FROM VIRGIN PULSE MEMBERS

SMALLER IS BETTER Eating small, healthy snacks throughout the day will help you avoid binge eating at meal times.

- Natalie Leber, Columbus, OH

SMOOTH MOVE! Breakfast smoothies are a great way to start your morning! You’ll feel energized and won’t get the crash that comes with caffeine.

- Emily Lunzer, Hillsboro, OR

SUNDAY FUNDAY Sunday prep time! Cut up fruits and veggies so they’re ready to grab and go for the week!

- Cathy Flynn, Metairie, LA

GO NUTS! Nuts are brimming with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Half a handful for a midafternoon snack will give you a nice spark of energy to get you through the workday.

- Haley McBride, Stillwater, OK

A FISTFUL OF FOOD When serving yourself at home, make sure none of the portions on your plate are larger than your fist. This will keep you from eating too much, unless, of course, you have Andre the Giant-size fists.

- Carolyn LaCivita, Boston, MA

BRING YOUR LUNCH, SAVE A GRAND Bring your lunch to work every day. You can cut out nearly a thousand calories each week by bringing your lunch instead of getting fast food.

- Chris Trebus, St. Peters, MO

MEAL PLANS MAKE CENTS Creating a monthly meal plan not only saves you money, but will help you eat healthy meals at home rather than dine out.

- Zachary Kratsas, Reading, PA

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TONE UP WITH THE TV Get off the couch during TV commercials! Do situps or jumping jacks … you’ll be surprised at how much exercise you’ll get.

- Rachel Schiff, Newton, MA

DO MORE WITH CHORES Raking leaves, rather than using the leaf blower, is a great way to turn a chore into good exercise (and your neighbors will thank you).

- Brandon Alcorn, Aledo, TX

STAIR MASTER Taking the stairs is an easy way to get additional steps while doing something good for your body. Many times you will find it’s faster than taking the elevator!

- Mike Stoehr, Cincinnati, OH

HAVE FUN! Do what you love! Dance, walk, garden … they’re all fun hobbies that double as exercise.

- Ashley Bernard, Sugar Land, TX

INTERVAL TRAINING Interval training is great! Add short intervals of faster walking to your walks to help improve cardiovascular health.

- Stephanie Orr, Birmingham, AL

PUSH IT Get rid of your riding lawn mower and use an old-fashioned push mower instead. Not only is it great exercise, it also saves gas.

- John Hamilton, Gladwin, MI

WAKE UP & WORK OUT On the weekends, put on your workout gear when you wake up. It makes you follow through with the workout before you change clothes for other activities.

- Linda Hoskins, Sykesville, MD

Move More

THE GREAT OUTDOORS I try to get outside as much as possible, especially on the weekends. Enjoying the sunshine and the beauty of nature makes you feel stronger and ready for the next week.

- Steph Buchanan, Fort Worth, TX

FIND YOUR HAPPY PLACE Meditate daily.

- Roscoe Craft, Naples, FL

BOOK, BATH, & BEYOND I try to take an hour each day to de-stress, whether it’s taking a bath, going for a walk, or reading a book.

- Kayla Clark, Fall Creek, WI

INSPIRED THINKING When driving alone to business functions, listen to inspirational or motivational CDs.

- Sharon Braunwart, Taylor Mill, KY

SOUNDING BOARD A good support system is key to reducing stress levels. Having someone to talk to helps you sort through things and lowers stress.

- Rick Liou, Bedford, MA

GET UP AND STRETCH Every 20 minutes, stand or stretch for 20 seconds.

- Lou Chapman, Santa Fe, NM

GET ORGANIZED Reorganizing your desk is sometimes all it takes to feel less stressed.

- Heather Tolksdorf, Berkeley, CA

SETTLE DOWN Listening to soothing music, reading a book, or taking a warm bath are excellent nightly rituals to help settle your mind so you can fall asleep more quickly.

- Jackie Torre, Portland, OR

CREATE A RITUAL Try to stay on the same schedule every day — for example, get out of bed within two hours of your usual time to get up, even on your days off.

- Patti Vaughn, Fishers, IN

EAT LESS, SLEEP MORE Make dinner the smallest meal of the day, and make sure you finish eating at least two hours before bedtime.

- Penny Benardino, Las Colinas, TX

SAY NO TO NAPS I used to recharge with power naps, but then I started to have trouble sleeping at night. I cut out the power naps and now I sleep like a baby!

- Adam Sawyer, Harvard, MA

SIP YOUR WAY TO SLEEP Chamomile tea 30 minutes before bed is a great way to wind down at the end of the day.

- Ian Chambers, Clarksville, TN

SHUT IT DOWN Make your bedroom a device-free zone!

KEEP IT COOL Sleep in a dark, cool, well-ventilated room (maybe even open the windows a bit during the winter) with a quiet fan humming.

- Cynthia Huffman, Bangor, WI

- Mary Beth Montgomery, Boulder, CO

HUG IT OUT Hug. Your. Kids! No kids? Hug a friend. Hug your spouse. Hug your mom.

- Leah Corcoran, Millis, MA

GIVE BACK Be a good citizen in your community. Shop local, get involved in community events, give generously at the high school fundraiser. Others will benefit and you’ll feel great.

- Kevin Mangum, Eastland, TX

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS Find a friend or family member with similar goals and hold each other accountable.

- Lindsay Madera, Baltimore, MD

DON’T GIVE UP Don’t give up! So you missed the mark today; try again tomorrow. Change takes time!

- Kathleen Arthur, Mason, OH

BE CONSISTENT Whether it’s exercise, rest, healthy eating, or stress reduction, be consistent in your efforts.

- Helen Lester-Smith, Cincinnati, OH

A PENNY SAVED … Look at your spending habits and identify some things that you can do without. I gave up my daily runs to the coffee shop and saved a bundle!

- Chris Augustine, Canajoharie, NY

A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY Try to make small changes over time (to your diet, exercise routine, etc.). This makes it easier to stick to your plan and will eventually add up to big improvements.

- John Wachsmuth, Roanoke, VA

Live Better