include cold cereal with fruit and low-fat milk, whole-wheat toast with fruit jelly, yogurt with fruit, idli sambhar, or even last night's vegetable with two rotis! 2. Get Moving! It's easy to fit physical activities into your daily routine. Walk, bike or jog to see friends. Take a 10-minute activity break every hour while you read in the evenings, do homework. Avoid watching TV for long periods. Climb stairs instead of taking an escalator or elevator. Try to do these things for a total of 30 minutes every day. 3. Snack smart. Snacks are a great way to refuel. Choose snacks from different food groups - a glass of low-fat milk and a few graham crackers, an apple or low-fat yogurt and raisins, or some dry cereal. If you eat smart at other meals, cookies, chips and candy are OK for occasional snacking. 4. Work up a sweat and get fit with friends or family. Being active is much more fun with friends or family. Encourage others to join you and plan one special physical activity event, like a walk in the park or neighborhood, with a group each week. Vigorous work-outs- help your heart pump better, give you more energy and help you look and feel best. Start with a warm-up that stretches your muscles. Include 20 minutes of aerobic activity, such as running, jogging, or dancing. Then cool-down with more stretching and deep breathing. 5. Balance your food choices - don't eat too much of any one thing. You don't have to give up foods like pizzas, French fries and ice cream to eat healthy. You just have to be smart about how often and how much of them you eat. Your body needs nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat and many different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and A, iron and calcium from a variety of foods. Balancing food choices from the Food Guide Pyramid and checking out the Nutrition Facts Panel on food labels will help you get all these nutrients. 6. Get fit with friends or family. Being active is much more fun with friends or family. Encourage others to join you and plan one special physical activity event, like a walk in the park or neighborhood, with a group each week. 7. Eat more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. These foods give you carbohydrates for energy, plus vitamins, minerals and fiber. Besides, they taste good! Try breads such as whole-wheat, bajra and methi rotis. Bananas, strawberries and melons are some great tasting fruits. Try vegetables raw, on a sandwich or salad.