Living The S.M.A.R.T. Life (NAPSA)—Living a healthier lifestyle sounds like a daunting task, and holidays or special events tend to trip most people up, but it’s actually easier to achieve than you imagine. A few small changes can makea positive difference for the whole family. Ellie Krieger, a registered dietitian and author of “Small Changes, Big Results,” says the key is to start now and makeit fun so you’ve adopted healthier habits by the time the holidayshit. Krieger encourages families to live S.M.A.R.T. The Smart Spot program from PepsiCo introduces five simple steps for healthier living. Each of the five letters represents a simple step you can take to live a healthierlifestyle: S Start with a healthy breakfast M Move more A Add more fruits, vegetables and whole grains R Rememberto hydrate T Try fewercaloriesor fats. “Achieving a healthier lifestyle can be fun, especially if you get the whole family involved in making smarter choices,” said Krieger. “Challenge your family to follow the S.M.A.R.T. lifestyle and cele- brate the smart choices you make.” handful of raisins to make a face in his or her oatmeal. Move more. Makeit a habit to go on a family walk after dinner each night. Anyone who doesn’t want to join has to do the dishes. Walking 2,000 extra steps per day (or the equivalent of 20 minutes) burns 100 calories. Remember, small changes add up. Add morefruits, vegetables and whole grains. Choose 100 percent whole wheat bread over white the next time you’re ordering sandwiches for the family. Encourage kids to eat a “rainbow”of foods every day. Remember to hydrate. Waterplaysa vital role in delivering nutrients and oxygen to cells. To help you stay hydrated, keep a water bottle in your purse and have extras handy in the car so you can all grab and go. Try fewer calories or fats. You don’t have to give up your favorite snack; just choose the lower-calorie or lower-fat version instead. Make it easy by stocking the pantry with foods that carry the Smart Spot”, the symbol of smart choices made easy from PepsiCo, like Baked Lays or Quaker Rice Snacks. Krieger offers these suggestions for fun ways to incorporate the S.M.A.R.T. lifestyle into your daily routine. Start with a healthy breakfast. Research shows that people who eat breakfast tend to weigh less than those who don’t. Plus it gives you energy to jumpand a glass of Tropicana Orange day. You can add little fun by giving each family member a Ph.D., one of America’s foremost experts in weight management and co-founder of America On the Move, a national initiative dedi- cated to helping Americans make positive changes to improve health and quality oflife. Dr. Hill’s research found that people who were most successful in improving their health and maintaining weight loss over the longest period of time didn’t make drastic changes to their lifestyle, but rather did basic things that could be easily incorporated into everyday lives. From this re- search, the S.M.A.R.T. guidelines were developed. “The S.M.A.R.T. guidelines are all things our mothers taught us,” said Krieger. “Butit’s a fun way to remember and feel good about making smarter choices.” For more information and tips on leading a healthier, S.M.A.R.T.er lifestyle, just log on to start your day. Quaker Oatmeal Juice is a great way to start the Ellie Krieger S.M.A.R.T. Research The S.M.A.R.T. guidelines are based on research by Jim Hill, www.smartspot.com. You and your family will be on your way to a healthier lifestyle just in time for the holidays.
