Simple Changes Big Rewards A Practical Easy Guide For Healthy Happy Living Harvard Health

A Harvard Medical School Special Health Report
Simple Changes,
Big Rewards
A practical, easy guide for healthy, happy living
In this report:
How to set new goals
and make them stick
42 doable changes to
help you eat healthier,
exercise more, lose
weight, ease stress,
and be happier
How to break down
goals into simple steps
Select easy, medium,
or hard challenges
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How to get your
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SIMPLE CHANGES, BIG REWARDS
SPECIAL HEALTH REPORT Contents
Medical Editor Getting started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Edward M. Phillips, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medi- Making lasting changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
cine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School Set a SMART goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Director and Founder, Institute of Lifestyle
Medicine, Joslin Diabetes Center Sidestepping pitfalls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Executive Editor Launch your first month of change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Anne Underwood
Shaping your personal plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Writer
Francesca Coltrera Picking your first goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Copy Editor Your month-by-month calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Robin Netherton Breaking it down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Creative Director What’s working: You go, girl (or boy)! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Judi Crouse
Production Manager Stick to exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Lori Wendin The goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Illustrator Six choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Scott Leighton
Photographer Eat healthier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Michael Carroll
The goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Published by Harvard Medical School
Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief Six choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
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Dear Reader,
Change your life. Three simple words, no easy task. Yet a richer, healthier life is well within
reach. Small changes can add up to surprisingly big course corrections. But which changes
should you make? And how can you stick with them?
As the director of the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine at Joslin Diabetes Center, I know people
can achieve remarkable changes in their lives one small step at a time. The day-to-day choices
you make influence whether you maintain vitality as you age or develop life-shortening ill-
nesses and disabling conditions like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke.
You may understand exactly what you need to do to enjoy a healthier, happier life: add some
physical activity to your day, perhaps, or find a way to ratchet down stress. There’s just one
hitch. You haven’t done it yet.
Often, the biggest hurdle is inertia. It’s true that it isn’t easy to change ingrained habits like
driving to nearby locations instead of walking, let’s say, or reaching for a donut instead of an
apple. However, gradually working toward change improves your odds of success. And once a
new, healthy habit takes root, I guarantee it will be hard to break, too.
This Special Health Report highlights small changes you can make in seven areas of your life
to enhance your health and happiness: stick to exercise, eat healthier, lose weight, ease stress,
control spending, harness the power of positive psychology, and nip unhealthy habits in the
bud. Guided by this report, month by month you make choices that appeal to you. In every
section, “The goal” sets a target. “Six choices” explains changes that help you move toward the
goal. Each one is graded easy, medium, or hard. If you’re starting from scratch, you’ll find an
encouraging foothold. Or, if you’re already engaging in healthy behaviors, you can up the ante
to reap greater benefits.
Ambitious attempts to improve often fail because people try to make too many changes at
once or can’t sustain the changes they’ve selected. Here, you set your priorities, choosing only
the changes that appeal most to you. Try mastering just one change at a time before moving
on to the next. Each month, you can select a different goal from the seven goals or decide to
explore further changes within the goal you’ve been working on. The tools provided will help
you break down worthwhile changes you want to make into small, manageable steps that set
you up for success.
To your health,
Edward M. Phillips, M.D.

Medical Editor
Harvard Health Publications | Harvard Medical School | 10 Shattuck Street, Second Floor | Boston, MA 02115
Getting started
M aking major changes in lifestyle habits isn’t easy.

If it were, we wouldn’t need New Year’s resolu-
tions. But you can learn how to make changes that
tips to help you create long-lasting change.
■ Dream big. Audacious goals are compelling.
Want to compete in a marathon or triathlon? Lose
last, set realistic goals, and sidestep pitfalls that com- 50 pounds or just enough to fit into clothes you once
monly trip people up. This report will show you how. loved? With perseverance, encouragement, and sup-
port, you can do it. An ambitious aim often inspires
others around you. Many will cheer you on. Some will
Making lasting changes be happy to help in practical ways, such as by training
When you’re ready to brush your teeth, you don’t hunt with you or taking on tasks you normally handle in
everywhere for your toothbrush, do you? Quite possi- order to free up your time.
bly, you could find it with your eyes shut because you ■ Now think tiny. Break big dreams into small
reach for it every day. That’s a habit. steps. Small steps move you forward to your ultimate
We know from experience that creating new habits goal and also build your confidence to tackle—and
takes time and energy. Not much solid scientific evi- succeed at—more difficult tasks. So look for sure-
dence tells us exactly how long it may take, however. A fire bets. Don’t disdain easy choices. Just break hard
preliminary study of 96 participants reporting daily for jobs down into smaller line items, and enjoy breezing
12 weeks on new eating, drinking, or activity behaviors through the easy tasks first (see “Breaking it down,”
they had adopted found it took 18 to 254 days before page 12, for examples).
the action became automatic—that is, a habit. The ■ Figure out why you haven’t made this change
average was 66 days. Writing in the European Journal already. Until you grasp why you’re sticking like a
of Social Psychology and in subsequent interviews, the burr to old habits and routines, it may be hard to
researchers noted that missing one opportunity to per- muster enough energy and will to take a hard turn
form the behavior didn’t interfere with creating a habit, toward change. Unhealthy behaviors like overeating
although frequent inconsistency did prevent success. and smoking have immediate, pleasurable payoffs,
Perseverance was important. but they also have costs. So when you’re considering
Though a new behavior won’t become automatic a change, take time to think it through (see Table 1,
overnight, you may enjoy some of its benefits fairly page 3). You boost your chance of success when the
quickly. Then, as you start balance of pluses and
to put it into practice—by minuses tips enough to
taking walks regularly, for make adopting a new
example, or engaging in behavior more attractive
stress-soothing practices than standing in place.
frequently—you’ll find Engaging in enjoyable
you won’t feel quite right aspects of an unhealthy
if you stop. That’s a great behavior, without the
incentive to continue. So, behavior itself, helps too.
keep nudging yourself in For example, if you enjoy
Thinkstock
the direction you’d like to taking a break while hav-

go. And try the following ing a smoke, take the break
2 Simple Changes, Big Rewards w w w.h ealt h .ha r va r d.e du
and enjoy it, but use that time to do something health- age yourself to keep at it by pausing to acknowledge
ier like going for a walk around the block or having a success as you tick off small and big steps en route to
quick chat with a colleague instead of smoking. Oth- a goal. Blast your favorite tune each time you reach
erwise, you’re working against a headwind and are less 5,000 steps. Get a pat on the back from your coach
likely to experience lasting success. or spouse. Ask family and friends to cheer you on.
■ Make a commitment. Make yourself account- Look for an online support group. Or download the
able through a written or verbal promise to people “Attaboy” app for your smartphone or tablet to enjoy a
you don’t want to let down. That will encourage you stream of compliments whenever you need to hear it.
to slog through tough spots. You can make a less pub- ■ Learn from the past. Any time you fail to make
lic promise to your partner or child, a teacher, doctor, a change, consider it a step toward your goal. Why?
boss, or friends. Want more support? Post your pledge Because each sincere attempt represents a lesson
on Facebook, Tweet it to your followers, or seek out learned. When you hit a snag, take a moment to think
folks with like-minded goals online (see “Resources,” about what did and didn’t work. Maybe you took on
page 44). too big a challenge? If so, scale back to a less ambi-
■ Give yourself a medal. Don’t wait to call yourself tious challenge, or break the big one into tinier steps
a winner until you’ve pounded through the last mile (see “Breaking it down,” page 12). If nailing down 30
of your big dream marathon or lost every unwanted consecutive minutes to exercise never seems to work
ounce. Health changes are often incremental. Encour- on busy days, break that down by aiming for three
Table 1: Is a change worthwhile?

Sketch out the pros and cons of the change you’d like to focus on. But in a twist on a typical list of pluses and minuses, include the reasons
you’ve been sticking with the status quo. Here we sketch out a simple analysis, using smoking as an example. You can try something similar
for each of the changes you would like to make.
WHY I LIKE SMOKING WHY I’D LIKE TO QUIT

t I get to go outside. t I’ll save a lot of money and be able to spend more on things I enjoy or need.
t I get to take a break at work or at home. t My breath will smell better, and my teeth will be whiter.
t Nicotine wakes me up or calms me down. t My senses of taste and smell will come back.
t I enjoy the camaraderie with other smokers—it’s like t My body will start recovering right away. According to the American
belonging to a club. Cancer Society, in just 20 minutes, my heart rate and blood pressure
will drop; in two weeks to three months, my circulation and lung
function will improve; in one to nine months, I’ll cough less; and a
year after quitting, I’ll cut my risk for heart disease by half.
t I’ll cut my risk for dying from lung cancer in half in 10 years; my
risks for other cancers will drop, too.
COSTS OF SMOKING COSTS OF QUITTING
t Smoking causes lung cancer, and contributes to heart disease, t I’m worried that I’ll gain weight.
stroke, and many other kinds of cancer, too. t Nicotine withdrawal will make me feel grouchy and awful.
t My skin, hair, and clothes smell. t I’ll get nervous and won’t be able to calm myself with
t I know smoking worsens wrinkles. a cigarette.
t I can’t taste food well. t I’ll miss the companionship of my smoking buddies.
t I cough a lot.
t I don’t have much endurance—it’s hard to bike with my kids
or walk uphill or even upstairs without feeling out of breath.
t I don’t have a lot of energy.
t I’m spending way too much money on cigarettes (at $6 or
more a pack, one pack a day costs at least $2,190 a year).
ww w. h ealt h . h ar v ar d . e du Simple Changes, Big Rewards 3

10-minute walks—one before work, one during lunch, from the past,” page 3). When setting commitments,
one after work—or a 20-minute walk at lunch plus a outside deadlines can be really helpful. Signing up
10-minute mix of marching, stair climbing, and jump- for a charity run or spring triathlon on a certain date
ing rope or similar activities slipped into your TV prods you to get a training program under way.
viewing schedule.
■ Give thanks for what you accomplish. Forget per-
fection. Set your sights on just finishing that marathon, Sidestepping pitfalls
not on placing first. If you compete to complete, you’ll What trips people up when they try to make healthy
be a winner even if you wind up walking as much as changes? And how can you learn to be nimble enough
you run. With exercise—as with so many other goals— to sidestep pitfalls? These tips can help.
you’ll benefit even when doing less than you’d like to ■ Always launch change with a plan. Map out the
do. Any activity is better than none. If your goal for journey you’re embarking upon. It’s tempting to skip
Tuesday is a vigorous 30-minute walk, but you only straight to the action, especially when you’re feeling
squeeze in 10 minutes, feel grateful for that. It’s some- inspired to make a change. By winging it, though, you
thing. Maybe tomorrow will be better. may ignore important issues, such as why you do—
and don’t—want to make this change. Make a com-
mitment based on that knowledge, then plan a path of
Set a SMART goal small steps that lead to your ultimate goal.
Experts say efforts to change are more successful if ■ Set off at a reasonable pace. Rushing change
they are SMART —that is, specific, measurable, achiev- rarely works. Few of us are designed to go from zero
able, realistic, and time-based. So as you’re deciding to 60. In the exercise world, you set yourself up for
on a change, make sure it can pass the SMART test: injuries; in the diet world, you get sick of nibbling only
Set a very specific goal. I will add one fruit serv- celery sticks and raw cabbage, and head for the choco-
S ing—that’s half a cup, chopped—to my current late cake. Let small, steady changes help you achieve
daily diet. what you hope to do.
Find a way to measure progress. I will log my ■ Envision a happy outcome. Choose the carrot,
M efforts each day on my calendar. not the stick. Rather than sternly telling yourself “I
Make sure it’s achievable. Be sure you’re physi- should be meditating every day” or blaming yourself
A cally capable of safely accomplishing your goal. for failing, try saying aloud “I feel calmer and happier
If not, aim for a smaller goal. when I meditate regularly.” Reminding yourself why a
Be sure it’s realistic. It may seem counterintui- change is worthwhile can help you over rough spots.
R tive, but choosing the change you most need to ■ Expect lapses. Lapses are so normal, experts
make—let’s say, quitting smoking or losing weight— actually write this into the stages of change. Embrace
isn’t as successful as choosing the change you’re most lapses as part of the process, then brainstorm solu-
confident you’ll be able to make. Focus on sure bets, tions to the challenges that derailed you. If neces-
such as eating an additional serving of fruit every day sary, whip out your plan to maneuver around lapses
rather than overhauling your diet at once: if you pic- (see “Getting back on track,” page 5). And try, try
ture a 10-point scale of confidence in achieving your again.
goal, where 1 equals no confidence and 10 equals ■ Live in the gray zone. Give up on all-or-nothing
100% certainty, you should land in the 7-to-10 zone. thinking. It’s not helpful to live in a black-and-white
Set time commitments. Pick a date and time to world that dictates “I am good and am following my
T start—Wednesday at breakfast, I’ll add frozen diet” or “I ate a fat-laden meal at lunch, so I’m doing
blueberries to cereal—and regular check-in dates: I’ll a bad job on my diet and might as well eat anything I
check my log every week and decide if I should make want.” Even if you treated yourself to a double scoop
any changes in my routines to succeed (see “Learn of ice cream, then later enjoyed an unplanned bed-
Getting back on track
Uh, oh. Have you veered off course? Let us help you get back +oNNEJGEMQWV;QW6WDGHQTGZGTEKUGXKFGQUQTDW[CPGZGTEKUG
on track. First, try a few easy fixes. Think about whether you &8&VQYQTMQWVCVJQOGYJGPVJGYGCVJGTKUDCF
need to tweak your plan a bit by figuring out what went +oNNVT[OKZKPIKPPGYCEVKXKVKGUQPEGCYGGMUQ+YQPoV
wrong and plotting a path around the problem. Too wrung IGVDQTGFDQZKPIC.CVKPFCPEGENCUUDKMKPIVGPPKU
out by work and home life to fit in 30 minutes of exercise on a JWNCJQQRKPILWORKPITQRGCVTCORQNKPGYQTMQWV
weekday? Try writing three 10-minute bouts into your schedule UPQYUJQGKPIQTETQUUEQWPVT[UMKKPI
(be specific) and checking off each one you complete:
Put this paper in an envelope, seal it, and put it in your
6:40–6:50 a.m.: March in place and do jumping jacks
favorite hiding spot—one you’ll remember, not a spot where
CPFUSWCVUJWHƃGUDGHQTGUJQYGTKPI
it will stay hidden forever. Dig it out when needed.
sRO9CNMCHVGTNWPEJYKVJ&CXG
What if these efforts don’t work?
sRO6CMGVJGFQIHQTCYCNMCHVGTFKPPGT
Try these additional strategies:
Sometimes, simple fixes aren’t sufficient. You’ve gotten so far
off track you can’t imagine bushwhacking your way back. So t Keep brainstorming about what might help. Talk it over
let’s prepare for that day. While you’re feeling upbeat about with a partner or friend. What’s derailing you? Rain, cold,
the change you’re trying to make, write down what got you humidity, or gloom of night? Bored by repeating the
to this point. Reading this statement later when you’ve been same routine? No energy by the end of the day?
derailed can be inspiring, encouraging you to try again. You Not enough encouragement or support? Lack of
might write something like this: equipment? Now consider solutions beyond those on
your relapse list. What could you do differently to shift
+OCFGCEQOOKVOGPVVQO[JGCNVJD[RNCPPKPIVQGZGTEKUG back on track?
OKPWVGUCFC[VJTGGFC[UCYGGM6JKUKUO[ƂTUVUVGR
t Break down the step you’ve been trying to take or set the
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CYGGM+YCPVVQFQKVDGECWUG+HGGNDGVVGTO[DCEMRCKP bar a little lower so that it’s possible to succeed. You can
KORTQXGUCPF+JCXGOQTGGPGTI[YJGP+GZGTEKUGTGIWNCTN[ step it up again once you meet with success.
t Consider other routes that might help you move toward
Then write down five steps that will help you get back on
track when you relapse. For example: your bigger goal. For example, flip to “Stick to exercise”
(page 14) to see if another selection from the six choices
+oNNUVCTVCICKPVQOQTTQY we offer appeals to you.
+oNNDWKNFDWTUVUQHCEVKXKV[KPVQO[FC[
see the “Easy” t Shift your sights to an entirely different goal. Maybe
EJQKEGUKPVJGp5VKEMVQGZGTEKUGqUGEVKQPRCIG).
EJQKEGUKPVJGp5VKEMVQGZGTEKUGqUGEVKQPRCIG you’re just not ready to make this change. That doesn’t
I’ll call Kaye and Molly for support and see if one of them mean that you’re not ready to make any change.
ECPLQKPOGKPCYCNMQTDCD[UKVYJKNG+YQTMQWV Rethink your dreams and pick the surefire bet.
time snack, then forgot to pack a healthy lunch the ■ Accept full responsibility for making the change.
next day, try not to let slipups snowball to the point Personal responsibility is essential for lasting change.
where you throw up your hands and declare all of Don’t expect someone else to act as food police, or
your efforts a complete loss. Realize that perfection push you out the door on days when you just don’t feel
isn’t possible. Just take a deep breath, smile, and get like taking a walk. Again, remember why this change
back on track at the next opportunity. matters in your life.

