Why you need a health plan?

Let’s put it another way: What is your plan for developing your health?  Can you name it?  Can you put it in a list?  Can you say my plan for eating is a, b, c and d? My plan for fitness is one, two, three and four. My plan for flexibility is one, two, three and four. My plan for strength or cardiovascular training is x, y and z’”

How many of us have actually taken the time to sit down and develop a plan for health?  How many of us just go day-to-day, constantly changing plans (or not making plans), just wondering, and hoping, if we’ll stay healthy.

My experience has been that most of the people who come to me for personal coaching, don’t really have a health plan in place.  They drift from plan-to-plan trying to find something that meets their lifestyle needs.

My advice to those people and to anyone reading this article who doesn’t have a real health plan in place is this: Develop a workable health plan you  can implement as soon as possible and use over the next six months. In six months, you can evaluate your progress and then make adjustments to continue improving your health and fitness.

I am going to give you an example of my current health plan. 

EATING HEALTH PLAN
1) 4 helpings of fresh fruit and vegetables daily.
2) 200 grams of quality protein every single day.
3) At least six, eight-ounce glasses of water a day.
4) The 85/15 rule for eating, as I explain in my article “The 85/15 Rule for Healthy Eating”.
5) A nutritional supplement plan I have designed for designed for my age, activity level and health needs. 

EXERCISE HEALTH PLAN
1) The CrossFit.com strength and conditioning program.
2) My personal program includes a weight-lifting routine (one body part per day, five days a week) and
4) Five minutes of flexibility, stretching and training.

My plan is simple enough that I can live it on a day-to-day basis, follow it fairly easily, and I can look at the numbers.  Using the CrossFit plan, I narrow my results down to numbers so that everything can be followed.  From this I can decide if I am improving, if I am getting worse or if I am staying the same. 

In addition, I also track other “personal” numbers that tell me my fitness level.  I look at my percent body fat.  I look at the amount of weight I can bench press.  I do this to ensure that I can always meet a minimum level of fitness.  My minimum is to bench press at least 225 pounds, at least 10 times.  I am able to do at least 40 push-ups and 40 sit-ups.  My blood pressure is 130/80 or better, and I can run an eight-minute mile.  These are my personal minimums.  I won’t fall below this standard.

PREVENTIVE HEALTH PLAN
I also have a health plan for prevention.
The steps in my preventive health plan include:
1) Getting my PSA measured once a year.
2) Getting a physical exam once a year.
3) Checking my blood numbers once a year including: homocysteine, c-reactive protein (CRP), complete blood count (CBC), comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP_, and lipid profile.
4) I also have an EKG once a year.

This is my health plan.  What is yours?  Have you sat down with your physician, trainer or nutritionist and decided what your health plan will look like? 

If you really want to get fit and healthy and stay that way, I suggest you take the time to develop your own health plan today. It could make you live happier, healthier and even longer.

Also printed in Total Health Breakthroughs.