Guidelines to a Healthy Lifestyle

Guidelines to live by to be healthy:

1. 80-20 Rule is the golden rule for staying in shape. The 80 stands for what you eat and the 20 percent stands for your physical activity. So in other words being fit has to do with 80 percent what you eat and 20 percent the amount you work out. This rule is saying that no matter how much you exercise, you still need to eat the correct foods in order to stay fit. This is an important rule for physical education teachers to stress with their students. Yes we are all about the 20 percent, we want everyone to be as physically active as possible, but we also need to stress the importance of eating the correct foods.

2. 8 or more cups of water a day! It is important to keep yourself hydrated!

3. 8 hours of sleep a night! (At least). The better rested your body is the better it will function for you. Seems easy right? A lot of times for students who are in classes all day and play a sport that involves them practicing after school, and then going home to get their homework done, and do it all over again the next day rarely are able to squeeze in those 8 hours!
-Remember to make a date with your pillow each night for at least 8 hours so that your body can function to the best of its abilities.

4. Try to break a sweat for at least 30 minutes a day! Whether you decide to walk instead of drive, go for a run, hit the weights, or any other type of exercise the will elevate your heart rate, try your best to get in at least 30 minutes a day!

5. You are what you eat.” There is truth to this good old saying. For example, if you decide to choose fatty unhealthy foods then you are almost guaranteed to live that same fatty unhealthy lifestyle. On the other hand if you choose heather foods like vegetables and fruits with lean meats then you are more likely to be healthier and live the healthier life style.

6. Make the switch! Walk instead of drive, take the stairs instead of the elevator, if you work behind a desk all day then trade that chair for an exercise ball. If your school has money left in their budgets see if you can get exercise balls for students to sit on all day instead of those desk chairs. Skip the caffeine and go for water always! Did you know that an apple has as much caffeine as one cup of coffee? Trade in your morning pot of coffee each day, for an apple.