Launch your first month of change
L et’s get started. This section walks you through

shaping your personal plan. Here, you’ll set your
first goal and practice breaking down choices that
or step up your current choice a notch (by adding
another day of exercise, for example).
4. Commit yourself. Make a written or verbal prom-
feel overwhelming into tiny steps that can help you ise to yourself and one or two supporters you don’t
succeed. The personalized tools will help you track want to let down: your partner or child, a teacher,
your progress, note what’s working, and brainstorm doctor, boss, or friends. That will encourage you to
changes when challenges arise. slog through tough spots. Be explicit about the change
you’ve chosen and why it matters to you. If it’s a step
toward a bigger goal, include that, too. I’m making a
Shaping your personal plan commitment to reduce my stress levels by planning to
As you go through these seven steps, you can begin take a mindful walk two days a week. This is my first
filling out a copy of your month-by-month change step to a bigger goal: doing a stress-reducing activity
calendar (see page 8). Each month, try to select a dif- every day (and it helps me meet another goal: getting
ferent goal or explore further changes to achieve the a half-hour of exercise every day). I want to do this
same goal. because I sleep better, my mood improves, and I’m more
1. Select a goal. Choose the goal that is the best patient with family and friends when I ease the stress in
fit for you right now by filling out the 1-to-10 chart my life.
(see “Harvesting low-hanging fruit,” page 7). It might 5. Scout out easy obstacles. Maybe you’d love to
not be the first goal in this report—you don’t have to try meditating, but can’t imagine having the time to
start with exercise and slog through to positive psy- do it (see “Finding time,” page 12). Or perhaps your
chology—nor the goal you know you should choose. hopes for eating healthier run aground if you’re hun-
You’re much more likely to succeed if you set priori- gry when you walk through the door at night, or your
ties that you think you can achieve and you most want kitchen cabinets and refrigerator aren’t well-stocked
to tackle. with healthy foods.
2. Ask a big question. Do you have a big dream that 6. Brainstorm ways to leap over obstacles. Now
pairs with your goal? A big dream might be running think about ways to overcome those roadblocks. Not
a marathon or climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, wiggling enough time? I’ll get up 20 minutes early for exercises
back into a closet full of clothes you love, cutting back and fit in a 10-minute walk before lunch. Cupboard
on blood pressure medication, or playing games and bare of healthy choices? I’ll think about five to 10
sports energetically with your children or grandchil- healthy foods I enjoy and will put them on my grocery
dren. Write your big dream down on a copy of the cal- list.
endar. One word to the wise: if you can’t articulate a 7. Plan a simple reward. Is there a reward you
big dream, don’t get hung up on this step. You can still might enjoy for a job well done? For example, if you
succeed in moving toward your goal. hit most or all of your marks on planned activities
3. Pick your choice for change. Turn to “Six choices” for one week, you’ll treat yourself to a luxurious bath,
in the section that describes the goal you’ve chosen. a splurge with money you saved by quitting smok-
Select a choice that feels like a sure bet. It’s best to ing, or even a double helping of “attaboy.” Try to
concentrate on just one choice at a time. When it fits steer clear of food rewards since this approach can be
into your life comfortably, you can add another choice counterproductive.
Harvesting low-hanging fruit: How to choose the goal you are most likely to accomplish
This chart can help you determine which goal to tackle first. For each goal, ask yourself the two questions listed in the first line of the chart.
Answer using a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “not at all important” or “not at all confident” and 10 being “very important” or “very confident.”
How important is this goal to my health How confident am I about making small
GOAL and well-being? changes to move toward this goal?
Stick to exercise 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
(page 14) NOT AT ALL IMPORTANT VERY IMPORTANT NOT AT ALL CONFIDENT VERY CONFIDENT
Eat healthier 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Lose weight 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Ease stress 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Control spending 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Harness positive psychology 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Nip an unhealthy habit 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

in the bud (page 41) NOT AT ALL IMPORTANT VERY IMPORTANT NOT AT ALL CONFIDENT VERY CONFIDENT
Adapted from Wellcoaches ((www.wellcoaches.com

www.wellcoaches.com)) and the American College of Sports Medicine ((www.acsm.org
www.wellcoaches.com www.acsm.org).
www.acsm.org).
Picking your first goal 2. Each month, fill in the month and dates. Next, com-
Remember, it may seem counterintuitive, but choos- plete the information alongside the calendar con-
ing the change you most need to make to enhance cerning your big dream, commitment, changes, and
your health and well-being—let’s say, losing weight planned rewards. Refer back to “Shaping your per-
or easing stress—isn’t as successful as choosing the sonal plan” (page 6) and “Picking your first goal” (at
change you’re most confident you’ll be able to make left) if you have questions about deciding on a goal,
(see “Set a SMART goal,” page 4). This means pick- a big dream, and a commitment statement. Finally,
ing some sure bets to start with: if you picture a go back to the main portion of the calendar and
10-point scale of confidence in achieving your goal, pencil in the actions you’ll be taking to further your
where 1 equals no confidence and 10 equals 100% goal, using exact times and days. (Why use a pen-
certainty, you should land in the 7-to-10 zone for cil? Just in case you need to brainstorm changes to
a goal that’s truly doable. To help you evaluate and boost your odds of success.)
record this information, see “Harvesting low-hang- 3. Put the change calendar in an easy-to-see spot.
ing fruit: How to choose the goal you are most likely 4. Whenever you complete a small step, put a big
to accomplish,” above. splashy check mark next to it. Any time you fall
short, try to brainstorm changes.
5. Once a week, look over what you checked off and jot
Your month-by-month calendar down what’s working well. Look at “Brainstorming
Follow these instructions to help keep on track. changes” and decide how you can tweak your plan to
1. Make copies of the three blank forms included meet success next week. If necessary, go to “Breaking
here—“My month-by-month change calendar” it down” (page 12) and think about smaller steps that
(page 8) as well as “What’s working” (page 10) and will help you move toward your goal.
“Brainstorming changes” (page 11). continued on page 12

MY MONTH-BY-MONTH CHANGE CALENDAR
Month
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY
J
www.health.harvard.edu/change-calendar
&QYPNQCFCEQR[QHVJKUHQTOCVwww.health.harvard.edu/change-calendar
MY BIG DREAM
THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
MY COMMITMENT
MY CHANGES
MY REWARD
Having trouble filling this out? See “Shaping your personal plan” on page 6 for assistance.
MY MONTH-BY-MONTH CHANGE CHECK-INS
What’s working: My successes

www.health.harvard.edu/my-successes
&QYPNQCFCEQR[QHVJKUHQTOCVwww.health.harvard.edu/my-successes
Week 1:
My successes:
Week 2:
My successes:
Week 3:
My successes:
Week 4:
My successes:
Additional notes:
MY MONTH-BY-MONTH CHANGE CHECK-INS
Brainstorming changes
www.health.harvard.edu/brainstorming-changes
&QYPNQCFCEQR[QHVJKUHQTOCVwww.health.harvard.edu/brainstorming-changes
Any day that you run into obstacles, jot them down (for example, couldn’t find time, felt too tired, forgot my sneakers at
home). Once a week, brainstorm possible solutions (see “Getting back on track,” page 5). Remember, sometimes the best
solution is to break a choice into tinier steps that will keep you moving toward your ultimate goal.
Obstacle: I forgot to record my spending today.
Solution: I can estimate what I spent today. Or I could average my spending after collecting
information for two weeks.
Obstacle:
Solution:
Obstacle:
Solution:
Obstacle:
Solution:
Obstacle:
Solution:
Obstacle:
Solution:
Obstacle:
Solution:

continued from page 7
Finding time
Once you feel confident that you’ve mastered a
change from one of the “Six choices” sections, select Ever wish you could fit exercise or another
another change you’d like to tackle. If the change change into your life, but—
but—sigh—you just
don’t have enough time for that? Truth is,
you’ve selected seems super-simple to you—“Wear a most of us have pockets of unused time. They
pedometer,” say, or “Carry your coffee”—it’s all right to don’t have to be big. Five minutes is enough for a small
try another change at the same time. Just don’t over- stress-buster. Ten minutes is sufficient for a walk, a quick
load yourself. Remember, you want to pick surefire financial task, or planning a pleasurable meal. Twenty
minutes will help you tally some of your strengths or map
bets, so you can succeed.
out your next steps for change. If you find that’s not so,
consider getting up 15 to 30 minutes earlier, skipping a TV
show, or taking a close look at lunch hour and dinnertime
Breaking it down to see if you might find a short span of minutes there.
Taking a 10-minute walk as part of a larger plan to
exercise, or deciding to drink more water and less
soda, certainly seem on the surface like easy choices. rPlan a route.
But we all know how hard it is to change ingrained rPlan alternatives to do if it’s raining too hard to
habits. Breaking your goals down further can help you walk outside: for instance, 10 minutes of mixed
succeed. Below, you’ll find some examples of how to do marching, stair climbing, and jumping rope.
this. Start by making a list of achievable steps. Again, rPut my walking shoes and a T-shirt into my work
if you picture a 10-point scale, where 1 equals no con- bag every morning. Then, before I leave work, I’ll
fidence you’ll succeed in accomplishing each step and change into the shirt and shoes, so I always have the
10 equals 100% certainty, you should be in the 7-to-10 option to hop off the bus a few stops early and walk
zone. If not, try breaking the step down again. the rest of the way home.
Make a big check next to every item you accom- rEach time I do the planned walk or exercise, I’ll
plish on your list. If you start with “Make a list of make a check on the calendar. On any days I’m
achievable steps,” you’ll always have one item to not successful, I’ll write a note in “Brainstorming
check off. While it may seem like an unnecessary step, changes.”
checking an item off your to-do list can be gratifying
and can give you some forward momentum. And it Drink more water, less soda
underscores that proper planning can help you reach rMake a list of achievable steps.
your goals more easily. rPencil in a weekly day to look back at the checks on
Here are a few examples of how you can break a the calendar. That’s when I’ll fill out “What’s work-
goal into smaller steps. ing.” I’ll also look at “Brainstorming changes” and
decide what I can do to make next week work better.
Take a 10-minute walk rFind my water bottle (or buy one).
rMake a list of achievable steps. rWash out the bottle, fill it up, and put it in the refrig-
rPencil in one day each week to look back at the erator at night.
checks on the calendar. That’s when I’ll fill out rPut a sticky note on the front door, or on my bag, to
“What’s working.” I’ll also look at “Brainstorming remind me to take the water bottle with me.
changes” and decide what I can do to make next rAt work, take a break in the morning and one in
week work better. the afternoon to freshen up my water bottle. This
rFind my most comfortable walking shoes, or buy a is a good time to notice how much (or little) I’m
new pair. drinking.
rChoose days and times to walk, then pencil these in rWhen I get home from work, scrub out my water
on the calendar. bottle for the following day and repeat.
rEach day I successfully bring my water bottle along rAt the end of the month, review all spending catego-
and each time I substitute water for a higher-calorie ries and add up the money I’ve saved. Reward myself
drink like soda, I’ll put a check on the calendar. by spending half the saved money to buy something
On any days I’m not successful, I’ll write a note in special that I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.
“Brainstorming changes.”
Track my budget for a month What’s working: You go, girl (or boy)!
rMake a list of achievable steps. Once a week, jot down what’s working well: using
rPut an envelope on my desk, next to my calen- computer warm-up time as a chance to do deep
dar, for receipts and paid bills. Every night, I’ll put breathing; closing the kitchen after dinner on Tues-
receipts and paid bills in the envelope. When I do days, Thursdays, and Saturdays; setting out a ther-
this, I’ll put a check mark on the calendar. mos at night to remind you to bring coffee to work
rPut a notepad with my wallet to record all cash the next day instead of buying it. Give yourself a pat
purchases. on the back by affirming your successes with posi-
rBuy budget-tracking computer software, such as tive statements like these examples, or others that
Quicken or QuickBooks, or a similar app for my are meaningful to you: Great start! Keep up the good
phone, such as Spendee or Mint. work! I’m on my way to making this a habit! This isn’t
rFollow instructions to load software on computer as tough as I thought. I’m feeling more confident.
or application on phone.
rPencil in time on the calendar twice a week to enter
spending information from saved receipts, paid Special thanks
bills, and downloads from bank and credit card Thank you to the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine for
websites. Each time I complete this step, I’ll put a helping to develop these “Breaking it down” examples, as well
as some of the six healthy choices found later throughout the
check mark on my calendar.
report. The Institute was founded at Harvard Medical School
rPencil in a day once a week to look at the check and is now part of the Joslin Diabetes Center. It is led by
marks on my calendar and fill out “What’s working” Dr. Edward M. Phillips, the medical editor of this report. Its
and “Brainstorming changes.” aim is to reduce the prevalence of lifestyle-related disease
by having physicians work closely with patients to change
rSchedule 30 minutes at the end of the two-week
unhealthy behaviors, such as physical inactivity, unchecked
mark to go over expenses, figure out where I can stress, and unhealthy eating. For more, see the Institute’s
trim, and set a goal to reduce or eliminate some of website at www.instituteoflifestylemedicine.org .
these expenses.

