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Body Wise*
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information contained herein is not intended to diagnose or treat ANY
medical condition.
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Who Is on Your Good Health Team?
By Maureen Mays
AHA Launches New Online Tool to Help Track Your Progress
Need help staying on track with your nutrition and fitness goals? The American Heart Association (AHA) has launched MyStart! Online, a free online tool to provide you with the tools, resources, and inspiration to help make it happen.
Features of the MyStart! Online tool include:
• An Activity Diary that keeps track of your daily exercises — whether walking, running, swimming, or whatever you choose to do to stay fit.
• A personalized Walking Map that saves and displays your various walking, running, and bicycling routes.
• A Nutrition Diary where you can monitor your daily meals and snacks.
• Expert advice and information to get the answers you need.
• Reminder e mails to provide you updates on your progress and help keep you motivated and on track.
The MyStart! Online tool is part of the American Heart Association’s Start! movement, designed to get people walking as a way to reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke. For more information and to register for MyStart! Online, visit www.startpdx.org. |
Many people think of their own health as a personal matter, but in reality good health is a team effort. Like any other team, each member of the team has a variety of responsibilities. When the team members function well together, the result is usually success.
Putting together an optimal good health team depends, to some extent, on what your particular needs are.
Some of the vital team players are: u
• Captain. That’s you! You must always be your own best advocate for good health. If you don’t care, who will?
• Coaching Staff. This may be your doctor, dietitian, personal trainer, diabetes educator, or a combination of people. Athletes cannot perform at an elite level without coaches, and you need coaching, too. Getting the help you need for good health is important.
• Support Crew: The people around you have an enormous impact on your health. Are the family and friends in your life supportive of good health? Or do they promote habits and lifestyle choices that are deleterious to your health but that you find hard to avoid? Your team should want you to eat healthy food, get regular exercise, stop smoking, and drink in moderation if those are your goals. If your support crew sabotages you or your efforts, you need to consider whether you really want them on your team. A winning team has great supporters, boosters, and cheerleaders.
• Teammates: For some, exercise and good health are hard to do as a solo sport. If that’s you, then consider finding some teammates. An aerobics class, cycling club, neighborhood group, or organized walking at work are all ways you can build a team. If you have trouble finding a team, join the online team through the American Heart Association. This is also a great idea if you prefer to exercise alone, as it provides support when and if you need it.
Once you have your team assembled, make a plan for the season. Where will spring training occur? What if it’s snowing? You may have a seasonal sport that you need to build around so that you’re healthy all year. Now is the time to set goals with your coaching staff as well. Maybe you want to swim 500 yards without stopping or walk a 10k at the Rose Festival. You may also choose to lose 20 pounds by next year. Let your coaching staff help you realize your goal! Now that you have a team and a plan, there’s only one thing left to do: START!
Maureen Mays, MD, MS, is director of preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation at Oregon Health & Science University and assistant professor of cardiovascular medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine. |
