Stop Stressing About Your Heart Health -- Step Up Your Fitness Program Before American Heart Month is Over

Because heart health occurs over a long period of time and people cant easily see the internal changes taking place, sticking to a fitness program can be challenging. A Minnesota based fitness author offers some practical tips to help get started. And it all begins with a calendar.

St. Paul, MN (PRWEB) February 17, 2005 -- Februarys American Heart Month raises awareness of heart disease and inspires and helps many people to take better care of their fitness and health. But for people inclined to stick their heads in the sand, or who feel overwhelmed or stressed out by the challenge of overhauling their unhealthy lifestyles, a Minnesota based fitness author offers some practical tips to help get started. And it all begins with a calendar.

First, put your health habits into real-time mode by tracking them on a calendar. That will help you realize that you are already on a fitness program by virtue of what you do -- or dont do -- every day of your life," says Stillwater MN based Jennifer Luhrs, creator and publisher of the Streaming Colors Fitness Journal, a calendar you color in with your positive fitness actions each day. No one expects perfection, but today is a good day to start making small improvements in your fitness habits, especially since so many people are reaching out to help you during American Heart Month."

Second, look at your calendar and start relating your health habits to the traditional calendar divisions you use all the time -- days, weeks, months and years. Look for opportunities to accelerate steady, gradual change. If, like most people, you make resolutions in January and forget about them by February, make a note on your calendar right now to set realistic, action-oriented goals at the beginning of every month. When it comes to your health, you cant afford to put off improvement for a whole year at a time," cautions Luhrs, 55, who has a family history of heart disease.

Luhrs advises you to keep breaking your fitness efforts down into smaller and more manageable steps. Set a goal for how many hours youll exercise each week, or how often each week youll add a healthy food item like fish or oatmeal to your daily diet, or avoid an unhealthy food like greasy french fries. Keep track of it all every day on your calendar. Studies show that people who keep a journal are more successful in making healthy behavior change," states daughter Alexis Luhrs, who shares her mothers goal of making fitness more fun for people of all ages and fitness levels.

Because heart health occurs over a long period of time and people cant easily see the internal changes taking place, sticking to a fitness program can be challenging. Thats why the Luhrs women have created a calendar that offers people a fun, visual way to see the progress they make in taking positive fitness actions over time. On the Streaming Colors Fitness Journal, boldly-outlined daily modules are colored in according to a customized monthly color key. Yellow might indicate exercise, orange could show a workout with weights, and green might celebrate a donut-free day. Seeing too much empty white space helps motivate you to do more.

With the signs of heart disease showing up in children at younger and younger ages, its clear that Americans of all ages need to take steps every day to create a heart healthy lifestyle," says Alexis Luhrs, 26. Its a lifelong gift we can give to ourselves and to the people we love. If you still cant get started, identify the single most important thing that is standing in your way and resolve to take care of it before American Heart Month is over. Whether its calling your doctor for a pre-exercise check-up, shopping for some running shoes, or joining a walking club or weight loss support group, write it down on your calendar and then do it before February is over. Theres magic in just getting started."

The Streaming Colors Fitness Journal ($15.95) is available online at www.streamingcolors.com and at amazon.com. Ask for it through your employer, health care provider, fitness trainer and other retailers.

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