Stick to exercise
E vidence abounds for the benefits of exercise. It’s

good for body and mind, lowering your risks for
many serious illnesses, including heart disease and
ity you can’t say more than a few words without
catching your breath.
rSessions of aerobic activity (walking, biking, swim-
stroke. It boosts mental sharpness in older adults. By ming) should last at least 10 minutes.
strengthening muscles and shaving off excess weight, If you’re shaking your head at the thought of man-
it takes a load off aching joints. Some people find aging even much less than the recommended amount,
regular exercise allows them to cut back on medica- relax. Any amount of exercise beats none. Just try to
tions, such as drugs for high blood pressure or diabe- do as much as possible. Even short stints of activity—
tes, saving money and easing unwelcome side effects. such as five minutes of walking several times a day—
For these reasons and others described in this section, are a good first step toward the bigger goal.
becoming more active or making your exercise rou-
tine more vigorous can improve your health and qual-
ity of life tremendously—if you stick with it. Six choices
Below, we sketch out a healthy goal for exercise, Our six choices are designed to nudge you toward the
along with six choices that can help you reach that basic exercise goals described above or catapult you fur-
goal. Note that the choices are graded easy, medium, ther along. Some choices will seem easy, others hard.
and hard. You can start at the level that seems most Start by selecting one that seems like a sure bet. Success-
appropriate to you. fully incorporate it into your life before moving on to
another challenge. If all the choices seem too difficult,
flip back to “Breaking it down” (page 12), and think
The goal about how you might make headway with tinier steps.
The activity guidelines from the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services set a reasonably high bar
for physical activity—so high that some people sim-
1 EASY ttt
Build bursts of activity into your day
ply freeze in their tracks rather than getting a move on. One simple way to bump up your activity is to slip short
All adults are urged to accumulate a weekly total of at spurts of exercise into your day. Start noticing down-
least two-and-a-half hours (150 minutes) of moder- time—while you’re on hold on the phone, for exam-
ate aerobic activity, or at least one-and-a-quarter hours ple, or during TV commercials—and fill these minutes
(75 minutes) of vigorous activity, or an equivalent mix with simple activities, such as marching or jogging in
of the two. The experts also recommend twice-weekly place, a few strength exercises, jumping jacks, and so
strength training sessions for all major muscle groups on. This can be a time-saver, too. You’ll build stamina
and balance exercises for older adults at risk of falling. while reaping some health rewards, particularly if the
This combination nets you all the benefits described in activities you choose last 10 minutes or more.
“Why exercise?” (see page 15). What to do: Pick three to five options using the
examples below and mark your plan on a weekly cal-
Keep in mind: endar. Stick with your plan for at least three weeks
rTwo minutes of moderate activity equals about one before stepping up to a more difficult level.
minute of vigorous activity. During moderate activ- rWalk, rollerblade, or bike to work or while doing
ity you can talk, but not sing; during vigorous activ- errands, rather than hopping in your car.
rIf you take public transportation, get off a few stops
early and walk to your destination. Why exercise?
rIf you need the car to run errands, park in one spot Strong evidence from thousands of studies
proves regular exercise strengthens your
and walk to several shops. At the mall, choose park-
muscles, lungs, and heart. It lowers your risks
ing spots that are farther away from the stores. for early death and serious health problems
rTake stairs, not elevators. like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood
rRather than watching your kids or grandkids play, pressure, lipid imbalances, colon and breast cancers, major
challenge them to an active game, on or off the com- depression, and metabolic syndrome (a complex health
problem marked by having at least three of the following
puter: Frisbee, hopscotch, basketball. risk factors: a large waistline, high blood pressure, high
r“Work out” at work. For example, while on the triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, and trouble regulating
phone, pace or do simple exercises like knee lifts, blood sugar). Staying active boosts mental sharpness
squats, and heel raises. Hold walking meetings. Keep in older adults and helps prevent falls that can lead to
debilitating fractures and compromise independence.
a resistance band handy, so you can periodically flex
Getting enough exercise helps you avoid gaining weight
your muscles quickly. and may help with weight loss when combined with a
rWalk your dog instead of just letting him or her out healthy diet.
in the backyard. There is also some evidence that in older adults, exercise
rRake leaves and shovel snow instead of using leaf improves everyday abilities—that is, being able to walk
blowers or snow blowers. Use a push-reel lawn up stairs or through a store as you do your shopping, heft
mower rather than a riding mower. grocery bags, rise from a chair without help, and perform
a multitude of other activities that permit independence
rTry a walk with a friend instead of meeting at a cof- or bring joy to your life. It may help keep you from regain-
fee shop. ing weight you’ve managed to lose and may chip away at
abdominal obesity, which plays a role in many serious ail-
ments, including heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Some
2 EASY ttt
Wear a pedometer studies have found that staying active may lower risks for
lung and endometrial cancers. Weight-bearing activities,
In an analysis of 26 studies published in The Journal which work against gravity, may boost bone density and
of the American Medical Association, pedometer users lower risk for hip fracture. And, finally, exercising during the
added more than 2,000 steps per day to their baseline day may help you sleep better at night.
over an average of 18 weeks. More important, they
lowered their blood pressure and body mass index.
Having a step goal helped. Many experts recommend tiny tears in muscle tissue, and muscles grow stron-
aiming for 10,000 steps a day. ger as the tears knit up. Progressively challenging
What to do: Start by buying a basic pedometer. muscles with increasingly heavy resistance supplied
Then determine your baseline by wearing the pedom- by machines, weights, stretchy tubes or bands, or
eter above your hip for three days from the time you your body weight strengthens them. These workouts
get up until bedtime. Divide the total steps taken by strengthen bones, too, because the muscles tug on
three. For example, counting 10,935 steps over three tendons attached to bone.
days sets your baseline at 3,645 steps per day. Each What to do: Set aside 20 to 30 minutes twice a
week, add 500 steps daily until you reach your ulti- week for our Home and Travel Workout on page
mate goal (perhaps 10,000 steps a day). 17. The only equipment you’ll need is a sturdy chair
along with a mat or thick towels for floor exercises.
3 MEDIUM ttt
Take up strength training
Warm up first by marching in place while swinging
your arms for five to 10 minutes, or dancing to sev-
Two weekly sessions that work all the major mus- eral songs. Focus on good form—that is, aligning
cle groups (legs, hips, chest, back, stomach, shoul- your body correctly and moving smoothly through
ders, and arms) are ideal. Strength training causes each exercise. Start slowly, doing only as many rep-

etitions as you can manage with good form, and and gardening. Whenever possible, sample new activi-
build up. Allow the worked muscles at least 48 hours ties to see what else you might enjoy.
between strength training sessions so that they can
recover properly.
Need to break this down further? Start with one
6 HARD ttt
Kick it up a notch
session a week for the first two to three weeks, then Being moderate—at least in terms of the intensity of
add the second session. Another option is to do the an activity—wins you most of the health gains offered
first four exercises in the morning and the second by exercise. But switching to vigorous activities offers
four in the evening (or split the workout over two enhanced benefits, such as greater protection against
days: first four exercises on Monday, second four on breast and colon cancers; higher levels of “good” cho-
Tuesday). lesterol, or HDL; a marked drop in insulin levels; and,
for men, a better sex life, since it lessens the likelihood
4 MEDIUM ttt
Add core exercises
of erectile dysfunction. Pushing yourself harder can
bring many enjoyable recreational options into reach.
Strong core muscles support your back. Working It’s a necessity if you’re hoping to run a race or triath-
these muscles can help you avoid backaches and pos- lon. Plus it can help you burn extra calories—or trim
sible injuries, plus it tones your tummy nicely. the time you spend exercising if you prefer, since one
What to do: Practice front planks (see page 18) two minute of vigorous exercise equals two minutes of
to three times a week, or sign up for a Pilates class. moderate exercise.
There are many additional options in Core Exercises: What to do: If you’re in good shape, try salting
6 Workouts to Tighten Your Abs, Strengthen Your your exercise sessions with more vigorous activities
Back, and Improve Balance—another Harvard Special like jogging, hiking or biking uphill, or singles ten-
Health Report by Dr. Edward M. Phillips (see “Har- nis, squash, or basketball. Or try interval training, in
vard Special Health Reports,” page 45). which you alternate your normal pace of walking or
cycling, for example, with short bursts (30 to 60 sec-
5 HARD ttt
Double up
onds) of walking or cycling as fast as you can.
If you’re not fit, talk to your doctor first. Mapping
Stepping up from 150 minutes to 300 minutes of out a plan to slowly work up to vigorous activities will
moderate activity a week nets you additional health help you avoid muscle or joint injuries and rare but
benefits. Your risks of dying prematurely or develop- serious heart problems. One good way to start is alter-
ing chronic ailments like heart disease, diabetes, and nating walking and jogging for 20 minutes. Week by
hypertension drop further. What’s more, the extra week, increase the amount of time spent jogging and
exercise aids in weight maintenance and chips away decrease the time spent walking. For example:
at excess abdominal fat that contributes to chronic ■ Week 1: Walk for four minutes, jog for one min-
health problems like heart disease and diabetes. ute, walk for four minutes, jog for one minute, and so
What to do: Every week, try adding 10 to 30 min- on until you reach 20 minutes total.
utes of moderate activity until you reach your goal. ■ Week 2: Walk for three minutes, jog for one-
Stepping up gradually will help you avoid sore mus- and-a-half minutes, walk for three minutes, jog for
cles and injuries. Identify opportunities to build active one-and-a-half minutes, and so on until you reach 20
moments into your day. Take longer walks, hikes, or minutes total.
bike rides on weekends while continuing to stay active ■ Week 3: Walk for two-and-a-half minutes, jog
regularly throughout the week. Add an exercise class for one-and-a-half minutes, walk for two-and-a-half
once or twice a week. Seek out seasonal activities like minutes, jog for one-and-a-half minutes, and so on
skiing and snowboarding, boating, golfing, hunting, until you reach 20 minutes total.
Home & travel workout Equipment:
This full-body workout for home or travel requires practically no equipment. A sturdy chair tSturdy chair
and a comfortable spot for floor exercises is all you need. That leaves plenty of room in your tMat, towels, or carpet
closets—or carry-on bag—for clothes. Remember to bracket your workout with a warm-up for comfort during floor
and cool-down. exercises
1. Wall push-up 2. Triceps dip

Reps: 8–12 Tempo: 2-1-2 Reps: 8–12 Sets: 1–3
Sets: 1–3 Rest: 30–90 Intensity: Moderate to high
Intensity: seconds between Tempo: 2-2
Moderate sets Rest: 30–90 seconds between sets
Starting position: Stand up straight Starting position: Sit near the
in front of a wall with your arms edge of a sturdy chair with your
extended at shoulder height. Put your legs partly extended, knees bent,
palms against the wall with the fin- and heels touching the floor. Put
gers pointing upward. your palms down on the chair
Movement: Bend your elbows to next to your hips and curve your fingers over the edge.
lower your upper body as far as possi- Pushing down on your hands, raise your buttocks up a bit and
ble toward the wall, keeping a straight move them forward to clear the edge of the chair.
line from head to heel. Pause, then push away from the wall to Movement: Bend your elbows and lower your hips toward
return to the starting position, maintaining neutral alignment the floor. Straighten your arms to return to the starting
from head to toe throughout the movement. position.
Tips and techniques: Tips and techniques:
t Keep your hands no higher than shoulder level. t Maintain a neutral spine throughout, keeping your back close
t Keep your elbows close to your sides as you bend them. to the chair.
t Keep your shoulders down and back. t Keep your arms near your sides and your elbows pointing
toward the back of the chair.
Too hard? Lower your upper body less toward the wall. t Exhale as you extend your arms.
Too easy? Lift one foot a few inches off the floor behind
you as you do the push-ups. Keep your arms at shoulder Too hard? Lower your body less toward the floor.
height and maintain neutral alignment. Too easy? Fully extend your legs in the starting position.
3. Chair stand with staggered legs

Reps: 8–12 Tempo: 3-1-3 in one set, move the opposite foot forward
Sets: 1–3 Rest: 30–90 and repeat the movement for the next set.
Intensity: seconds between
Tips and techniques:
Moderate sets
t Maintain neutral posture throughout the
Starting position: Sit up straight near movement.
the front edge of a sturdy chair with t Tighten the muscles in your abdomen
your arms crossed and fingers touching and buttocks.
opposite shoulders. Position your feet
hip-width apart and stagger them by Too hard? Line up your feet evenly,
moving one foot forward. hip-width apart, in the starting position.
Too easy? Lift your arms over your
Movement: Smoothly stand up with
head. Keep your shoulders down and
your knees and hips pointing straight
back throughout the move.
ahead. Pause, then return to the starting
position. After completing the 8–12 reps

Home & travel workout
4. Bridge with chair 5. Curl-up with one leg extended

Reps: 8–12 Tempo: 2-1-2 Reps: 8–12 Tempo: 2-1-2
Sets: 1–3 Rest: 30–90 seconds Sets: 1–3 Rest: 30–90 seconds
Intensity: Moderate between sets Intensity: Moderate between sets
Starting position: Lie on your back with your knees bent and Starting position: Lie on your back with your fingertips lightly
your arms at your sides, palms up. Put your heels on the seat of behind your head, elbows out. Bend your right knee and place
a chair placed so that your knees form a 90-degree angle. Relax that foot flat on the floor while keeping your left leg extended.
your shoulders down and back into the floor.
Movement: Tighten your abdominal muscles. Lift your head
Movement: Squeeze your buttocks as you lift your hips off and shoulders off the floor as you curl upward. Exhale as you
the floor. Pause, then slowly release to return to the starting lift. Pause, then return to the starting position.
position.
Tips and techniques: t Keep your fingertips resting lightly behind your head through-
t Maintain a neutral spine throughout. out the movement.
t Keep your shoulders, hips, and knees in a straight line during t If you have trouble maintaining a neutral neck, make a fist
the bridge. with one hand and place it under your chin for support.
Too hard? Put both feet flat on the floor rather than on Too hard? Put your fingertips behind your waist on the
the chair. floor before starting the curl-up.
Too easy? Put your left heel on the chair and extend your Too easy? Cross your arms over your chest before starting
right leg toward the ceiling before doing the bridge. After the curl-up, or increase the number of reps.
completing the reps in one set, switch leg positions and
repeat the movement for the next set.
6. Front plank
Reps: 2–4 Hold: 15–60 seconds
Sets: 1 Rest: 30–90 seconds
Intensity: Moderate to high between reps
Starting position: Start on your hands and knees.

Movement: Tighten your abdominal muscles and lower your
upper body to your forearms, clasping your hands together
and aligning your shoulders directly over your elbows. Extend
both legs with your feet flexed and toes touching the floor so Too hard? Put your knees on the floor instead of extending
that you balance your body in a line like a plank. Hold. Breathe your legs.
comfortably. Too easy? While holding your body in a line like a plank,
lift your right foot and move it to the side six inches, tap the
Tips and techniques: floor, and move it back to the center. Lift your left foot and
t Keep your neck and spine in neutral alignment during the move it to the side six inches, tap the floor, and move it back
plank, not curving upward or downward. to the center. Continue for 15 to 60 seconds.
t Keep your shoulders down and back.
Home & travel workout
7. Standing side leg lift 8. Heel raise

Reps: 8–12 on each side Reps: 8–12
Sets: 1–3 Sets: 1–3
Intensity: Moderate Intensity: Light to moderate
Tempo: 2-1-2 Tempo: 2-1-2
Rest: 30–90 seconds Rest: 30–90 seconds between sets
between sets
Starting position: Stand up
Starting position: Stand up straight with your hands on your
straight with your feet together hips.
and your hands on your hips.
Movement: Slowly rise up on
Movement: Slowly lift your the balls of both feet. Pause,
right leg straight out to the side. then slowly lower your heels
Pause, then slowly lower the leg. back to the floor.
Keep your hips even throughout.
Finish all reps before repeating
t Maintain neutral posture and
with the leg positions reversed. This is one complete set.
tighten your buttock muscles for
Tips and techniques: balance.
t Maintain neutral posture throughout. t As you lift, keep your ankles firm to avoid rolling to the out-
t Tighten your abdominal muscles and tighten the buttock of side of your foot.
the supporting leg.
t Exhale as you lift. Too hard? Hold on to the back of a chair for balance
while doing the exercise.
Too hard? Hold on to the back of a chair for balance and lift Too easy? Try the exercise standing on your right leg
your leg a shorter distance. only while lifting your left foot slightly off the floor.
Too easy? Hold for 4 counts at the top of the lift during Finish all reps before repeating with the leg positions
each repetition. reversed. This is one complete set.
Special thanks
Thanks to Kristy Discipio for demonstrating the exercises and to the Equinox Fitness Club on Dartmouth Street in Boston
for the use of its facilities. This workout was taken from Harvard Medical School’s Special Health Report 9QTMQWV9QTMDQQM
9 Complete Workouts to Help You Get Fit and Healthy. For ordering information, see the back of this report.

