INSIGHT Magazine January 2015 | Page 7

Exercise when you can: With kids, full-time work and distractions like tending to the house and cooking to deal with, modern Americans don’t have “free time” to play with. What we do have is commercial breaks. Pushups and sit-ups in the span of three or four minutes throughout an hour-long TV show will add up, especially if you grab exercise time every day. Hit these brief exercises whenever you can; chapter breaks, while web pages take too long to load, wherever you can. Walk it off: “Get it where you can” extends to walking, too. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but taking the car out of the equation for short trips can make a big difference, especially if you have regular walking around campus, your office or even your yard to do. QUIT SMOKING Get rid of reminders: You’ll get rid of cigarettes, naturally, but don’t forget to throw out the ashtrays, too. Anything that you associate with smoking needs to go. INSIGHT Break routine: Smoking is a habit, and the only way to get past it is to break the habits that surround it. Don’t follow your friends to smoke breaks, chew gum and avoid places where you habitually smoke. Chemical addiction is the major part of the smoking problem, but changing routine helps. Get support: Let people know that you mean to quit, and let them know you need help with it. Support from friends and family - someone to talk to, or someone to talk you out of picking up a cigarette - can make a difference, so don’t be shy. Consult a doctor: If you have the means, head to the doctor and let him or her know what you’re doing. There are medications to help smooth out the process of quitting, and a professional game plan has a better chance of working than going cold turkey on your own. SAVE MONEY Whittle down: Find ways to reduce the amount you spend January 2015 7