HealthyLife Articles

Tag: mindset

Mental Health

Healthylife® Weigh

Part 5

Emotional Health

Exercise releases endorphins and increases levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. These brain chemicals help create feelings of happiness and euphoria. You may start to feel these benefits after just a few minutes of moderate exercise. This leads to a quick happiness buzz and an overall mood boost!

Stress Management

Norepinephrine is a chemical that can moderate the brain’s response to stress. Exercise helps to increase that chemical. Exercise can decrease worry and tension. It also enhances the mind’s ability to deal with daily stressors. Managing stress can reduce emotional eating and cravings for sweets and high-fat foods. The calming effect of exercise can last at least four hours after the exercise is over.

View physical activity as a break from your day. Use this time to focus on the present, instead of past or future problems and worries.

Connect to My Values:

Example: Having good emotional health will help me enjoy what I am doing in the moment. Enjoying life’s pleasures, such as the beauty of fall colors, is important to me.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Power Of Perception

Healthylife® Weigh

Part 2

Which words/phrases do you associate with vegetables?

* Green

* Filling

* Necessary evil

* Fiber

* Broccoli

* Minerals

* Boring

* Variety

* Hydrating

* Vitamins

* Colorful

* Fresh

* Salad

* Do I have to?

* Exciting

* Nourishing

* Canned

* Soggy

* Crisp

* French fries

Having a positive attitude toward a food may help you be more willing to try it and include it in your diet.

* Look back at the words listed above. How do you think your current attitude toward vegetables influences your food choices?

* After learning about vegetables, how do you feel your attitude toward vegetables has changed?

* What is one new way you want to eat a vegetable this week?

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Set Yourself Up For Success

Healthylife® Weigh

Part 5

Create a consistent routine for yourself. Reduce the number of excuses you can make. Tips for creating an exercise habit:

*Seize your moment.Be aware of when your motivation to exercise is high. You may prefer mornings over evenings. Or, the opposite. Plan to exercise when you are more likely to be physically and mentally on board with it.

*Get ready ahead of time.Pack a bag with clothes, shoes, deodorant, hair ties, a water bottle, a small towel, and other supplies you’ll need. When exercise comes up on your calendar, all you have to do is grab the bag.

*Get ready for round 2 ahead of time.Have several days’ worth of workout clothes clean and ready to go. Store workout clothes together so it is easy to re-fill your gym bag. Make it easier to repeat your habit.

*Commit to repeating your routine.Join a recreational sports team, sign up for a class, or pay for a personal training package. Even if you are not feeling up to it one day, having it on the schedule may get you there.

*Be accountable to someone.Commit to meeting a friend for exercise at a certain time. Get a workout buddy and swap shoes. If you don’t show up, they won’t be able to work out either! Or, commit to logging your workout on social media or with a friend.

*Be patient.It may take time to find an activity you like. It may take even longer to feel like it is a normal part of your day to exercise. Keep going. You’ll get there!

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
4 Behaviors For A Healthy Wallet

FINANCIAL HEALTH

1. Make a budget and stick to it.

Many money experts will tell you that you need to know where your money is going each month. Creating a budget helps to see how much you spend on certain things and where you can cut back to save even more.

2. Check your credit report each year.

You are entitled to a free credit report once per year. This is an important step to help spot identity theft early. Your credit report can affect your mortgage rate and ability to get a loan.

3. Shop around for a good APR on your next loan.

The annual percentage rate (APR) on a loan is an important number. This is the total cost, including fees and interest, described as a yearly rate. The APR can vary widely between banks or lenders. It pays to take some extra time to find the best rate. Make sure you understand exactly what you will pay.

4. Put money away for an emergency fund.

Having an emergency fund offers peace of mind and protection from unexpected costs. Even a few dollars a week can add up, so save what you can.

Paycheck checkup

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says employees should look at their paycheck withholdings each year. Withholdings are taxes that are taken out of your paycheck.

It’s especially important to check your withholdings in 2018, the IRS says. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed in December 2017, may change how much you want withheld.

The IRS has a withholding calculator on their website at:apps.irs.gov/app/withholdingcalculator. This calculator can help you be sure that you aren’t having too much or too little tax withheld from your paychecks.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Attitude Of Gratitude

WELL-BEING

Grateful people aren’t just kinder people, according to University of Kentucky psychology professor Nathan DeWall. They are also less aggressive. Giving thanks lowers daily aggression, hurt feelings, and overall sensitivity.

“If you count your blessings, you’re more likely to empathize with other people,” he said. Gratitude motivates people to express sensitivity and concern for others and stimulates pro-social behavior, according to DeWall.

The study, in Social Psychological and Personality Science, links gratitude to “a nonviolent heart,” with those less inclined to aggression.

“We know that grateful people are nice people,” said DeWall. “But this is the first study to really show that they’re not very aggressive either.”

An activity as basic as writing a letter or mentally counting your blessings can be enough to decrease aggression.

“Take a step back, and look at what you’ve got,” said DeWall. “Don’t spend every waking moment being grateful, but one time a week definitely increases your well-being over time.”

