Skip to main content

          -  U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 

            - Virtual Tour
            - Staff Directory
            - En Español

## Site Menu

-  Home 
-  Health Information  - Health Care Providers & Facilities
- Health Info Lines
- HealthCare.gov
- Science Education Resources
- NIH Clinical Research Trials and You
- Talking to Your Doctor

More »

Search Health Topics

Quick Links
- MedlinePlus Health Info
- NIH News in Health
- Wellness Toolkits
 
-  Grants & Funding  - Grants Home Page
- Find Funding
- Due Dates
- How to Apply
- About Grants
- Policy & Compliance
- Grants News/Blog
- Contracts
- Loan Repayment

More »

Quick Links
- RePORT
- eRA Commons
- NIH Common Fund
 
-  News & Events  - News Releases
- Digital Media Kits
- Media Resources
- Media Contacts
- Images and B-roll
- Events
- Social Media

More »

Quick Links
- NIH News in Health
- NIH Research Matters
- NIH Record
 
-  Research & Training  - Medical Research Initiatives
- Science Highlights
- Science Education
- Research in NIH Labs & Clinics
- Training Opportunities
- Library Resources
- Research Resources
- Clinical Research Resources
- Safety, Regulation and Guidance

More »

Quick Links
- PubMed
- Stem Cell Information
- OppNet
- NIDB
- NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research
 
-  Institutes at NIH  - List of Institutes and Centers
- NIH Office of the Director
- Directors of NIH Institutes and Centers
- NIH Institute and Center Contact Information

More »

Quick Links
- NCI
- NEI
- NHLBI
- NHGRI
- NIA
- NIAAA
- NIAID
- NIAMS
- NIBIB
- NICHD
- NIDCD
- NIDCR
- NIDDK
- NIDA
- NIEHS
- NIGMS
- NIMH
- NIMHD
- NINDS
- NINR
- NLM
- CC
- CIT
- CSR
- FIC
- NCATS
- NCCIH
 
-  About NIH  - Who We Are
- What We Do
- Jobs at NIH
- Visitor Information
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Contact Us

More »

Quick Links
- The NIH Director
- Take the Virtual Tour
- NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®
- Impact of NIH Research
- Science, Health, and Public Trust
 

## You are here

HomeHealth Information

## Health Information

### Health Information

                - Health Care Providers & Facilities
                - Health Info Lines
                - HealthCare.gov
                - MedlinePlus Health Info
                - Wellness Toolkits
                - NIH Clinical Research Trials and You
                - Talking to Your Doctor

Your Healthiest Self

# Physical Wellness Toolkit

En español

Watching what you put into your body, how much activity you get, and your weight are important for keeping your body working properly. Positive physical health habits can help decrease your stress, lower your risk of disease, and increase your energy. Flip each card below for checklists on how to improve your health in each area. Click on the images to read articles about each topic. You can also print the checklists separately or all together to share with others or as a reminder to yourself.

Printer-friendly version of this page

## 6 strategies for improving your physical health

### Get active

Flip

#### To increase your activity:

                            - Set specific goals for your physical activity.
                            - Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
                            - Park your car at the far end of the street or parking lot.
                            -  Set up your space so you can walk on a treadmill while watching TV or stand when using the computer. 
                            -  Try an online exercise class to stay active from home. 
                            -  Set an alarm to go off every hour as a reminder to move around for a minute or two. 
                            -  Have small weights in your office or around your home for doing arm exercises. 
                            -  Take a walk on your lunch breaks. Or have “walking meetings” with colleagues at work. 
                            - Read more
                            - Printable

Back

### Maintain your muscle

Flip

#### To build muscle safely:

                            -  **Start slowly, especially if you haven’t been active for a long time.** 
                            -  **Pay attention to your body.** Exhaustion, sore joints, or muscle pain mean you’re overdoing it. 
                            -  **Use small amounts of weight to start.**Focus on your form, and add more weight slowly, over time. 
                            -  **Use smooth, steady movements to lift weights into position.** Don’t jerk or thrust weights. 
                            -  **Avoid “locking” your arm and leg joints in a straight position.** 
                            -  **Don’t hold your breath during strength exercises.** 
                            -  **Ask for help.** Look for a group class at a local gym, recreation center, or senior center. Or find a trainer. 
                            - Read more
                            - Printable

Back

### Find a healthy weight

Keeping your body at a healthy weight may help you lower your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer that can result from carrying excess weight or obesity. Take charge of your weight and your health.