Eat healthier
W hy not just nosh on Twinkies, caramel corn, and

the occasional peeled grape? Alas, such a diet
might put a smile on your face for a day or so, but it’s
seem too difficult, look back to “Breaking it down”
(page 12) and think about how you might make head-
way by taking tinier steps.
bound to drag down your health and energy. To guide
you in choosing a better path, take a look at the Har-
vard Healthy Eating Plate (Figure 1, page 21). Our rec-
1 EASY ttt
Go nuts (and seeds)
ipe for healthy eating combines nutritional science, a Almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pista-
jolt of common sense, and pure enjoyment. Approach- chios, and walnuts pack plenty of beneficial nutrients,
ing food this way may be a revelation for you, or may including vitamin E, folic acid, potassium, and fiber.
just underscore what you’ve known all along: fresh Seeds such as chia, flaxseed, pumpkin and sunflower
salad, berries, and slowing down when eating do more seeds, and even hemp are also emerging as nutrition
for your health and well-being than wolfing down powerhouses, with high levels of protein, vitamins,
energy bars and sweets. and minerals. Think of it this way: seeds contain the
nutrients for a developing plant, so it’s not surprising
that they’re nutrient-dense.
The goal Although nuts and seeds tend to be high in fat, the
It took Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s fat is mainly unsaturated—a healthy choice. And nuts
Dilemma and In Defense of Food, just seven words to are low-glycemic foods. That means they’re digested
describe a sensible approach to eating: “Eat food. Not slowly and thus don’t cause spikes in blood sugar that
too much. Mostly plants.” may impair your body’s response to insulin over time.
Our approach is a tip of the hat to the master, Walnuts and flaxseed are plant sources of omega-3
which tweaks those sentiments only slightly: “Eat fatty acids, which can help prevent—and even help
healthy. Small portions. Savor each bite.” The goal treat—heart disease and stroke by lowering blood
seems simple enough: help downsize the supersizing of pressure, boosting HDL cholesterol, lowering triglyc-
America by choosing healthier foods and scaling back erides, and protecting against lethal heart-rhythm dis-
portions. But anyone who has tried to make a major
overhaul of his or her diet in one fell swoop knows how
difficult that can be. Your chances of success are greater Why eat healthier?
if you approach this task in smaller steps. The foods you eat every day can have a
tremendous impact on your health, because
food is more than just a source of calories. It
also supplies important nutrients that your
Six choices body uses to carry out myriad tasks. Decades of research
Our six choices spotlight healthy, delicious ways to have produced study after study showing that a poor diet
eat and encourage you to slow down so you can savor containing a lot of processed food can lead to serious
meals. Some choices will seem easy, others harder. illness. In contrast, a healthy diet—packed with vegetables,
fruits, whole grains, nuts, and lean protein—has the
Start by selecting one that seems like a sure bet.
power to help prevent a range of major ailments, including
Remember to set a SMART goal (see page 4). Success- heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes,
fully incorporate the first change into your life before gastrointestinal disorders, and some forms of cancer.
moving on to another challenge. If all the choices
orders. Some evidence suggests omega-3s help with nary artery blockages, the hallmark of heart disease.
certain dementias (not Alzheimer’s disease, sadly) and While you can’t avoid saturated fat entirely—even
lessen the need for corticosteroid medications in peo- healthy fat sources have small amounts of it—aim to
ple with rheumatoid arthritis. limit it to 10% or less of your daily diet. An 8-ounce
What to do: First, put nuts and seeds on the grocery glass of whole milk has 8 to 9 grams of saturated fat
list. Because nuts are high in calories, it’s best to enjoy and 149 to 156 calories, depending on overall per-
them in place of other snacks, not in addition, and to centage of fat; 8 ounces of low-fat 1% milk has 1.6
keep serving sizes small. Measure out a serving (typi- grams of saturated fat and 102 calories; 8 ounces of
cally a small handful equals 1 ounce) to nibble when nonfat milk has 0.3 grams of saturated fat and 86
mid-afternoon slump hits or on the way home from calories.
work, so you won’t be ravenous at dinnertime. Try What to do: Switch to 1% or nonfat milk, and non-
mixing nuts, seeds, and fruit into oatmeal or yogurt fat versions of other dairy products like yogurt and ice
for pleasing texture and taste, or sprinkling sunflower cream. There are even low-fat cheeses, such as part-
seeds over a salad or adding them to granola. skim mozzarella, that can help you bring your satu-
rated fat intake down. Can’t bear to go cold turkey?
2 EASY ttt
Get off full-fat dairy
Step down more slowly to 2% milk, then 1%, en route
to nonfat, if possible. Use the same strategy to cut back
Not only does this reduce the saturated fat in your on cream in your coffee: first try half-and-half, then
diet, but it also shaves off calories. Saturated fat whole milk, and so on.
drives up your total cholesterol and tips the balance Or opt for a nondairy alternative:
of cholesterol in your body toward “bad” cholesterol rFlavor your coffee with “milk” made from soy, rice,
(LDL), which contributes to the formation of coro- almonds, or hemp.
Figure 1: Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate

Build a better plate. In the fall of 2011,
nutrition experts at the Harvard School of Public
Health and colleagues at Harvard Health Publica-
tions unveiled the Healthy Eating Plate, a visual
guide to healthful eating that improves on the
government’s “MyPlate.” Both guides are meant
to simplify the task of planning healthy meals.
The Healthy Eating Plate is made up of one-

half vegetables and fruits, one-quarter whole
grains, and one-quarter healthy protein. “Whole”
and “healthy” are important words here. Refined
grains (think white breads, pastas, and rice)
have less fiber and fewer nutrients than whole
grains, such as whole-wheat bread and brown
rice. Healthy proteins include fish, poultry, beans,
and nuts—but not red meats or processed
meats. Many studies have shown that red meats,
and especially processed meats, are linked with
colorectal cancer—and that you can lower your
risk for heart disease by replacing either type of
meat with healthier protein sources. So eat red meats sparingly To learn more about the Healthy Eating Plate, go to
(selecting the leanest cuts), and avoid processed meats altogether. www.health.harvard.edu/plate.
www.health.harvard.edu/plate

rInstead of topping your baked potato with sour In addition, you’ll want to train your taste buds
cream, try a combination of beans and salsa. to dislike oversalted foods, which unfortunately are
rDip carrots into hummus instead of a traditional very common in this society. For two days, forgo salt-
sour cream dip. ing food entirely. That short break can help dial down
your taste for salt. After that, leave the salt shaker in
3 MEDIUM ttt
Spice it up
the cabinet, so you have to get up to get it. Make a rit-
ual out of truly tasting your food—taking a small bite
You don’t have to rely on the salt shaker to flavor foods. and savoring the flavors—before you decide if it needs
The tantalizing flavors of herbs and spices can either tweaking. Better still, put a salt-free herb mix on the
replace salt or allow you to use less. There are multiple table instead of the salt shaker.
health benefits to making the shift. Many herbs and But note that the salt shaker at the table only
spices contain health-promoting antioxidants. And accounts for about 12% of sodium intake, since
the reduction of salt brings its own benefits. canned and processed foods are a major source of
According to the Centers for Disease Control sodium. Therefore, the more fresh foods you consume,
and Prevention, two out of three Americans are salt- the better you’ll be able to control how much salt you
sensitive, which means excess sodium will raise their take in. Frozen foods with no sodium are a fine choice,
blood pressure. (Table salt is 40% sodium by weight.) too. Read labels: “sodium free” means less than 5 mg
One in three Americans suffers from high blood pres- of sodium per serving; “very low sodium” means 35
sure (hypertension). And that disease accounts for mg or less; “reduced sodium” means the usual level
roughly one in six deaths every year, many from heart is reduced by 25%; and “unsalted,” “no salt added,” or
disease and stroke, according to experts at the Insti- “without added salt” means the product has no added
tute of Medicine. A study using computer-generated salt, though it still has its natural amount of sodium.
models of salt consumption estimated that bumping
down daily sodium intake from the current daily aver-
age of 3,400 milligrams (mg) to 2,300 mg (the amount
4 MEDIUM ttt
Hone your salad bar survival skills
found in a teaspoon of table salt) could reduce the While salad bars can offer a great way to pack your
number of people with high blood pressure by 11.1 plate with healthy vegetables, they also present plenty of
million. The American Heart Association (AHA) rec- opportunities to indulge in unhealthy choices. Creamy
ommends a daily limit of no more than 1,500 mg of salad dressings, cheese, and mayonnaise-based salads
sodium, yet acknowledges that Americans aren’t likely (such as tuna, chicken, and egg salads) are just some of
to attain this if they eat a lot of processed foods—a the downfalls that await. There are also croutons, bacon
major source of sodium that people are often unaware bits, pastas, and even desserts such as “ambrosia salad.”
of. Instead, the AHA suggests aiming for 2,300 mg a To quote Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of the bestseller Eat
day as an interim goal. to Live, “Pasta is not a salad.”
What to do: If you’ve never relied on herbs and What to do: Take these four steps to raise the qual-
spices to flavor foods, the abundance of these roots, ity of your salads and get a well-rounded meal with
leaves, and bottled powders can be bewildering. It each trip to the salad bar:
needn’t be. Here are some simple guidelines. Try cay- ■ Step 1: Build a vegetable base. Most salad bars
enne, curry powder, garlic, pepper, marjoram, oreg- have two sizes of containers—large and small. Go for
ano, paprika, parsley, sage, rosemary, or thyme for the large and load it up with leafy greens and raw or
meats; caraway, basil, dill, marjoram, nutmeg, parsley, grilled vegetables.
sage, or thyme with vegetables; cinnamon, cloves, gin- ■ Step 2: Add some lean protein. To your veg-
ger, or nutmeg with fruit. During the summer, fresh gie base, add a couple of spoonfuls of garbanzo and
basil in a salad is magnificent. You’ll quickly find that kidney beans, or three-bean salad—typical salad bar
the possibilities are endless. offerings. Or add some grilled chicken, low-fat cottage
cheese, or chopped eggs to complete the picture of a
filling lunch. With a large, hearty salad as your lunch, Savor flavor
you’re less apt to get hungry in the afternoon and In an ideal world, food that is truly healthy should delight
become susceptible to unplanned, impulsive snacking. all our senses: it looks beautiful, smells heavenly, and
tastes delicious, and its textures feel and even sound
■ Step 3: Add a small amount of healthy fat. Sprin-
satisfying. Approaching meals as more than a way to
kle on the nuts and seeds. Then add a low-calorie refuel can bring much pleasure.
dressing, such as oil and vinegar. Avoid large chunks Pencil in time to prepare and truly savor one or two special
of cheese or use them only sparingly instead of dress- meals a week (also see “Eat mindfully,” page 28). Shop
ing. A light sprinkle of a strongly flavored cheese like where you know fruits, vegetables, and other foods will
feta or Parmesan can deliver flavor with fewer calories. be fresh. Sniff melons and fruits for ripeness. Bright-
colored produce is packed with antioxidants and other
Bypass the bacon bits. They’re high in fat, they don’t healthy nutrients: dark green spinach and arugula, deep
offer much nutritionally, and they’re processed—the red and yellow beets, purple grapes, orange-fleshed
worst kind of meat. papayas, sweet potatoes, and cantaloupes. To pare costs,
■ Step 4: Finish with whole grains and fruit. Look buy a small portion of a special food: radiant-hued
vegetables, organic berries, wild fish, local eggs, dark
for whole grains like barley or bulgur to sprinkle on
chocolate.
top. Or add a few slices of fruit.
Visit farmers’ markets in season. Consider a share or half-
share in community-sponsored agriculture if a local farm
5 HARD ttt
Pack lunch once a week
or collective offers this. Plant a few pots or window boxes
with fresh herbs, break ground for a small garden, or
Avoiding processed food (food in boxes and pack- place container plants on a deck. Once you’ve assembled
great ingredients, set a gorgeous table. Pause before you
ages) is one of the most important steps you can
eat to drink in scents, companions, and surroundings, and
take to improving your diet and health. Processing offer up a thankful prayer, if you like.
often strips healthy nutrients from foods and adds
unhealthy fat, sugar, salt, and preservatives such as
nitrites. When you grab lunch on the run, it can be to have in different guises for lunch on Tuesday and
hard to avoid processed foods. By contrast, the simple Wednesday. Chop the chicken and mix in fruit and a
act of preparing your own lunch automatically starts handful of nuts, then layer this over a salad, stuff it
you on the road to healthy eating. Because you are into a whole-wheat pita, or roll it into a wrap. Or slice
controlling what goes into the meal, you can make chicken and add avocado, tomato, sprouts, and pesto
sure that you’re not overdosing on unhealthy ingredi- to whole-grain bread for a great sandwich. Round out
ents. Plus, it saves you money. lunch with a piece of fruit and some crunchy carrot,
What to do: If the idea of fixing lunch when you’re celery, or jicama sticks, or grape tomatoes. Wraps,
trying to race out the door seems too overwhelming, sandwiches, and finger food like nuts, apples, and car-
remember this one word: leftovers. The night before, rots have the advantage of not needing heating.
make a larger-than-normal batch of soup, ratatouille, Too much to eat? Save half for later in the after-
tuna casserole, or whatever you’re eating. When the noon when you need an energy boost, or keep a small
meal is over, pack the leftovers into single-serving portion to help fill you up with healthy foods an hour
containers that you can grab from the fridge in the or so before dinner. You’ll be less hungry and less
morning and reheat in the office microwave. Even bet- likely to snack on junk when you walk through your
ter, pack up containers before you eat dinner, to help front door.
limit portion sizes at the evening meal.
If you have time for a little more food preparation,
plan a meal or two every week that will allow you to
6 HARD ttt
Sneak in more vegetables (and fruits)
repurpose leftovers for a new meal. For example, cook “Don’t count calories—make your calories count,”
or buy enough roast chicken for a Monday dinner says Jared Koch, coauthor of The Clean Plates Cook-

of heart disease. It also slows digestion, smoothing
Color is key
blood sugar spikes, and creates a sense of fullness
The key to getting the greatest benefit from fruits and that can help prevent overeating. And by bulking up
vegetables in your diet is to eat a variety of them on most stools, fiber helps you avoid constipation.
days. And to get the most out of the fruits and vegetables
you do eat, go for those with deep, rich colors; they Generally speaking, vegetables have even more
contain the most powerful phytochemicals. That’s because disease-fighting potential than fruits—but they’re
some of the pigments (chemicals that provide color) in harder for most people to work into their diets.
fruits and vegetables are healthy phytochemicals. What to do: Here are some simple and delicious
No single type of fruit or vegetable can deliver all the ways to increase your daily intake of vegetables:
known beneficial phytochemicals and nutrients. Try to rTry roasting veggies along with whatever entrée is in
get at least one serving daily from each of the following
categories:
the oven. Roasting is a great way to let the deep, rich
t dark green or leafy vegetables (dark lettuce, kale,
flavors of vegetables shine through, because their
spinach, broccoli) starches start to convert to sugar at around 275° F,
t yellow or orange fruits and vegetables (squash, carrots, releasing a deep, nutty sweetness. To roast, just bake
nectarines, cantaloupe) cut-up vegetables at 375° F for 20 to 25 minutes or
t red fruits and vegetables (red peppers, tomatoes, until they’re lightly browned. Any vegetable is a
strawberries) roasting candidate—from mushrooms, onions, egg-
t legumes (lentils, green beans, soybeans, and other plant, and zucchini to tomatoes, broccoli, and car-
beans) rots—so don’t limit yourself. Enjoy roasted veggies
t citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes). as a side dish or toss them into pasta dishes and other
Also choose “non-starchy” vegetables over their “starchy” recipes.
cousins (white potatoes, peas, or corn). Examples of some rPoach vegetables in low-sodium chicken broth and
good choices include asparagus, bamboo shoots, beans,
white wine. Add garlic, basil, or tarragon for a flavor
beets, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, onions, mush-
rooms, peppers, pea pods, radishes, salad greens, tomato, bonus. To poach, boil enough liquid to cover the
and water chestnuts. vegetables. When it boils, add the vegetables. Turn
down the heat to just below boiling and cook for
about five to seven minutes, until the vegetables are
book. And there’s no better way to do that than by brightly colored and tender-crisp. To retain nutri-
amping up your intake of fruits and, even more so, ents, keep a watchful eye on the pot, or set a timer
vegetables. Both provide a nutrient-packed way to fill so you don’t overcook.
your plate that is generally low in calories. Vegetables rIf you’re normally a vegetable hater, fool yourself by
and fruits contain hundreds of healthful components adding puréed vegetables to recipes such as casse-
called phytonutrients, many of which have yet to be roles, lasagna, soups, spreads, and toppings. You can
identified. They also contain beneficial minerals like easily sneak puréed, cooked cauliflower into mashed
potassium, which helps lower blood pressure, and potatoes. Or add chopped onions, mushrooms, and
well-known vitamins like folate, vitamin C, and vita- broccoli to tomato sauce when serving spaghetti.
min A. Studies show that diets rich in vegetables and rPrepare salads and homemade soups. Both are excel-
fruits help lower blood pressure and may reduce risks lent ways to get several vegetable servings in one meal.
for esophageal, stomach, and lung cancers, as well For desserts, try to rely on fruits rather than sug-
as diverticulitis, a painful gastrointestinal condition. ary baked goods and ice cream. An apple takes no
What’s more, they reduce the risk for sight-impairing preparation other than washing. Whatever approach
macular degeneration. Fiber found in plants slightly you choose, aim for deep, rich colors and a variety of
lowers LDL cholesterol and is linked to lower rates produce (see “Color is key,” above left).
Lose weight
W hile you may gain weight for many complex rea-

