Healthy Living
BALANCING LIFE’S ISSUES, INC.
Components of Healthy Living
5 Buckets
1.
Lightening Your Life with Laughter
2. Eating Right for Life & Exercise 101
3. Living Off Your Paycheck
4. Work and Career
5. Volunteerism & Spirituality
5 Buckets
 Self – Stress Management
 Health – Eating and Exercise
 Financial – Living below your means
 Career
 Spirituality/Volunteerism
Bucket 1
Lightening Your Life with Laughter
Stress Management with Humor
WHAT IS STRESS?
LAUGHTER THERAPY
FACTS ABOUT LAUGHTER
SELF-ESTEEM
BENEFITS OF LAUGHTER
HOW TO LAUGH MORE
What is Stress?
 Individual/family
 “Fight or flight”
 Physical symptoms
 Mental symptoms
 Learning to handle stress is a skill
Laughter Therapy
 Releases tension/pain
 Speeds healing – both mental and physical
 Expresses emotion – gets us un-stuck
 Increases self-esteem/self confidence
 Gives us a new way to look at situations
 Laughing together brings us closer; encourages teamwork
 Helps us think “out of the box”
 Strengthens the immune system
 Is based on medical research – proven effective
Facts About Laughter
 It’s contagious – hard-wired into our nervous systems
 It doesn’t come from happiness – we feel happy because we
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laugh, not the other way around
Frequent laughter is a learned skill
It changes your body chemistry
It makes other people like you and want to help you
It is a cathartic part of the healing process
Promotes creativity, learning, resiliency
Combats the “fight or flight” response
Self -Esteem
 Get in touch with your feelings:
Art – express yourself!
 Journal – notice what you’re
thinking
 Self-assessment/self-talk
 The Little Engine that Could
 Raise the sky – feel the pride
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Benefits of Laughter
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Dissolves tension, reduce conflict, brings out warm feelings
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Laughter is a cardio-vascular exercise –increases heart rate and blood
pressure initially, then drops them – increases flexibility
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Diaphragm squeezes abdomen – internal organs get massaged
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Gulps in air and then sends it out at 70 mph – great exercise for your
respiratory system
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Increases beta endorphins (the feel-good hormones)
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Reduces the stress hormone cortisol, which lowers the immune
system, aggravates arthritis, slows healing
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It’s free, no Rx needed, have as much as you want
How to Laugh More
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Take control of your feelings
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Enjoy and learn from your problems
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Charlie Chaplin – take the pain and play with it
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Laugh about the unlaughable
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Surround yourself with useful, positive materials/people
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Plan and prioritize your life
Ways to Laugh More
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Laugh in front of a mirror for 15 seconds – until your belly
shakes
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Wear bright colors
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Do laughter exercises:
• Pretend to conduct music; Mental floss; Evil Genius
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Stand up straight – look alert (mind follows your body)
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Even if you have to fake it – ACT HAPPY!!!
Resources
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Books
I’d Rather Laugh…………Linda Richman
Laughing All They way….. Marlo Thomas
The Healing power of humor…. Dr. Allen Klein
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Tapes
Patch Adams
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
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Sitcoms
Original Candid Camera
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Surrounding yourself with people who love to laugh
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Teaching others
Bucket 2 Part 1
Eating Right for Life
UNDERSTAND WHAT FOOD YOUR BODY NEEDS
FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH
NAVIGATE FOODS AND FOOD MARKETING
BASED ON SOUND NUTRITION ADVICE
LEARN TO MANAGE WEIGHT, ENERGY
AND LONG-TERM HEALTH WITH
NUTRITION GUIDANCE
Benefits of Eating Right
 Quality of life
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Weight management
Disease Prevention
Boosts your immune
system
More Benefits of Eating Right
 Immediate benefits
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Increases energy
Improved and controlled mood
 Connection with self and
others
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Longevity
Self confidence
Healthy Lifestyle
 Exercise
 Sleep
 Managing stress – fight or flight
response
 Hydrate
What are some
components of a
healthy diet?
 Variety
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Smart food combinations
Many foods
 Balance
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How much
When
 Smart Choices
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Limit certain foods
Whole foods vs. processed foods
Smart Food Combinations
Carbohydrates
• Are loaded with fiber and give
us instant energy and fuel for
our brains
Proteins
• Helps us focus and repair our
body’s muscles and cells
Fats
• Important for all of our cells
and helps keep us satiated
Combine all 3 at every snack or meal for your best energy and satisfaction
Variety
 Carbohydrates
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Fruits and vegetables
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Each color has its own health benefits so eat them all
Get 9 servings of them a day!