Flip

#### To reach your weight loss goals:

                            -  **Calculate how many calories you need for your weight goals.**Visit NIH’s Body Weight Planner. 
                            -  **Record your daily food intake and physical activity**using an app on your phone or a journal.  
                            -  **Weigh yourself**every day, or at least once a week. 
                            -  **Set specific goals.** Be realistic about your time and abilities. 
                            -  **Choose healthy meals and physical activities you enjoy.** You’re more likely to stick with ones you like. 
                            -  **Plan physical activities with friends or family.** 
                            -  **Identify temptations.**Plan ways to stay on track. 
                            -  **Learn from your slips.** Find out what triggered the slip and restart your eating and physical activity plan. 
                            -  **Be patient.** Changing lifestyle habits takes time. 
                            - Read more
                            - Printable

Back

### Mind your metabolism

Your metabolism changes as you get older. You burn fewer calories and break down foods differently. You also lose lean muscle. Unless you exercise more and adjust your diet, the pounds can add up. Middle-age spread can quickly become middle-age sprawl. Carrying those extra pounds may be harming your health.

Flip

#### To combat age-related changes:

                            - Commit to a healthy diet.
                            - Limit snacking.
                            - Drink plenty of water.
                            - Move more. Take the stairs and add walking breaks to your day.
                            - Get plenty of sleep.
                            - Limit alcohol use. Alcohol is high in calories and may worsen health conditions common among older adults.
                            - Avoid tobacco products. When you quit smoking, you may improve many aspects of your health and are likely to add years to your life.
                            - Read more
                            - Printable

Back

### Eat a healthy diet

We make dozens of decisions every day. When it comes to deciding what to eat and feed our families, it can be a lot easier than you might think to make smart choices. A healthy eating plan not only limits unhealthy foods, but also includes a variety of healthy foods. Find out which foods to add to your diet and which to avoid.

Flip

#### To eat a healthier diet:

                            -  **Eat a variety of foods**—vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, lean meat, seafood, eggs, milk, yogurt, and cheese. 
                            -  **Limit foods that are low in vitamins and minerals.** 
                            -  ****Cut down on sugar.** Pick food with little or no added sugar. Use the Nutrition Facts label to choose packaged foods with less total sugar.** 
                            - **Replace saturated fats in your diet with unsaturated fats.**  Use olive, canola, or other vegetable oils instead of butter, meat fats, or shortening.
                            - **Get more fiber.**  Increase your fiber intake gradually, so						 your body can get used to it. 
                            - **Choose more complex carbs.**  Eat more complex carbs, like starches and fiber. These are found in whole-grain breads, cereals, starchy vegetables, and legumes.
                            - **Watch out for foods high in salt.**  Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned, smoked, or processed. Choose fresh or frozen vegetables that have no added salt and foods that have less than 5% of the Daily Value of sodium per serving. Rinse canned foods.
                            - Read more
                            - Printable

Back

### Build healthy habits

We know that making healthy choices can help us feel better and live longer. Maybe you’ve already tried to eat better, get more exercise or sleep, quit smoking, or reduce stress. It’s not easy. But research shows how you can boost your ability to create and sustain a healthy lifestyle.

Flip

#### To build healthy habits:

                            - Plan. Identify unhealthy patterns and triggers. Set realistic goals.
                            - Change your surroundings. Find ways to make healthier choices easy choices. Remove temptations. Work for changes in your community, like safe places to walk.
                            - Ask for support. Find friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, or groups for support.
                            - Fill your time with healthy activities. Try exercise, a favorite hobby, or spending time with family and friends.
                            - Track your progress. Record how things are going to help you stay focused and catch slip-ups.
                            - Imagine the future. Think about future benefits to stay on track.
                            - Reward yourself. Give yourself a healthy reward when you’ve achieved a small goal or milestone, like a massage.
                            - Be patient. Improvement takes time, and setbacks happen. Focus on progress, not perfection.
                            - Read more
                            - Printable

Back

## Want to learn more?

NIH scientists study how your diet, weight, activity level, and habits impact your health and well-being. Read more resources from the NIH institutes advancing research in these areas.

More resources about physical wellness »

This page last reviewed on August 4, 2023

### About Your Healthiest Self

**NIH Wellness Toolkits**highlight evidence-based tips for living well and improving your health. It's published by the Office of Communications and Public Liaison in the NIH Office of the Director.

### Connect with Us

**To order free print publications in English and/or Spanish:**

Send your name, mailing address, and quantity for each wellness toolkit to:

**Email:**nihnewsinhealth@od.nih.gov

**Mailing Address:**	NIH News in Health	Bldg. 31, Rm. 5B52, MSC 2094	Bethesda, MD 20892-2094

Please note: Limit is one per individual. Health professionals please include a quantity for each toolkit in your request. Supplies are limited.

## Connect with Us

              - Contact Us
              - X
              - Facebook
              - Instagram
              - YouTube
              - Flickr
              - More Social Media from NIH

## Footer

- NIH Home
- Virtual Tour
- En Español
- Visitor Information
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Privacy Policy
- Disclaimers
- Accessibility
- NIH Website Archives

- Nondiscrimination Notice
- Freedom of Information Act
- No Fear Act
- HHS Vulnerability Disclosure
- Office of Inspector General
- USA.gov

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®

National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20892

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Back to Top