sons, the bottom line is simple: day after day, you
eat more calories than you burn. This section spotlights
Why lose weight?
Excess weight plays a role in many serious
small choices you can make each day to help reverse illnesses, so overweight and obesity can trim
that trend. But note that, in addition to reducing caloric years off your life. A study in 6JG0GY'PINCPF
intake, being active is also crucial to losing weight and Journal of Medicine tracked over half a million
people ages 50 to 71 for a decade. Mortality was 20% to
keeping it off; improve your odds of making a success-
40% higher among those who had been overweight at
ful change by considering simple ways to step up exer- midlife, and a full two to three times higher than usual
cise, too (see “Stick to exercise,” page 14). among those who had been obese. In people 50 and older,
overweight and obesity account for 14% of cancer deaths
in men and 20% of cancer deaths in women. Just 22
excess pounds can boost blood pressure to a point where
The goal stroke risk rises by 24%, according to the American Heart
Whittling off just 5% to 10% of excess weight can add Association. Type 2 diabetes is so closely linked to excess
up to surprisingly significant health gains. For exam- weight, experts coined the term “diabesity” to describe
ple, combining a 7% weight loss with 30 minutes of the phenomenon driving up record rates of this illness.
Even simple daily challenges—rising from a chair, lifting
exercise daily lessened the likelihood of developing 10 pounds, walking a quarter-mile—are harder for heavier
type 2 diabetes by 60% among more than 3,200 adults people than those at a healthy weight.
at higher than normal risk for that ailment, accord- Losing unwanted weight tips the balance back in your
ing to research reported in The New England Journal favor, helping you live longer, look better, and feel better
of Medicine. Another study found losing 10 pounds all around.
over six months was equivalent to medication in low-
ering blood pressure—a reduction of 2.8 millimeters
of mercury (mm Hg) in systolic pressure (top num- calories. If you do the math, you’ll find it’s easy to
ber of your blood pressure reading) and 2.5 mm Hg gain a couple of pounds simply by having a few
in diastolic pressure (bottom number). Your knees extra cookies or a soda per day without stepping up
benefit, too, because losing weight eases pressure on activity to burn off the additional calories.
them: each pound lost equals a 4-pound reduction in
knee pressure during every step you take, according to
a study reported in Arthritis & Rheumatism. That’s a Six choices
real blessing if you have osteoarthritis. Our six choices encourage gradual belt-tightening
by helping you cut back peripheral calories, amp up
Keep in mind: everyday activity, and take pleasure in eating mind-
rIf you weigh 200 pounds, 5% to 10% equals 10 to fully. Some choices will seem easy, others hard. Start
20 pounds. by selecting one that seems like a sure bet. Remember
rOne pound represents roughly 3,500 calories. To to set a SMART goal (see page 4). Successfully incor-
lose a pound a week, you need to shave off 500 calo- porate it into your life before moving on to another
ries a day through diet or exercise, or preferably a challenge. If all the choices seem too difficult, flip back
mix of both. to “Breaking it down” (page 12) and think about how
rLikewise, a 1-pound gain represents 3,500 added you might make headway with tinier steps.

1 EASY ttt
Skip the sipped calories
ming with antioxidants and other beneficial plant
chemicals known as phytonutrients. And they con-
Your body needs plenty of fluids, but it pays to be tain no calories. (Be aware that the highly sugared
selective when pouring. Soda, lattes, sports drinks, confections offered at popular cafes can contain hun-
energy drinks, and even fruit juices are all packed dreds of calories.)
with unnecessary calories—and it’s surprising how
quickly they can add up. The Center for Science in the
Public Interest calls soda, sugar-packed juice drinks,
2 EASY ttt
Dial back on TV snacks
and other sugar-sweetened beverages “liquid candy.” Studies show that eating in front of the TV stimulates
(What’s more, regularly quaffing sugar-laden drinks you to eat more calories overall—and more calories
raises risk for type 2 diabetes, according to the Nurses’ from fat. Maybe that’s not so surprising. Each hour-
Health Study, which tracks more than 90,000 women, long TV show features an average of 11 commercials
and the Black Women’s Health Study, ongoing research showcasing food and drinks. And while your attention
following 60,000 African American women.) Switch- is fixed on the football game or reality show, it’s easy to
ing to diet drinks might not be the solution. Although devour an entire bag of chips or half pint of ice cream
not all research on the topic agrees, an eight-year while barely being aware of how much you’re eating.
study of Texas residents found people who had three What to do: Declare the TV room off limits for
or more sugar-free sweet drinks per day gained more food. Or if that’s too hard, work up to that policy by
weight than those who skipped such drinks. starting with one day per week. Then add another day
What to do: Make no-cal water your top choice to during each subsequent week. If your kitchen has a
quench thirst. Start by replacing one or two sugary TV, switch it off during meals and snacks. When you’re
drinks a day with water. It helps to get in the habit of hungry, it’s much better to sit down at the table with
carrying a water bottle, or keeping one ready to refill no distractions other than your dining companions.
at work. Be aware that you may think you’re hungry Better still, if the urge to eat comes on while watching
when you’re actually thirsty, so reach for your water a TV show, see if five to 10 minutes of calorie-burning
bottle before you start snacking. To find out how many exercise works as a healthy distraction.
calories you’ll save, check nutrition labels on the drinks
you currently enjoy. And be sure to pay close attention
to the serving size. You may be surprised to find that a
3 MEDIUM ttt
Fidget more
single sports drink or juice bottle contains two to three A lot more! In fact, get up and move around frequently.
servings, and thus far more calories than you realized. Bringing fewer calories aboard through what you eat
If you can’t bear the thought of drinking plain is only part of the equation. Burning off additional cal-
water, try one of these options: ories through activity is essential
rMake your own. Add a fla- for most people who are trying
voring that strikes your fancy to lose weight. Even among folks
to tap water or unflavored who are fairly sedentary, non-
sparkling water. Here are a exercise activity thermogenesis
few options: an ounce or two (NEAT)—that is, ordinary move-
of 100% fruit juice; a slice of ments that might not normally
lemon, lime, orange, or grape- count as exercise, like fidgeting,
fruit; a sprig of fresh mint; a walking to the corner store, going
few raspberries. upstairs to retrieve your wallet,
rSip coffee and tea—straight. or even just standing for periods
Thinkstock
By themselves, coffee and tea of time—may be one factor that

are healthful beverages brim- helps separate the lean from the
thumb tip
Quick tips for portion control
finger fist
1 thumb tip = 1 fist = 1 palm =

1 teaspoon of 1 cup cereal, 3 ounces of meat,
peanut
thumbbutter,
tip finger fist
pasta, vegetables thumb tip fish,fingeror poultry fist
thumb tip
butter, or
finger
sugar
fist
thumb tip finger 2 handfuls palm handful
fist
1 finger = 1 handful = 2 handfuls =

1 ounce of cheese 1 ounce of nuts 2 ounces of
pretzels
2 handfuls palm handful
thumb tip finger 2 handfuls
fist palm handful
2 handfuls palm handful
palm
plump. One study that measured NEAT in handful lean and plate, or substituting a salad plate, to fool your mind
2 handfuls
obese people, all of whom were sedentary and had into feeling full. Then divide the plate: heap half of
similar jobs, noted a key difference between the two it with salad or vegetables and fruit, saving one-
groups. The obese people sat an average of two-and-a- quarter for lean, healthy protein and one-quarter for
2 handfuls
half hourspalmmore perhandful
day than their lean counterparts. whole grains (see Figure 1, page 21).
The lean people stood or walked more than two hours rRearrange your cupboards. Put less healthy snacks,
longer each day than their obese counterparts. such as chips, in hard-to-reach places in the back of
What to do: Actively seek opportunities to fidget your fridge or kitchen cabinets, and place a bowl of
and move around more. Pace while you’re talking on fruit on the table. People tend to eat what they see.
the phone. Walk down the hall to talk to a co-worker rMeasure portions. Even if you read nutrition labels
rather than calling or emailing. Clean house less effi- thoroughly, it’s easy to underestimate serving sizes, a
ciently by alternating tasks in different rooms or floors mistake that can easily tack on hundreds of calories
so that you walk up and down stairs and in and out of over the course of a day. For one week, measure your
rooms more often. Fidget when you’re sitting down or portions until you find them easy to eyeball (also see
lying on a couch: jiggle your foot, cross and uncross “Quick tips for portion control,” above).
legs, shift in place, get up to stretch or walk around for rServe food in the kitchen. To discourage second help-
a few minutes every hour. If you’re watching TV, use ings, pre-serve your portions onto each plate at the
commercial breaks as your cue to start moving—bet- kitchen counter rather than bringing serving bowls to
ter still, march in place while watching the show, or the dining table. Keeping the remaining food off the
skip the show entirely and exercise instead. table makes it less likely you’ll reach for more.
rStart dinner with a salad or broth-based soup. In
4 MEDIUM ttt
Outwit your appetite
general, dividing meals into courses isn’t the best
strategy, because it can lead to consuming more calo-
Limiting your caloric intake is essential to weight ries than when you see your food all together on the
loss. Whether you eat out, prepare your own meals, plate. Here’s an exception: studies show that starting
or occasionally grab food on the run, your appetite a meal with a small salad and low-calorie dressing
isn’t just governed by physical factors. It’s also inde- such as oil and vinegar or a broth-based soup can
pendently influenced by the sight of food and what the help curb your appetite, filling you up and causing
people around you are eating or ordering. you to eat less at the meal.
What to do: It takes multiple strategies to keep cal- rPlan ahead when you eat out. Check the menu
ories under control. Here are some suggestions: online, pick healthy but delicious choices, and order
rResize your dinner plates. Portions seem larger on before your dinner companions, so you aren’t swayed
smaller plates, so consider scaling down your dinner when they order more caloric options.

5 HARD ttt
Eat mindfully
Try not to hurry through one mouthful of orange
to get to the next. Slow down and stay in the moment.
Mindful eating asks you to sidestep distractions and Before you swallow each portion of the orange, be
tune into body signals. It also slows you down, a true aware of the rising desire to do so. Then note how it
boon since speed at the table may encourage you to feels when you swallow. Throughout the experience,
eat more food. When 30 women were asked to eat remain fully aware. How much are you eating? How
quickly from a large plate of pasta, stopping when do you feel physically and psychologically before, dur-
they were full, they ate an average of 646 calories ing, and after eating?
in nine minutes. Served the same dish on another
day and asked to eat slowly, putting the fork down
between each bite, they stopped at an average of 579
6 HARD ttt
Close the kitchen at night
calories, eaten in a leisurely 29 minutes. This differ- Drifting through the kitchen to snack after dinner can
ence may partly reflect the time it takes for the stom- tack many more calories onto your daily totals.
ach to transmit a signal of fullness or satiety to the What to do: If possible, close the kitchen every
brain. Eating slowly allows this to happen before night after dinner. If that’s too difficult, start with one
you’ve taken in as much food. or two nights a week. Or work backward hour by hour
What to do: Start by penciling in one mindful meal from your bedtime—that is, close the kitchen by 10
a week, then gradually expand to other meals. Skip p.m. if you go to bed at 11. Add another night, or cut
distractions like watching TV or reading the paper. Set back another hour per night, every week. When you
the table nicely. As you eat, slow down and truly savor finish clearing up after dinner, go brush your teeth to
your food, enjoying taste, texture, colors, scent, and signal your body that you’re done eating for the night.
sound. Notice how your body feels when hungry and If you have a kitchen door, shut it. Some people go fur-
satiated. Stop eating when you start to feel full. Try ther by taping it shut (or run a strip of tape across an
practicing mindful eating with snacks and the occa- open doorway). Any physical barrier that you need
sional dessert, too—you’ll be amazed at how satisfying to remove will do—a heavy chair, for example. If you
a handful of mixed nuts, a few spoonfuls of sorbet, or find yourself ready to break the tape or move the chair,
even a single square of chocolate can be. try this four-step process taught at the Benson-Henry
Peeling and eating an orange offers an excellent Institute for Mind Body Medicine:
example. For the first few moments, just concentrate 1. Stop: Consciously call a time-out.
on your breath moving in and out of your nostrils. 2. Breathe: Take a few deep breaths to help relieve
Look at the orange, turning it over in your hands. burgeoning tension.
Run your fingertips over its bumpy texture. Absorb 3. Reflect: Ask some questions. Why did I want to
its vibrant color and light citrus scent. As you start close the kitchen at night? Why do I feel the urge to
peeling it, engage your senses fully. Note the slight eat right now?
spray of citrus oil as your fingers dig into and peel 4. Choose: Decide how to handle your urge. Could you
back the protective skin and soft white pith. How satisfy it in another way? For example, take the dog
does the orange feel and smell now? Are you salivat- for a walk, do push-ups till you’re tired, curl up in
ing? When you put a slice of it in into your mouth bed to read a book, call friends, hop in the shower,
and break through the thin membrane into its juicy get caught up in a TV show, or try a stress relief tech-
center, what sensations do you feel? nique like a body scan (see page 30).
Ease stress
T he tumbling cascade of hormones the body pumps

out in the face of real or perceived threats prepares
you to fight or flee. Encoded for survival, this surge
seems like a sure bet. Remember to choose a SMART
goal (see page 4). Successfully incorporate it into
your life before moving on to another challenge. If all
of adrenaline and other hormones coursing through the choices seem too difficult, flip back to “Breaking
your bloodstream can help you jump out of the path it down” (page 12) and think about how you might
of a speeding car or act fast enough to protect your- make headway with tinier steps.
self and others during a fire or natural disaster. When
tripped off too often, though, the stress response can
grind down your health and well-being. This section
1 EASY ttt
Cue a deep breath
is devoted to helping you become more resilient when Most of us have predictable, repeated moments that
confronted with stress. drive us to distraction. Hoping the morning traffic
jam ahead of you will magically unsnarl? Stuck on
endless hold with a phone glued to your ear? Wish-
The goal ing your computer fired up swiftly or moved from one
Try as you might, it’s not possible, or even desirable, task to another speedily without forcing you to stare at
to scrub all stress from your life. Sometimes stress a slowly turning hourglass?
springs from happy situations, such as a wedding
or a new baby. And at work, an uptick in stress and
anxiety may be mirrored by rises in performance and Why ease stress?
efficiency—at least for a while. Physical and psycho- Your body does a poor job of distinguishing
logical challenges can add zest to life and deliver sat- between life-threatening events—the house
KUQPƂTG—and minor-league stressful
isfying rewards. Often, though, stress is less benign
situations. No matter what the trigger is, your
and stems from events beyond your control. You can’t heart beats faster than normal, you breathe more quickly,
change the world around you—fixing the economy, or your blood pressure rises, and your muscles prepare to
just convincing your aging parent to take her medica- spring into action. Anger or anxiety triggered by less
momentous sources of stress, such as financial trouble,
tion, willing an always-late friend to arrive on time, or
traffic jams, or even worry about problems that haven’t
persuading your partner to pitch in more around the actually occurred, doesn’t find a quick physical release.
house probably seem like equally far-fetched possibili- Instead, it tends to build up as the day wears on. Physical
ties. What you can try to change is your reactions, by and psychological symptoms of stress—a clenched jaw,
taking small steps that enhance your ability to handle shakiness, anxious feelings—compound this, creating a
negative, self-perpetuating cycle that may prompt health
stressful situations. In time, you may reap palpable problems over time.
benefits: lower blood pressure, better sleep, and fewer
High blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease
flare-ups of ailments in which stress plays a role. and stroke, is a prime example. Another is suppression of
the immune system, which slows healing and makes you
more susceptible to colds. Stress may contribute to, or
Six choices exacerbate, many health problems, including allergic skin
reactions, anxiety and depression, headaches, heartburn,
Our six choices help build resilience to stress and fold
irritable bowel syndrome, and pain springing from various
moments of calm into your days. Some choices will conditions.
seem easy, others hard. Start by selecting one that