Grains
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Get at least, if not all of them whole grains
Includes Brown rice, whole grain bread,
quinoa, oats
 Protein
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Take in small amounts of lean and low-fat
protein (6-8oz) daily
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Includes Lean meats, fish, dairy, eggs, beans, nuts,
seeds, soy
 Fat
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Limit saturated fat and take in Omega-3s, poly and mono unsaturated
fats such as avocadoes, olives, vegetable oils, fatty fish, nuts, seeds
Balance – When to eat
 Caloric pacing - 3 meals and 2-3 snacks per day
 Choose small meals and eat every 2-3 hours
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Snack ideas - Choose fruits and vegetables whenever possible
Have nuts, hard cheeses, bean dips and lean proteins alongside them
When having grains make them whole
 Benefits
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Increases metabolism
Controls appetite and often portions and
food choices
 Do not eat 3 hours before going to bed
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Less taxing on the heart
Balance – How much
 One cup is about the size of your fist or a tennis ball
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Servings size for cooked vegetable or grain is 1/2 cup
 1 oz. is about the size of your thumb
or a poker chip
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Serving size for cheese or peanut butter
 3 oz is about the size of a deck of
cards or the palm of your hand
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Serving size for meat
Check out: www.webmd.com
healthy eating section for a great portion size helper
FOODS TO
LIMIT
 Whole Foods vs. Food Products
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Whole foods are in their natural form
 Processed foods often add sugar, salt
and fat
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All things that increase our risk for diseases
like diabetes, heart disease, stroke
 Food labels
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Contain the truth about health of a food
product more than food claims
 Labeling can be misleading
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“Healthy”, “natural” or “cholesterol free”
 Ingredient list gives you the power
to know what you are eating
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Listed by weight
Totally avoid: Hydrogenated oils and high
fructose corn syrup
Meal Planning
 Carbohydrates, protein and healthy fat
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Vegetable stir fry with beans and rice
Fish, potato and vegetable
Meat stew with vegetables and grain (barley)
 Time-saving tips
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Cook extra food and save in fridge or freezer
Have tools on hand like a rice cooker, blender, steamer and
sauté pan
Keep cooked or fast-cooking grains on hand
Store frozen berries and greens like spinach in the freezer
Keep nuts, nut butters and beans in cabinets
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The Art of
Eating
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Sit down to a meal whenever possible
Ask for modifications to meals when
eating out
Add as much color to your plate as possible
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Keep snacks on hand so you never get
too hungry
Chew your food completely
Eat with others
Social interaction enhances our satisfaction
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Body absorbs nutrients and digests best
when it is relaxed
Get involved in the purchasing and
preparation of your food whenever
possible
Bucket 2 part 2
Exercise 101
BENEFITS AND COMPONENTS OF
REGULAR EXERCISE
HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR
TARGETED HEART RATE
DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR STAYING
COMMITTED TO FITNESS
CREATE A PERSONAL FITNESS PLAN
Benefits of Exercise
 Improves your mood
 Reduces risk of chronic diseases
 Promotes better sleep
 Helps you manage your weight
Basic components of physical fitness
 Cardio respiratory Endurance
 Muscular Strength
 Muscular Endurance
 Flexibility
Creating a personal fitness plan
 For healthy adults under the age of 65, the American Heart
Association and the American College of Sports Medicine
recommends:
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30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (such as brisk walking,
swimming) 5 days a week or at least 20 minutes of vigorous activity (such as
running, spinning) 3 days a week.
Strength training twice a week.
 If you want to lose weight or meet specific fitness goals you may
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need to go above the minimum recommendations.
Use the F.I.T.T. Principle: Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type
The more active you are the greater the rewards.
Always include a warm up and cool down.
Remember to stretch.
Optimize your fitness plan through:
 Specificity
 Overload
 Regularity
 Progression
Calculating your heart rate
 Calculating your heart rate:
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Subtract your age from 220.
Multiply your maximum heart rate by 0.6 to get your lower limit.
Multiply your maximum heart rate by 0.8 to get your upper limit.
Healthy Heart Zone = 50%- 60% of maximum heart rate
Fitness Zone = 60%-70% of maximum heart rate
Aerobic Zone = 70%-85% of maximum heart rate
 Aerobic vs. Anaerobic
What Exercise Choices Do You Have?
 Cardio Outdoor
 Cardio Indoor
 Interval Training
 Quick Cardio Bursts
 Strength Training/ Weight
bearing
Overcoming Barriers
 “I don’t have time to exercise.”
 “Exercise is boring.”
 “I’m too tired.”
 “It hurts”
 “I can’t afford a gym”
Incorporating activity into your daily life
 Do something physical while
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you talk on the phone or
watch tv.
Household chores burn lots
of caloriesTake fitness breaks from
your desk
At airports, use time
between flights for a brisk
walk around the airport.
Take stairs instead of the
elevator or escalator.
 Be active during your
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errands
Walk or go bike riding with
your family after dinner.
Take your dog for a long
walk.
Make the most of your
commute .
Plan active outings with your
friends and family.
