Enhance your physical and mental heart health with a few simple changes
Prediction: 2020 will be your year, the one in which you get out of any rut you may be in and create new, healthier habits. Your two key tools: movement and food. Exercise improves cardiovascular health and is a known energy booster. Food is fuel, and the right kinds— foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals—give the body the energy it requires to repair, heal and stay strong. Nutrition and exercise experts at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Rahway and RWJ Rahway Fitness & Wellness Center offer the following tips to kick-start your journey.
1. Start small.
“The people who see the best results are those who take small steps,” says Alyssa Sutherland, Personal Training Manager at the RWJ Rahway Fitness & Wellness Center in Scotch Plains. Sutherland recommends using the acronym SMART: Goals should be Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Timely. “It’s not enough to say, ‘I want to lose weight’ or 'I want to be healthier,’’’ she says. “Think more along the lines of, ‘I want to lose 20 pounds by next January by doing X, Y and Z.’”
2. Find exercise you enjoy
Walking is the easiest exercise to incorporate, says Sutherland, but if you’re more inclined to swim, dance, golf or play tennis, get out there and do it.
3. Create a support system.
Having an exercise buddy makes it easier to keep going, as does using a personal trainer. Trainers are available for one-on-one and small group training at RWJ Rahway Fitness & Wellness Centers in Scotch Plains and Carteret, says Sutherland. The centers also offer small group training for people with diabetes, arthritis, cardiac issues and Parkinson’s, as well as for bariatrics patients.
4. Try "habit stacking".
A process by which you build a new habit by adding it to an existing habit or action, Sutherland suggests. Add exercise to your calendar, as you would any other appointment. Serve yourself vegetables first when you fill your plate. Clip your car keys to a packed gym bag so you’ll have it with you for after-work workouts.
5. Read the label.
“When purchasing packaged foods, look for those that are higher in fiber and lower in sugar and fat,” advises Christina Frescki, RD, Clinical Dietitian at RWJUH Rahway. High-fiber foods make you feel more satisfied so you eat less.
6. Choose the "good" sugar.
Sugar from an orange is beneficial; sugar from an orange candy or soda, not so much. “Sugar is the body’s first fuel,” Frescki explains. “Our bodies are made to burn fuel. Naturally occurring sugar, such as those found in fruits, is how our bodies expect to receive sugar. Eat them!” Processed sugar, on the other hand, tends to hang around in the body and turn to fat.
7. Go nuts.
Nuts are a great go-to source of protein and healthy fats, which are vital for cellular turnover, hormone synthesis and bowel health. Frescki says that other good sources are sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds, which can be added to yogurt and oatmeal to pump up their value.
8. Embrace your roots.
Root vegetables such as yams, beets, carrots, turnips, rutabagas and parsnips are easy to find this time of year. “They’re perfect for soups, stews and frittatas,” Frescki says. “These kinds of recipes are great places to hide a lot of vegetables or to try a vegetable for the first time.”
9. Eat the rainbow.
“Every color of fruit or vegetable has a different nutrient profile,” says Frescki. “The more you mix it up, the more your body says thank you!”
Heart-Healthy Recipes:
Black beans and quinoa with roasted peppers
Chai hot chocolate
RWJUH Rahway can help
RWJ Rahway Fitness & Wellness Centers offer a host of programs on fitness and wellness at two locations. Both facilities also provide physical therapy. To arrange a tour of the Carteret facility at 60 Cooke Avenue, www.rwjfitnesscarteret.com, call 732.541.2333. For the Scotch Plains Center, www.rwjrahwayfitness.com, at 2120 Lamberts Mill Road, call 908.232.6100.