Instead of grinding your teeth, melt your frus- rChoose an hour a day when nothing electronic,
tration by recasting these cues as an opportunity to wired or wireless, can intrude. Unplug phones, turn
breathe deeply. Breathing shallowly—which people off chimes, let calls go to voice mail.
often do when tense—restricts the diaphragm, a strong rBetter still, pick a longer span of time to unplug and
sheet of muscle below the lungs that drops downward enjoy each moment of peace. During dinner? After
to help pull in oxygenated air and pushes upward to sunset? At 10 p.m.? One entire weekend day?
help expel carbon dioxide. Breathing deeply gives the rKeep electronic devices (including the TV) out of
diaphragm wider range, encouraging a full, beneficial the bedroom. It’s hard enough to get a good night’s
trade of incoming oxygen for outgoing carbon diox- sleep, but when you’re mentally tethered to the
ide. Not surprisingly, deep breathing slows the heart- phone or texts, it’s even harder.
beat and can lower or stabilize blood pressure when
practiced often.
What to do: Practice breath focus, a deep breath-
3 MEDIUM ttt
Do a body scan
ing technique, whenever your cue appears. To learn Relax. This has nothing to do with airport security
it, sit comfortably and quietly. First take a normal or hospital CT machines. It’s a chance to engage in a
breath. Then try a slow, deep breath, letting air flow stress-management technique that loosens tense spots
in through your nose and move downward into your in your body through a blend of deep breathing and
lower lungs so that your abdomen gently swells. visualization.
Breathe out through your nose or your mouth— What to do: Plan a body scan once a day, several
whichever feels most comfortable. Now alternate nor- times a week, and whenever you’re especially stressed.
mal breaths and slow, deep breaths. Pay attention to The key is to concentrate on one part of your body at
how each one feels. Shallow breathing often feels tense a time. As you do, picture that muscle in your mind.
and constricted, while deep breathing produces relax- Imagine it open, warm, and relaxed. Feel any ten-
ation. Still breathing deeply, place a hand just below sion melt away. Then move on to the next portion of
your belly button. Feel your hand rise and fall about your body and repeat. As an example, these steps are
an inch as you inhale and exhale. Your chest will rise adapted from Dr. Herbert Benson and Aggie Casey’s
and fall slightly, too. Relax your belly so that it expands book Mind Your Heart:
fully each time you inhale. rSit or lie down comfortably. For a few minutes, just
breathe deeply (see “Cue a deep breath,” page 29).
2 EASY ttt
Turn off bells and buzzers
Allow your belly to expand as you inhale and con-
tract as you exhale. Now concentrate on your right
The modern world fractures our attention into big toe. Imagine the atoms in your toe and the space
ever-smaller shards. Email chimes, Twitter tweets, between each atom. Imagine your toe feeling open,
Facebook beckons, land lines and cellphones ring, warm, and relaxed. Now visualize each of the other
sometimes in unison and always in the midst of other toes on your right foot, again noticing sensations,
tasks. first imagining atoms and space, then envisioning
What to do: Start by trying one of these options each toe as open, warm, and relaxed. Slowly shift
once a week. Over time, work up to several days—or to your foot, moving mentally from the ball of your
all seven—by adding another day each week. foot to the arch and heel, then the top. Work your
rWhen working on a task, turn off email chimes, hold way up your ankle, calf, knee, thigh, and hip, taking
calls, and squelch urges to check on your Facebook your time. Allow your right leg to fully relax, sink-
friends for a planned amount of time, such as two ing down softly.
hours. rTurn your attention to your left big toe and repeat
rDeliberately seek places where you must unplug: a each step until your left leg is fully relaxed, sinking
religious sanctuary, yoga class, or swimming pool. down softly. Now become aware of your back. Focus
on each vertebra, then the muscles. Slowly move on
to your abdomen and chest. Now turn to your right
thumb, then to each finger. Relax your palm, wrist,
forearm, elbow, upper arm, and shoulder. Now scan
and relax your left thumb and each finger, then your
left palm, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, and
shoulder. Think about your neck and jaw. Yawn.
Allow each part of your face to relax, easing through
your jaw, eyes, and forehead, then your scalp, and
the back of your head.
Thinkstock
rLet your whole body sink deeper and deeper into

your chair or bed. Do you feel light? Relaxed? Imag-
ine you are breathing in calm and peace. Imagine them, then release them like birds flying off. Tune into
releasing any remaining tension as you breathe out. your breathing for a minute or two, then expand your
Sit or lie quietly, still inhaling and exhaling, noting awareness again. A slow, mindful walk helps center
lightness and spaciousness. Slowly open your eyes and relax you. Alternatively, a brisker pace that pushes
and take a moment to stretch, if you like. your limits can be calming and energizing at once. In
this case, place more emphasis on the sensations of
4 MEDIUM ttt
Take a mindful walk
your body—your quickened breathing and heartbeat,
the way your muscles respond when you tax them.
Rooted in Buddhist practices, mindfulness teaches us But don’t limit yourself to practicing mindfulness
to live each moment as it unfolds and accept it with- during walking. You can approach any task mindfully
out judgment. By doing so, you slow the breakneck by following these three steps:
pace of modern life and participate more fully in life. rBegin with a few moments of breath focus (see
One intriguing study measured electrical activity in “Cue a deep breath,” page 29) and return to this
the brain before, immediately after, and four months periodically, staying aware of each inhalation and
after a two-month course of mindfulness. Participants exhalation.
experienced persistent increased activity on the left rProceed slowly and deliberately with your activity.
side of the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with rSavor every sensation, engaging all five senses fully.
joyful, serene emotions.
What to do: Try a mindful walk two to three times
a week, preferably in green space like a park or nature
5 HARD ttt
Try daily meditation
preserve or along quiet streets. During the first few Meditation can evoke the relaxation response, a physi-
minutes of your walk, practice deep breathing. As you ological sea change that slows heartbeat and breathing
move and breathe rhythmically, tune into the sensa- by focusing you on a word, phrase, prayer, or repeti-
tions of your body. How does it feel as breath flows in tive physical activity. Landmark research done by the
through your nostrils and out through your mouth? renowned mind-body pioneer Herbert Benson, a car-
Gradually expand your awareness of the sights, smells, diologist and president of the Benson-Henry Institute
and sounds around you. Notice the scent of freshly for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General
mown grass, colors of flowers, textures of trees, the Hospital, has shown that regularly evoking the relax-
crunch of fallen leaves and twigs, dappled sun—or ation response lowers high blood pressure and eases
gray clouds and the sound and feel of raindrops. How many stress-related ailments.
does the air outside feel against your body? How does What to do: For one week, make a commitment to
the surface beneath your feet feel and sound? What yourself to pare down your schedule so you can medi-
thoughts are moving through your head? Notice tate for 10 to 20 minutes every day. Preferably choose

the same time each day. After a week, see how this work, grocery shopping, laundry, caring for children
makes you feel. or elders—and those you enjoy doing. For some items,
To start, sit or lie down comfortably, closing your you’ll use both colors: if you enjoy your work or like
eyes if you like. Silently repeat a word, sound, prayer, to cook dinner, for example. Then prune one to two
or phrase, such as “peace,” “Om” or “breathing in nonessential items off your weekly list.
calm.” Let stray thoughts go, simply saying “Oh, well,” How can you do this? First, focus on dropping
and returning to silently repeating your focal sound. nonessentials that you don’t enjoy off your list. Then
Now, slowly relax your muscles, moving your atten- take a creative look at the must-get-done-but-don’t-
tion gradually from your face to your feet. Continue to enjoy items. Could you trade a task you detest for one
silently repeat your sound and breathe easily and nat- you like better? Could a task be done less often, or not
urally for 10 to 20 minutes. After you finish, sit quietly at all? Is it worthwhile to pay for the service, or could
for a minute or so with your eyes closed. Then open an online resource like grocery or catalog shopping
your eyes and wait another minute before getting up. save you time and energy at the same cost?
Learning to say “no” gently but firmly will also
6 HARD ttt
Simplify your days
help you simplify your days. Practice in front of the
mirror or with a sympathetic friend. Try saying, “Boy,
If you feel like you’re being tugged in too many direc- you really do need to get that done. I’m not able to
tions, it’s probably true. So ease your stress by seeking do it, though—who else might be able to help?” To
ways to simplify. Identify tasks and social commitments turn down a social engagement, try a regretful, “No,
you could drop without missing them. And practice say- I’m afraid I can’t.” If that’s not sufficient, explain that
ing “no” when asked to tackle tasks that make you feel you have other commitments or are just too pressed
overextended or activities you simply don’t want to do. for time. Setting limits relieves your stress and opens
What to do: Start by writing down your tasks and a path for other solutions and volunteers to emerge.
activities for a week. Using two shades of highlighters, People won’t realize where your limits lie if they seem
divide them into those that must get done—like paid infinitely expandable.
SPECIAL SECTION
Control spending
W
hile money can’t buy happiness—not entirely, any- Successfully incorporate it into your
way—it bolsters security and strings a safety net for life before moving on to another
use when life goes awry. Yet plenty of people drift challenge. If all the choices seem
too difficult, flip back to “Breaking
along, day after day, without much in the way of a financial
it down” (page 12) and think about
plan. Ka-ching. Small purchases add up month by month. Ka- how you might make headway with
ching, ka-ching. Bigger buys can drain money better earmarked tinier steps.
for emergency funds or retirement. If you’ve let yourself drift
because delving into personal finances seemed too overwhelm- 1 EASY ttt
Carry your coffee
ing, this section can help you move several steps down a path to
A quick stop every morning at
gaining greater control. Dunkin’ Donuts or Starbucks adds
The goal Six choices up to a whopping sum by the end
It’s not simply about saving more, Our six choices will help you chip of the year. Do the math yourself.
but also about spending thought- away at budget deficits, save for If a cup of coffee rings in at $1.50
fully. The goal is to free up funds rainy days or a long-desired trip, while a home-brewed cup costs
and identify hot spots where you and take steps toward financial you $.25 or less, you stand to save
tend to mindlessly overspend. planning. Some choices will seem $1.25 a day—or more if you down
Invest in yourself by directing easy, others hard. Start by select- several cups in the course of your
money to the issues and items ing one that seems like a sure bet. day or like fancier coffee drinks or
you really value. Discerning what Choose a SMART goal (see page 4). premium grinds. The difference
you truly enjoy—what brings can help trim your budget or
meaning to your life, not be a slow, steady way to save
expendable stuff into your for something you want.
home—can help you decide What to do: Carry coffee to
when to save and when to work in a thermos or thermal
spend. When extra cash cup every day for a week. Set-
piles up in a coin jar or bank ting everything up the night
account, divert it to reducing before will make this easier.
debts (paying down a credit Prefer a fresh brew? Borrow
card or loan), building an or buy an inexpensive cone
emergency fund, or plump- that sits on a coffee cup, plus
Thinkstock
ing up retirement accounts filters and your favorite grind,

before splurging. then add hot water, as needed.
w ww. h ealt h . h ar v ar d . e du Simple Changes, Big Rewards 33

SPECIAL SECTION | Control spending
3 ttt
MEDIUM
Why focus on spending?
Find free entertainment
Why indeed, in a report that largely centers on health? Financial The cost of entertainment can add
health and happiness count toward a better life, too. A survey
conducted for the American Psychological Association identified up quickly: $20 for movie tickets,
money and the economy as the top source of stress, followed by $7 for the big tub of popcorn; $80
work, family responsibilities, and health concerns. Fallout from an economic for concert tickets. And that’s just
meltdown could put many people at higher risk for compulsive behaviors like for starters.
depression, anxiety, overeating, gambling, and substance abuse, warn experts at
What to do: Opportunities
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Indeed, a health
poll taken by the Associated Press and AOL noted that people reporting higher abound for free entertainment, so
levels of stress from debt were more likely than those experiencing less stress to put your credit cards in lockdown
suffer headaches, trouble sleeping, muscle tension, digestive problems, severe and aim to spend nary a dime on it
anxiety, and other stress-related ailments.
for a week. Check local listings for
While you can’t change the larger economy, you can control your small slice of free concerts, movies, book groups
it. At every income level, staying within your means adds up to better financial
and author readings, lectures, or
health and is likely to lessen stress. So invest in yourself through judicious use
of your money. Social pressures and marketing geniuses prod people into big, political debates. Fluff the couch pil-
splashy purchases or services they can easily do without. If you have thrifty genes lows, pop some popcorn, dim the
that help you put on the brakes, bless your good fortune. You’re better positioned lights, and settle into your “home
to weather unexpected illnesses that siphon off savings and other financial theater” for a movie. Visit no-cost
bumps and bruises. On the other hand, if your credit cards get more exercise on
most days than you do, it’s high time to flip that equation. Taking control of your
art galleries and college art collec-
finances in small and big ways helps defuse a major source of unhealthy stress tions, sample free musical or theat-
and create more space in your life for joy. rical performances, or try museums
during hours when admission is
free. See if your local library has free
Bank the money you would have self for two weeks: cut your own DVDs or passes to museums and
spent daily in a coin jar. At the end carrots, mow the lawn (using a other area attractions. Plan a hike
of the week, repeat your commit- push-reel mower also adds more or a picnic. Launch a family tradi-
ment, or scale it back to several exercise to your week), have the tion: Monopoly Monday? Softball
days a week, if need be. kids wash the car, park farther or Scrabble Sunday? Frisbee Friday?
away from a sporting or theatrical Kids’ night to cook? Enjoy seasonal
2 EASY ttt
Trade convenience for cash
event to avoid higher parking lot
prices, bike to work, or ride public
freebies if you own or can borrow
equipment: cross-country skiing,
Baby carrots, prepared salads, transportation. Bank the savings sledding, ice skating, stargazing,
pricey take-out, pizza nights, house- in a coin jar. If you meet suc- tennis on public courts, rollerblad-
cleaners, landscapers, car washes— cess, pick another few items from ing, biking, and more. Focusing
the list goes ever on. Sometimes your list. Bartering tasks, buying on activities that get you moving
convenience is well worth the price, convenience less often, or paying improves your fitness, too.
but often it’s a great place to pocket children a modest sum for going
some savings.
What to do: List five to 10
above and beyond their usual
family chores helps you save, too.
4 MEDIUM ttt
Rein in impulse purchases
ways you pay for convenience. Grandchildren and neighborhood Slow down or entirely skip non-
Pick two that seem easy enough children can also be a good source emergency purchases. Impulse
to take on and try them your- of low-cost labor. buys may be fun—an iPad you
Control spending | SPECIAL SECTION
covet, those shoes you love—but