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Commit To Be Fit

BE FIT

How are those resolutions going about now? You can make a renewed commitment to yourself and your health anytime. Here’s advice from Life Time Fitness to move forward:

*Create a vision statement.Make your resolution a commitment and create a vision statement that projects clear personal investment and connects directly to your happiness and health. Once you’ve created your personal vision, you can identify what goals will get you there.

*Don’t assume you know how to exercise.Many people who exercise think they know what to do when they walk into a gym, but it is common to use poor form, train at an inappropriate intensity, or choose the wrong exercises for your needs. A well-planned program using proper exercise technique will prove much more successful. Sit down with a well-qualified and certified personal trainer to talk about your exercise program to start on the right track.

*Test your readiness.Ask yourself how ready you are to make an actual change. If your vision is health-based and you’ve made the goal of working out every morning of the week, ask yourself (on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being absolutely positive) how likely you’ll be able to commit and achieve that task and identify barriers that might get in the way. If your readiness is 7 or above, you’re ready to embark on your vision. If it’s below 7, change or revise your goal until you’re confident enough to know you’ll succeed. Small steps to succeed are better than big steps to fail.

*Junk the junk.Don’t think you can stick to your diet while keeping junk food in the house. Make a commitment to get rid of all the foods that don’t promote health. Instead, fill your kitchen with good choices.

*Put it on the fridge.Laminate it, frame it or post it on your mirror. The goal is to have your resolution statement somewhere where you will see it often as a reminder of what you are working toward. If you’re a social person, share it.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
How To Reduce Stress At Work

WORK LIFE

Get enough sleep:Poor sleep can affect your mood, judgement and memory. This can harm your ability to cope with stress.

Look at the bright side:Each day, write down something you are thankful for. Take note of things that make you smile.

Get moving:Exercise is a well-known way to reduce stress and improve mood. Walking just 20 minutes a day can make a difference.

Try meditation:Meditating, praying or whatever helps you block out the stress of the day can help you relax. Finding time for peace can reduce overall stress levels.

Find ways to laugh:Laughter can help your muscles relax, which can be soothing after a stressful day.

Take a deep breath:Deep breathing activates a state of relaxation. Focus on deep breaths in and out for a few minutes each day.

Stretch it out:Stretching can be relaxing and can help the body get ready for sleep. Stretch each night before bed to help you get good rest.

Talk to others:Emotional support from friends and family is helpful during times of stress. Make plans to talk with people and have fun with loved ones during your free time.

Sources: American Institute of Stress, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, American Psychological Association

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Secrets To A Successful Life

WELL-BEING

What do America’s elder citizens say about living a happy, healthy, and successful life? A Cornell University professor, Karl Pillemer, asked hundreds of seniors and gives their advice in his book 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans.

*Take risks to avoid regret.People in their 70s, 80s, 90s, and beyond endorse taking risks when you’re young, contrary to a stereotype that elders are conservative. They say that you are much more likely to regret what you didn’t do than what you did. Say yes to opportunities.

*Make the most of a bad job.Pillemer said, “Remember that many of these folks who grew up in the Great Depression had bad jobs early on-in fact, their bad jobs make our bad jobs look like good jobs! They found, however, that they learned invaluable lessons from these less-than-ideal work situations. You can learn how the industry works, about communicating with other employees, and about customer service.

*Choose excitement over money.Choose a career for its basic value rather than how much money you will make. Our elders are keenly aware of how short life is, and they think it’s a mistake to waste precious time in work you don’t like. According to our elders, you need to be able to get up in the morning excited about work, so choose your career with that in mind.

*Regrets?Embrace travel, especially when you are young.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
5 Ways To Change Habits

WELL-BEING

Our habits influence our health in many ways. You might have habits that help you stay healthy, such as taking a walk every day. Or you might have some habits you want to change, such as smoking or eating too much sugar.

Changing a habit takes time and effort, but you can do it. These tips will help you stay on track as you work toward healthy change:

1.Change only one thing at time.Trying to overhaul many parts of your life is hard. It can cause stress and make you worry about failure. Don’t change too many things at once.

2.Know why you’re making the change.If you don’t have a good reason, it can be hard to stay motivated. Keep a reason (or two) in mind as you work toward change. For instance, maybe you want to be able to run in a race. Or perhaps you want to lose weight so you can feel healthier or manage a health problem.

3.Get the support or skills you need.If you need help to quit smoking, your doctor can help you find tools to help. If you need help with changing eating habits, ask your doctor about nutrition help. Look for community resources and support groups.

4.Expect setbacks.Nearly everyone has setbacks when they try to change a habit. This is normal. When this happens, remember why you’re making the change. Then put the setback behind you and start again.

5.Avoid tempting situations.Certain things in your immediate environment can make you want to go back to your old habits. Figure out what these things are, and stay away from them. If you know you have trouble with “all you can eat” restaurants, don’t go to them. If you’re trying to quit smoking, avoid situations that make you crave cigarettes.

Finally, make sure your goal is realistic.

Healthy goals should be SMART:

* Specific: Avoid vague statements like, “eat healthier.”

* Measurable: Track milestones and know when you have met them.

* Action-oriented: Commit to your change and take action to meet it.

* Realistic: Avoid lofty, difficult changes.

* Time-based: Give yourself a deadline to meet certain steps toward your goal.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026