Keys to Success
 Set your goals and determine what is going to motivate you to
follow through
 Review and recommit to your goals often
 Have a plan and be organized
 Make exercise a habit that you do without question
 Be sure to have a contingency plan so you are prepared for
obstacles before they happen
Bucket 3
Living Off Your Paycheck
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MONEY
GOAL SETTING
CREDIT AND DEBT
MEAT VS. GRAVY
TIPS FOR SAVING
BUDGETING
Objectives
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The Psychology of Money
 Goal Setting
 Credit and debt
 Meat vs. Gravy
 Tips for saving
 Budgeting
Psychology of Money
Ask yourself these tough questions.
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What does money mean to you?
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What did money mean to you?
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What do you need to do in order to change your behavior?
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What is your “latte factor?”
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How motivated are you to change your money belief system?
Change Your Behaviors
 “Learned
Optimism”
 21 Day Rule
 Motivation
 Necessity
 Reality Check
 Role-Model
 Become a Learner
Goal Setting
 Savings
 House
 Car
 College
 Retirement
Goals for Retirement
 What percent of you average annual gross salary do
you need to retire on?
 What do you want your retirement to look like?
 What lifestyle compromises are you willing to make?
 Do you really want to retire totally?
Credit Cards
 Credit Card Balances
 Pros and Cons of Credit Cards
 Cash
 New Rules of Owning a Credit Card
 How do Credit Card affect your FICO Scors
 Opening credit cards for your children
Meat vs. Gravy
Tips for Saving Money
 For you and your family
 Turning lights off
 Not going out to eat
 Not ordering food in
 Shopping at various grocery stores
 Buy clothes that do not require dry cleaning
 Change your gift giving habits… maybe gifts of trade instead
 ( include dog walking, baby sitting, cleaning out closets.)
 Take advantage of library , free movies, and all discounts
possible
Budgeting
 70% of Gross Salary
• “Meat”
 10% Cash
• Available at the end of the
day
• Savings account
• Credit union
• ING Direct
 10% Retirement
• IRA/401K
• Minimum… what else can
you do?
 10% Gravy
• Vacation
• Gifts
• Eating out
Motivation
“From pennies we get
broke and from pennies
we get rich.”
RESOURCES
 The Automatic Millionaire……David Bach
 The Wealthy Barber…………David Chilton
 Money magazine
 ingdirect.com
 www.bankrate.com
 Mint.com
 Learnvest.com
Bucket 4 Career
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR
JOB
ENJOYING EVERY DAY AND
YOUR JOB
FINDING YOUR PASSION
LEARN, LEARN , LEARN
Work and Life
ON THE JOB
IN MY PERSONAL LIFE
 What gives you job
 What makes me
satisfaction?
 How do I feel
 Physically?
 Emotionally?
happy?
 How do I feel
 Physically?
 Emotionally?
What is your dream list?
Goal Setting
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Specific – PERSONAL AND WORK
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time line
 Short: 0 -1 year
 Medium: 1-3 years
 Long: 3 years +
Will Power
 Will power is active only in 1/6th of your brain.
 5/6th of your brain power is at the subconscious level.
Thus you are unable to control it.
 However, scientific research has found that you are
able to control all 6 parts of your brain.
 So, learn to control the subconscious thinking by
putting your brain on autopilot.
 This will enable you to keep yourself motivated!
Avoid Procrastination
 A 50% average in making good decisions is a good record.
 Many people are not good problem solvers, but they are
good decision makers.
 Learn to analyze facts quickly, make a decision, and then
learn to live with the results!
Happiness at work and at home
 Intent
 Accountability
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Grass is greener…
Do what you like
and do it more
 Tragedies
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Moving on and
upward
Example: lottery
winners one year
later--many say they
are less happy
Happiness
 Never give up
 Don’t dwell on the past
 Embrace change
 Embrace fear
 What are you afraid of?
 What would help you
cope better?
 Options
 Creativity – think
outside the box
 Appreciation
 Mindful living
 Giving
 Ethics/honesty
 Character – who you
are when no one is
looking
Prioritizing Your Life & Work
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Write your eulogy / RETIREMENT SPEECH
Re-evaluate your choices
Examine other people’s priorities
Role-model your priorities
 Wear them openly
 Shout them from a rooftop
Assertiveness
 Ask for what you want
 9 times!
 Practice makes perfect
 Passive vs. aggressive
 Personal vs. business
Bucket 5
Spirituality and Volunteerism
GIVE, GIVE AND GIVE BACK
DO MORE THAN YOU CAN
ACTIVELY GIVE BACK TO
YOUR COMMUNITY
MENTOR/MENTEE
Quotes
 “Take your life in your own hands and what happens? A
terrible thing: no one to blame.”
Erica Jong
 “Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can
never do anything wise in the world.”
Helen Keller
 Nobody can bring you peace but yourself.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Quotes
 “Motivation is when your dreams put on work
clothes.”
Ben Franklin
 “One worthwhile task carried to a successful
conclusion is worth half-a-hundred half-finished
tasks.”
Malcolm S. Forbes