Which card first? The one that gives a confidence boost
usually they’re an unnecessary
drain on your wallet. And, truth to If you do funnel part of the savings into paying off credit card debts, try
tell, you probably won’t enjoy the focusing on the card with the smallest amount due first, then move on to the
one with the second lowest balance due, and so on. It may mean paying a bit
lift for long if it generates anxiety more in interest over time than the often touted strategy of paying off the card
about your finances. with the highest annual rate first. Yet that may be a reasonable trade-off if it
What to do: Wedge time between bolsters your confidence in taking control and lessens your stress by taking one
impulse and purchase by waiting a creditor off your list sooner.
week to think it through. Pencil in
no-spend days on your calendar to
remind you of your efforts. It may go—whether that’s rent or the you like, choose another category
help to set up an emergency num- mortgage, utilities, medical costs, and repeat. (For an example of
ber to call—a hotline to a sympa- groceries, or haircuts—and it also how this might work in practice,
thetic friend or sensible spouse offers instant feedback on any see “Track my budget for a month,”
who can talk you off the ledge. Ask changes you make. Pencil in time page 13.)
yourself whether you’d spend the on the calendar twice a week to If buying, loading, and learn-
cash if you had to take it from an enter spending information in the ing your way around financial
emergency fund or retirement sav- program by hand from your paper programs is too high a hurdle,
ings. According to Money maga- records, or via downloads from make all your purchases with a
zine, behavioral economists say it’s bank and credit card websites. debit card, or stash a notepad in
harder to take money from a sav- Schedule 30 minutes at the your purse or pocket to jot down
ings account than a fund you’ve two-week mark to look at expenses every purchase. Still too hard? Try
mentally marked “windfall”—win- with an eye toward identifying tracking one category in a small
nings from a poker game, certainly, unnecessary extras, overspend- notepad for two weeks: groceries
or even a tax return or work bonus. ing hot spots, and less predictable and entertainment are two good
expenses so you’ll be able to do a choices. Set your goal for cuts and
5 HARD ttt
Track your budget
better job of budgeting in the long
term. Sort expenses into categories
see how you’ve done by the end of
the month.
It’s hard to control spending if (rent or mortgage, utilities, gro-
you’re not sure where the money
goes. Once you get a handle on it,
ceries, entertainment, etc.), and
consider what categories would
6 HARD ttt
Turn off the tap
it will be easier to pare unneces- be easiest to trim. Then set a goal Carrying your coffee and trading
sary expenses. to reduce or eliminate specific convenience for cash are great first
What to do: Every night, put expenses (for example: cut out 5% steps. But identifying a monthly
receipts and paid bills in an enve- of spending across the board or in charge you can trim—or, better
lope placed in a visible spot, such one category, ride a bike to work still, cut—pays off automatically,
as on your dresser or desk. Buy rather than paying commuter fees, month after month after month.
and load budget-tracking com- or make your own lunch rather What to do: Take a close look
puter software like Quicken or than buying it). Plan a tangible at bills you pay every month. Here
QuickBooks, or a similar smart- reward if you succeed. At the end are three places to start:
phone application. This makes of the month, sum up victories and r Energy costs. There are many
it easy to see where all the bucks reward yourself appropriately. If ways to trim your gas and elec-
w ww. h ealt h . h ar v ar d . e du Simple Changes, Big Rewards 35

SPECIAL SECTION | Control spending
tric bills. Install a programmable functioning efficiently—and TV—four hours!—to walks or

thermostat to save on energy rearrange furniture so that it other exercise could garner sig-
costs when you’re sleeping or doesn’t cover vents. nificant health benefits.
not home. Check Energy Star, r Cable TV and cellphone. Peri- r Gym membership. There are even
a U.S. government program, odically, review your bills with ways to whittle down your gym
for recommendations on how a company representative and bills. Ask about options to lower
high or low to set your thermo- see if there is a better plan that the cost, such as using the club
stat (www.health.harvard.edu/ will suit your needs and save you in off hours. Put your gym mem-
thermostat). Check the caulking money. Maybe you could switch bership on hold if you’re going to
and weather stripping around to a cheaper data plan, down- be out of town for two or more
windows and door frames to grade to basic cable, or at least weeks. Ask your employer and
make sure hot and cold air aren’t cut off premium channels. Many health insurance plan whether
leaking in. Remember to use libraries have excellent DVD they offer any subsidy for gym
storm windows during winter, collections that you can search membership. Or switch to a
and keep dampers closed when and reserve online. And studies cheaper gym, if you don’t take
the fireplace is not in use. Dur- suggest less TV time could help advantage of the perks in a more
ing the summer, use overhead slim your waistline, especially if expensive place. Gyms can range
fans, if you have them, so that you exercise during some of the dramatically in price, from $1,000
your air conditioners don’t have time you’ve saved by watching or more a year in a sleek facility
to work as hard. While you’re at less TV. Diverting just a quarter with trendy classes and saunas to
it, change the filters in air con- of the average time Americans $100 a year for a basic place that
ditioners regularly to keep them are estimated to spend daily on has just machines.
Harness positive psychology
W hen psychology was in its infancy, its aims

encompassed a desire to understand what helps
people flourish. Over time that goal gave way to a
Excelling here doesn’t depend on your paycheck, the car
you drive, or the size of your home. With these thoughts
in mind, the goal is to encourage you to appreciate your
narrower focus on deciphering and repairing men- life, invest it with greater meaning, and reap more joy.
tal illnesses. This frustrated some mental health pro-
fessionals, who chose a different tack in their work.
“Treatment is not just fixing what is broken, it is nur- Six choices
turing what is best,” Martin E.P. Seligman and Mihaly Our six choices aim to add to your days joy, deeper
Csikszentmihalyi, two leaders in the burgeoning field meaning, and greater connection with others. Some
of positive psychology, wrote when looking back on will seem easy, others hard. Start by selecting one that
why this movement gained traction. In this spirit, this seems like a sure bet. You’re more likely to be success-
section will help you find ways to flourish. ful if you begin by choosing a SMART goal (see page 4).
Successfully incorporate it into your life before mov-
ing on to another challenge. If all the choices seem too
The goal difficult, flip back to “Breaking it down” (page 12) and
Positive psychology seeks to help people thrive and think about how you might make headway with tinier
stretch, to recognize and build upon deep-seated steps.
strengths, to identify and actively create happiness.
1 EASY ttt
Smile at the first 10 people of the day
Why harness positive psychology? Why? Smiling is contagious, and inner feelings
Positive psychology tucks under one may mirror the outer face. When Swedish research-
umbrella the study of positive emotions, full ers monitored facial muscles on study participants
engagement in activities, personal virtues shown images of faces expressing different emotions,
and strengths, and paths to fulfillment and
they observed that a smiling face triggered muscles
a meaningful life. That’s quite a disparate grab bag, and
by dipping into it you may well locate deeper satisfaction, employed when smiling and a frowning face begat
fun, and greater abundance in your life. flickers in muscles engaged when frowning. A smile—
Experts in the field of positive psychology consider ques- at least a genuine one—telegraphs inner happiness
tions of happiness, vitality, and meaning worthy of serious to everyone around you. A number of researchers
scientific research—as well they should, since these issues have asked if the reverse is true, too: could your facial
affect our quality of life and well-being. A sunny, unflap-
expressions influence your emotions? Some research
pable disposition is a plus, but it’s not the price of an entry
ticket to all that’s good in life. Indeed, a growing body of indicates that it does: simply smiling or frowning elic-
research is finding that it’s possible to nurture qualities its feelings of happiness or distress. And deliberately
like optimism even in people who lean toward pessimism, inhibiting facial expressions appeared to tone down
heighten fleeting feelings of happiness by savoring them, emotions triggered by negative and neutral (though
and find joy through expressing gratitude and helping oth-
ers. By doing so, some studies suggest you stand to gain
not positive) video clips, according to a separate study
a longer life and better health by some measures, such as published in the Journal of Research in Personality.
lower risks for hypertension and diabetes. What to do: Smile at the first 10 people you see.
You’re likely to find they’ll smile back. Plus the posi-

tive feedback loop might make your morning happier,
too. Try this for a week. Observe how you feel when
smiling—maybe silly, maybe a bit forced, maybe gen-
uinely happy—and during the rest of your day.
2 EASY ttt
Give thanks
In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly
and consistently associated with greater happiness.
All of us have much to be thankful for—a sunny day,
Thinkstock
a loving partner, a full belly, a joyful moment shared
with a friend, or even light traffic on the way to work.
Shining a spotlight on goodness in your life allows you activities you enjoy, a religious community that reso-
to truly relish positive experiences. As you do, you nates with you, and volunteer opportunities (see “Vol-
may recognize that the wellspring of this goodness lies unteer,” below), though the study doesn’t cover these
beyond you. Such feelings connect us to something situations. Snubbing less happy people isn’t necessary.
larger than our individual experiences—whether to As a BMJ commentator noted, unhappy acquaintances
other people, nature, or a higher power. may make other contributions to our lives.
What to do: Every day, set aside a few moments to
write down three things for which you feel thankful.
It was a beautiful day today. We had a chance to have
4 MEDIUM
Volunteer
ttt
dinner together as a family. I finally called my sister and Helping other people kindles happiness, as many stud-
had a good talk. Be specific and relive the sensations ies have demonstrated. When researchers at the Lon-
you felt as you remember what each of the gifts means don School of Economics examined the relationship
to you. If it seems more natural, say it aloud to your- between volunteering and measures of happiness in a
self or a loved one, or turn it into a prayer. large group of American adults, they found the more
people volunteered, the happier they were, according
3 MEDIUM ttt
Seek out happy people
to a study in Social Science and Medicine. Compared
with people who never volunteered, the odds of being
After crunching social network data derived from “very happy” rose 7% among those who volunteer
more than 4,700 adults in an arm of the Framingham monthly and 12% for people who volunteer every two
Heart Study, researchers reported intriguing find- to four weeks. Among weekly volunteers, 16% felt very
ings in the journal BMJ. People surrounded by, and happy—a hike in happiness that’s comparable to hav-
at the center of, many happy people are more likely to ing an income of $75,000 to $100,000 versus $20,000,
become happy in the future. Statistical models suggest say the researchers. Giving time to religious organiza-
this is more than birds of a feather flocking together. tions had the greatest impact.
Rather, happy people appear to beget new clusters of What to do: Local volunteer opportunities abound,
happiness. For example, having a friend who lived so spend time in a realm you enjoy. Try a senior cen-
within a mile become happy boosted a person’s prob- ter, park, school, religious organization, or political
ability of happiness by 25%. Upbeat moods radiated group you appreciate. Your workplace may organize
as far as friends of friends of friends. And each addi- volunteer projects—and may even offer a day of pay
tional friend counted as happy increased a person’s while you help out. Vacations that mix travel and
likelihood of being happy by about 9%. volunteerism are another option. At disaster sites
What to do: Revel in the company of happy souls. In throughout the world, people with medical and build-
fact, it may be worth seeking happy people out through ing skills are especially welcome. The Internet has
made volunteering easier. You can search for organi-
zations you know and like, or nearby opportunities
Table 2: Six virtues and underlying strengths
that could use an hour or day of your help, through VIRTUE UNDERLYING STRENGTHS
a number of online resources. These include Volun- Wisdom: t Creativity
teer Match (www.volunteermatch.org
www.volunteermatch.org), a national Intellectual strengths that help t Curiosity
you gain and use information t Open-mindedness
nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthen- t Love of learning
ing communities; a U.S. government website called t Perspective
Serve.Gov (www.serve.gov
www.serve.gov); and Senior Corps Courage: t Integrity
(www.nationalservice.gov
www.nationalservice.gov), which puts the exper- Strengths of will that help you t Bravery
tise and energies of Americans over 55 to good use. accomplish goals in the face of t Persistence
fear and obstacles t Vitality
Another good source is AARP, which has launched
Humanity: t Social or emotional
the website Create the Good (www.createthegood.org
www.createthegood.org) Strengths that help you befriend intelligence
to help people match their interests and abilities to others and tend relationships t Love
needs in their communities. The site also has step-by- t Kindness
step videos and do-it-yourself tool kits for people who Justice: t Teamwork
wish to head up or handle alone big or small volun- Social or civic strengths that help t Fairness
bolster a healthy community t Leadership
teer efforts like conserving energy, organizing a river
Temperance: t Mercy
cleanup, helping someone find public benefits, start- Protective traits that help you t Humility and modesty
ing a giving circle, and more. avoid excess and stay on track in t Self-control
the face of temptations t Prudence
5 HARD ttt
Tally your strengths
Transcendence:
Strengths of meaning that
t Appreciation of beauty
t Spirituality
connect you with the larger t Gratitude
Signature strengths can be defined as character traits world and provide meaning t Hope
you identify with, appreciate, and enjoy using: perhaps t Humor
you’re a curious person and you have a lot of integrity. Adapted from the VIA Institute on Character. For more information on virtues
and signature strengths, go to www.viacharacter.org
www.viacharacter.org.
Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson, scientific
director of the VIA Institute on Character in Ohio,
wrote a handbook describing six universally valued What to do: Identify your key strengths by looking
virtues, or core characteristics, and the underlying over the accompanying table of six virtues and under-
strengths through which people display them. They lying strengths (see Table 2, above). If you have trou-
drew on philosophers and religions throughout his- ble identifying key strengths, think about what comes
tory and across cultures to distill these virtues. easily to you and what you often are complimented on.
Strengths may change throughout life as circum- Or ask someone you respect and who knows you well
stances do. Playing to strengths can help you meet to help. Once you’ve done that, choose just one key
challenges. For example, one person trying to influ- strength to use in a new way every day for a week. For
ence a local school board to ban soft drink sales might example, on day one you might plunge into an activ-
tap into the strength to speak up forcefully and clearly ity that makes you nervous (bravery), set a beautiful
at a meeting; another person strong in team-building table for an ordinary meal (appreciation of beauty),
might feel uncomfortable speaking out, yet could help or listen to a talk show you normally are at odds with
build consensus among parents, nutritionists, and and consider legitimate points it may raise (open-
school officials. A study published in American Psy- mindedness), depending on which of these strengths
chologist noted that happiness increased and depres- you’ve chosen. Strengths most closely linked to hap-
sion decreased for six months in participants who piness—gratitude, hope, vitality, curiosity, and love—
were asked to identify their signature strengths and may be worth cultivating even if they’re not on your
then use one in a new way every day for a week. current list of signature strengths.

