Bloom Into Spring

category: MyDocHub
by Priscilla,

Except for those in the upper Midwest where spring snow is still falling, in most areas the winter snow is melting, flowers are in bloom and spring is in the air. As nature begins to stir, Weight Watchers suggests planting seeds of healthy change by replacing old, bad habits with new, healthier ones.

Clean House. While even the most intense calorie-burning chores can’t replace structured exercise completely, every little bit of activity helps. Reap not only the fitness benefits but also the dividends: a cleaner house, a beautiful yard and a sense of satisfaction.

Count the benefits:

General cleaning: 127 calories
Cooking: 92 calories
Trimming shrubs: 157 calories
Laundry: 133 calories
Vacuuming: 123 calories
Rearranging furniture: 195 calories
Collecting recyclable: 187 calories
Scrubbing floors: 163 calories
Painting: 148 calories
Raking: 148 calories
Gardening: 140 calories
Mowing: 140 calories

(Estimates only, based on a 150 pound weight and 30 minutes of activity.)

Follow your kids outside. Increasing physical activity may help break through a weight-loss plateau. Aerobic exercise, like brisk walking and biking, burns calories and helps boost metabolism. Playing together not only helps achieve overall health goals, but also teaches children the importance of staying fit and active—and it’s fun!

Try eating small snacks throughout the day. Did you know that “grazing” on small healthy snacks throughout the day is a strategy used by many successful weight losers? Getting overly hungry by going too long between meals is something that may cause you to overeat.

Get to sleep early. Over the past 40 years, the amount of sleep the average American gets has decreased by almost two hours. In a recent study, researchers found that people who got more sleep gained less weight during middle age. For example, those who typically clocked five hours of sleep were one-third more likely than those who slept for seven hours to have a substantial weight gain.

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