If you need more help identifying key strengths, you of the Quality of Life Research Center at Claremont
can delve into this more fully by filling out the online Graduate University, this state of being feels effortless,
Inventory of Signature Strengths Survey. You’ll find it at yet active. You lose awareness of time, you cease to
www.viame.org/strengths. This 30-minute online ques-
www.viame.org/strengths think about yourself or feel distracted by extraneous
tionnaire developed at the VIA Institute on Character thoughts. You may be working toward a goal—earn-
identifies signature strengths. A free report provides a ing a graduate degree or winning a chess tourna-
brief write-up of your five signature strengths. Paying ment—yet that isn’t your primary motivation. Rather,
a fee entitles you to a more comprehensive discussion you find the activity itself rewarding. Researchers have
of your strengths and virtues, plus suggested activities found flow hinges on a balance between the size of
intended to bolster or expand on this foundation. a challenge and the level of your skill. Watching TV,
for example, isn’t likely to spark a sense of flow even
6 HARD ttt
Find the flow
though you may find it relaxing.
What to do: Think about times in your life when
Ever been so immersed in what you were doing that you’ve experienced flow and seek a new way to invite
distractions and background chatter just fell away? it into your life. So if you feel confidence and pleasure
Nothing existed except the shush of your skis on the in your driving, or have the ability to play a particu-
snow, the sensation of your car sweeping around lar piano concerto, you might try driving your car on
bends in the road, the images cast by the book you had unfamiliar roads or playing a more complex composi-
your nose in, or the satisfying sense of pieces clicking tion. Match your skills to a new activity that offers rich
into place as you worked though a challenging task. sensory experiences: perhaps a pottery class, a carpen-
Dubbed “flow” by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, director try project, or a different medium in art.
Nip an unhealthy habit in the bud
A s you strive to make health-enhancing course cor-

rections described in this report, it’s worthwhile to
look at unhealthy habits that creep up on you. Smok-
the unhealthy activity or indulgence to a point where
it isn’t compromising your ability to handle daily chal-
lenges, harming your health, or loosening ties with
ing a cigarette now and again can quickly morph into family and friends. Ultimately, nipping an unhealthy
a regular habit. Likewise, if occasional social drinking habit in the bud can be a gift in many ways, whether it
is becoming a nightly event, or if your morning cof- helps you improve your health, save money, or recon-
fee is now a daylong ritual that disturbs your sleep at nect with people and activities you enjoy.
night, it’s time to take stock.
Sometimes, even seemingly harmless pursuits
become an issue when you start to indulge in them too Six choices
often. Surfing the Internet night after night, watching Our six choices aim to help you take stock, derail
eye-glazing hours of TV, or spending more time on harmful routines, and start cutting back on unhealthy
social media with online pals than you do with flesh- habits. Some choices will seem easy, others hard. Start
and-blood friends and family all qualify as unhealthy by selecting one that seems like a sure bet and is a
habits, too. At best, these activities soak up excessive SMART goal (see page 4). Successfully incorporate it
amounts of time, leaving you less opportunity to engage into your life before moving on to another challenge.
in healthier pursuits, like a walk or a favorite sport, and If all the choices seem too difficult, flip back to “Break-
to enjoy and deepen social ties. Close relationships not ing it down” (page 12) and think about how you might
only add pleasure to life, studies have shown that they make headway with tinier steps.
might help you live longer and stay mentally sharp.
There’s a very big difference, of course, between
a minor unhealthy habit you can fix yourself and an
1 EASY ttt
Take stock
addiction or dependency that calls for more serious What’s your bad habit? How often are you indulging?
intervention. If you suspect that you’re dealing with How much time and money do you spend on it each
addiction or dependency (see page 43), you’ll need week? What cues set you off? Why are you doing it?
additional sources of support and professional help to To relax? To escape? To stay alert? To relieve bore-
change course. dom? Anxiety? Anger? Loneliness?
What to do: Log the habit for one to two weeks in
a journal, answering all of the questions asked above.
The goal Then write down why you shouldn’t—and should—
Striking a better balance in your life is an excellent make a change, following the example in Table 1 on
goal that will help you nip unhealthy habits in the bud. page 3. Once you have a better understanding of your
Unless you’re trying to stop drinking alcohol or using habit, distract yourself when the urge arises with a sub-
other chemical substances, abstinence usually isn’t stitute tailored to the underlying issue. For example,
necessary, as long as the object of your indulgence— call a friend or family member to connect if you’re feel-
online poker, caffeine, TV, or texting, for instance— ing lonely; try a relaxation technique like deep breath-
doesn’t rise to the level of addiction or dependency. ing or a body scan if you’re anxious; take a walk or do
So, with the exception of drugs and alcohol, banish more vigorous exercise like push-ups or jumping rope
all-or-nothing thinking. Instead, aim to throttle back if you’re bored or angry.

Why nip an unhealthy habit in the bud?
Your health, finances, and social life are all and anxiety. Other caffeinated beverages prompt most of
good reasons to stop bad habits from becoming these side effects, too. Generally studies don’t implicate
entrenched. Many of these habits are quite moderate caffeine use as a significant health risk, but at $3
costly, either in dollars or in terms of time you for a cup of java at specialty coffee shops and at least $1
could spend better elsewhere. While it’s not possible to per cup at less expensive venues, finances may be an even
touch on the effects of every unhealthy habit, here are a few bigger reason to cut back.
common problem areas: Electronic media. Electronic devices connect people liv-
Smoking. Most smokers are well aware of the harmful health ing everywhere and open routes to information and new
effects of smoking, which kills an estimated 440,000 Ameri- sources of enjoyment. Yet brightly lit screens and constant
cans each year—more than alcohol, cocaine, heroin, homicide, dings, pings, and buzzes serve as enticing distractions.
suicide, car accidents, fire, and AIDS combined. Smoking raises Time that could be spent on exercising, nurturing hobbies,
the risk for lung and other cancers, emphysema and other finishing tasks, or visiting friends instead gets sunk into
respiratory ailments, hypertension, and heart disease. imaginary second lives, online poker or solitaire, shoals of
emails, flashy computer games, smartphone applications,
Alcohol. Alcohol misuse sharply raises the risk of illness
excessive Facebook updates, texting, or tweeting. Ironically,
from numerous health problems, including liver disease, heart
all these connections can still feel socially isolating, disrupt
disease, and some types of cancer. Alcohol also interacts with
sleep or daily tasks, and create more stress than they relieve.
many prescription medications, causing dangerous side effects.
Once you become wired—or wireless—it may be hard to
Caffeine. Although there are some health benefits from disconnect in a calming, mindful manner. In extreme cases,
modest coffee consumption, taken to excess, coffee may overuse of social and electronic media can cross the line
cause heartburn, sleep problems, yellow teeth, jitteriness, into addictive behaviors.
2 EASY ttt
Practice saying no
to chat, you end up with a drink in hand, and when-
ever you drink, you feel like having a cigarette. Break-
Peer pressure doesn’t end after high school. Many peo- ing longstanding routines linked to your habit helps
ple who drink or smoke like to have others join in. get you out of this loop.
Ditto for buddies who aid and abet as you pry the seal What to do: Identify the cue (see “Take stock,” page
off a pint of ice cream, or who spend just as much time 41) and switch up your routine. For example, ask a non-
on Facebook as you do. smoking spouse or friend to trade cars for a stretch.
What to do: Watch out for peer pressure, good- Before trading back, detailing your own car to clear out
natured or not. Let friends and family know in the reminders of smoking and tone down the scent can
advance that you’re trying to cut back and ask them help you turn over a new leaf. Choose a different route,
for their support. Script responses you can make for bring new music, and replace the cigarettes with a pack
different situations and practice using them. Actively of chewing gum. Or use public transportation, where
seeking out people who share healthier interests will smoking is squelched by law. Similarly, if you always
help, too: volunteer in your community, join a sports have a drink when you get home from work, clear away
club or gym, take an adult ed course, and so on. the alcohol and stock your fridge with nonalcoholic
substitutes. Or instead of going straight home, go to a
3 MEDIUM ttt
Derail your routine
movie, art exhibit, or author reading.
Powerful cues help keep us on autopilot. If you’re a

smoker, for example, the cue might be as direct as the
4 MEDIUM ttt
Cut the habit in half
lingering smell of cigarettes in your car, or as indirect Once you establish how often you engage in the habit,
as the route you take home, which swings by a bar set your sights on reducing this by half each day or
where your friend’s car is often parked. When you stop week.
What to do: Over the course of a week, track the
time you spend on the activity, the amount of substance Addiction and dependency
used, or the amount spent (14 hours of TV, six candy Loss of control over a substance or behavior and
bars, $15 on fancy coffee drinks). Then divide this in continued craving for it despite negative consequences
characterize addiction. Imaging technologies that show
half and write down on the calendar how much to cap it the brain responding similarly to different pleasurable
at for each day (or per week if you do it less frequently). experiences have persuaded many experts to consider
Check off days you hit that goal and brainstorm changes addiction to be a single disorder with varied expressions.
if you hit obstacles. At the end of the following week, if Illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and even medicines
you’ve saved money, reward yourself by spending half prescribed for sleep, pain, or anxiety have long been
of it, if you wish, and saving the other half. recognized as potentially addictive substances. Exces-
sive gambling, shopping, sex, and overuse of an array of
electronic media represent another side of this coin.
5 HARD ttt
Try going without When a dependency develops, a person exhibits at least
three of these symptoms or behaviors:
Try bypassing your habit entirely one day a week. Too
t greater tolerance to the substance or behavior
easy? Try two days (or more).
t withdrawal symptoms when cutting back or quitting,
What to do: Write down on the calendar the day or such as anxiety, trouble sleeping, or nausea
days that you’ll go without TV, alcohol, social media, t unsuccessful attempts to cut down or quit
online poker, or another questionable habit. Plan t loss of control over the amount, or period, of use
ahead for obstacles: when you feel like indulging, what
t a greater focus on thoughts, plans, actual use, and
will do you to stave this off? Keep track of how you recovery time
felt, what made this easy or hard to accomplish, and t a decreased focus on other aspects of life, including
what sort of substitutions helped. Keeping your hands sports, time with friends and family, and hobbies
and mind busy is often a boon: go for a long bike ride, t ignoring problems caused by indulgence in the
try knitting or gardening, set up Scrabble, or invite a substance or behavior, such as trouble with
friend along to see a movie. relationships or worsening health.
If this applies, you’ll need more assistance in breaking
unhealthy habits than this report can offer. Talk to your
6 HARD ttt
Know when to ask for help doctor or seek a treatment program if you think you may
have an addiction or dependency. Many people turn to
The hardest step to take may be admitting you can’t peer support groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA),
handle this issue by yourself. Let’s say you do well Narcotics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, and Over-
all day—you eat healthy foods and walk off urges to eaters Anonymous. Residential (live-in) treatment centers
splurge. Instead of snacking, you do 10 push-ups. provide the most intensive addiction treatment.
But sometime after you click off the lights on a clean
kitchen and before the clock strikes midnight, your
resolve crumbles and you eat every calorie you’ve in cognitive behavior therapy, which teaches people
walked off (and then some). to change patterns of thought and behavior that con-
What to do: Congratulate yourself for trying hero- tribute to problems. Or contact a 12-step program or
ically and making many good moves. But this habit support group on your own: Overeaters Anonymous,
is entrenched too deeply to be rooted out so easily. Alcoholics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, the
You need more support and possibly more direction American Cancer Society, and similar organizations,
to reach your goals. Discuss the issue with your doc- or SMART Recovery (self-management and recov-
tor or a mental health professional, preferably one ery training), which emphasizes helping participants
experienced in techniques to enhance motivation or identify emotional and environmental triggers.

Resources
Organizations Shape Up America!
www.shapeup.org
American Council on Exercise
4851 Paramount Drive A not-for-profit organization founded by a former U.S.
San Diego, CA 92123 Surgeon General and committed to helping people achieve
888-825-3636 (toll-free) a healthy body weight. Provides evidence-based information
www.acefitness.org and guidance on weight management, plus handy tools to
encourage eating well and exercising.
ACE is a nonprofit organization that promotes fitness and offers
a wide array of educational materials, including a video fitness SuperTracker
library on the website. U.S. Department of Agriculture
www.supertracker.usda.gov
Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at
Massachusetts General Hospital A government website with tools that permit you to assess
151 Merrimac St., 4th floor and personalize eating plans and exercise, look up nutrition
Boston, MA 02114 information, and track your weight.
617-643-6090 VIA Institute on Character
www.massgeneral.org/bhi 312 Walnut St., Suite 3600
Home base to mind-body pioneer Dr. Herbert Benson and Cincinnati, OH 45202
colleagues, who have taught the relaxation response and other www.viacharacter.org
stress management techniques for many years. The Institute has The VIA Institute on Character does research on character
programs for people with stress-related health concerns, such virtues and strengths. The website features a full-length
as heart disease, chronic pain, and infertility, as well as exercise, inventory of strengths, a brief survey, and a version for
nutrition, and wellness programs. children. All can be taken and scored online.
Institute of Lifestyle Medicine
Joslin Diabetes Center Books
1 Joslin Place
Boston, MA 02215 Eat, Drink, and Weigh Less: A Flexible and Delicious Way
617-309-2435 to Shrink Your Waist Without Going Hungry
www.instituteoflifestylemedicine.org Mollie Katzen and Walter C. Willett, M.D.
(Hyperion, 2007)
Led by Dr. Edward M. Phillips, the medical editor of this report,
the Institute seeks to reduce the prevalence of lifestyle-related Written by a well-known cookbook author along with the
disease by changing modifiable behaviors. Clinicians work with head of Harvard School of Public Health’s Department of
patients to change lifestyle choices—such as physical inactivity Nutrition, this book describes a flexible, medically sound
and unhealthy eating—that damage health and longevity. weight-loss program. Dietary changes, behavioral steps, and
healthy, easy-to-prepare recipes work together to help you
The Nutrition Source—Knowledge for Healthy Eating lose weight.
Harvard School of Public Health
Department of Nutrition Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting
677 Huntington Ave. Fulfillment
Boston, MA 02115 Tal Ben-Shahar, Ph.D.
www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource (McGraw-Hill, 2007)
This website offers free public access to the latest information The teacher of Harvard’s popular undergraduate course in
on nutrition and health. positive psychology, Ben-Shahar uses examples from research,
his course, and his life to encourage people to develop greater
Oldways levels of happiness in their lives.
266 Beacon St.
Boston, MA 02116 Making the Most of Your Money Now: The Classic
617-421-5500 Bestseller Completely Revised for the New Economy
www.oldwayspt.org Jane Bryant Quinn
(Simon & Schuster, 2009)
A nonprofit nutrition think tank that has blended science and
tradition to present healthy eating pyramids derived from A compendium of solid advice from longtime financial
Mediterranean, Asian, and Hispanic cultures, plus one for columnist Jane Bryant Quinn. Touches on a range of topics,
vegetarians. The website offers abundant tips for eating well including weathering financial setbacks, cutting your budget
every day and enjoying the pleasures of the table along with to fit your income and savings intentions, buying insurance of
recipes to help you do so. all types, making investments, and planning for retirement.
The No Sweat Exercise Plan: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, Core Exercises: 6 Workouts to Tighten Your Abs,
and Live Longer Strengthen Your Back, and Improve Balance
Harvey B. Simon, M.D. Edward M. Phillips, M.D., Medical Editor
(McGraw-Hill, 2006) Josie Gardiner and Joy Prouty, Master Trainers
Written by a leading Harvard Medical School physician, this (Harvard Medical School, 2013)
book introduces an innovative exercise plan that details ways The Harvard Medical School 6-Week Plan for Healthy
to be healthy and lose weight through day-to-day activities Eating
without working up a sweat. Based on scientific data and Teresa Fung, Sc.D., R.D., Faculty Editor
written for people who know they need to exercise, but aren’t Kathy McManus, M.S., R.D., Nutrition Editor
interested in heavy workouts. (Harvard Medical School, 2013)
Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life: Train Your Brain to Overcoming Addiction: Paths Toward Recovery
Get More Done in Less Time Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D., C.A.S., Medical Editor
Margaret Moore, Paul Hammerness, John Hanc (Harvard Medical School, 2011)
(Harlequin, 2011)
Harvard psychiatrist Paul Hammerness harnesses information on Positive Psychology: Harnessing the Power of Happiness,
the brain’s organization to work more efficiently, with less stress. Mindfulness, and Inner Strength
Ronald Siegel, Psy.D., Medical Editor
Relaxation Revolution: Enhancing Your Personal Health (Harvard Medical School, 2013)
through the Science and Genetics of Mind Body Healing
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Simple Changes Big Rewards A Practical Easy Guide For Healthy Happy Living Harvard Health

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Simple Changes Big Rewards A Practical Easy Guide For Healthy Happy Living Harvard Health

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A Harvard Medical School Special Health Report

SPECIAL BONUS SECTION

Here’s what you CAN do Here’s what you CAN’T do

Licensing, Bulk, and Corporate Sales

Harvard Health Publications

Edward M. Phillips, M.D.

M aking major changes in lifestyle habits isn’t easy.

the direction you’d like to taking a break while hav-

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Table 1: Is a change worthwhile?

WHY I LIKE SMOKING WHY I’D LIKE TO QUIT

COSTS OF SMOKING COSTS OF QUITTING

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L et’s get started. This section walks you through

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Harness positive psychology 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Nip an unhealthy habit 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Adapted from Wellcoaches ((www.wellcoaches.com

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THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

What’s working: My successes

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Obstacle: I forgot to record my spending today.

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E vidence abounds for the benefits of exercise. It’s

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1. Wall push-up 2. Triceps dip

3. Chair stand with staggered legs

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4. Bridge with chair 5. Curl-up with one leg extended

Starting position: Start on your hands and knees.

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7. Standing side leg lift 8. Heel raise

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W hy not just nosh on Twinkies, caramel corn, and

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Figure 1: Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate

The Healthy Eating Plate is made up of one-

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W hile you may gain weight for many complex rea-

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By themselves, coffee and tea of time—may be one factor that

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1 thumb tip = 1 fist = 1 palm =

1 finger = 1 handful = 2 handfuls =

2 handfuls palm handful

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T he tumbling cascade of hormones the body pumps

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rLet your whole body sink deeper and deeper into

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