Building a Resilient Body

Chapter 2, Lesson 2

Strengthening Your Resilience

Building a resilient body can help to keep you well during difficult times

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Have you ever been in a stressful or difficult situation when you were tired, hungry or weak? During this time, did you find it difficult to bounce back from the situation? If so, you witnessed firsthand how your physical health can influence your ability to rebound from stress. In this lesson, you’ll learn physical activity, nutrition and sleep tips to help you build a resilient body.

Physical Activity

Fitness is one of the most effective ways to improve your physical strength and ward off health issues. There are so many benefits to exercise, including reduced risk of disease, weight control, stronger bones and muscles, increased stamina and energy, improved sleep, greater confidence, and overall improved outlook. All of these things add up to a stronger you and may make it easier for you to deal with life’s challenges. Try these tips to help you improve your fitness!

Balance your routine. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, there are four parts required to create a balanced exercise routine. These include: cardio/aerobic, resistance/strength, flexibility, and neuromotor exercise.

Make exercise fun and functional. Do chores that get you moving like gardening, cleaning or other projects around your home. Try outdoor activities like hiking, swimming, biking, ice skating and skiing.

Turn everyday activities into exercise like parking further away from the door or taking the stairs rather than the elevator.

Talk to your doctor. It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting an exercise routine, especially if you are at risk for or being treated for a medical condition, or if you have had a previous injury.

Avoid remaining sedentary during your waking hours by getting up and moving around as much as you can. Even if you’re exercising, sitting for too long during the day can have negative consequences on your health.

• Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity such as walking, jogging, dance, or swimming.

• Try to get two or more days of resistance or strength training per week. Be sure to rest for at least 48 hours between sessions.

• Stretch or participate in exercises that require flexibility 2 or 3 days per week. Looking for ideas? Try yoga!

• Perform neuromotor exercises or those that require balance and coordination 2 or 3 days per week. Tai chi is a great example of a neuromotor exercise.

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Create your healthy eating pattern

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Nutrition

Healthy eating is a lifelong behavior. Foods and beverages should be consumed in a manner that is beneficial to your health and helps you maintain a healthy weight. A healthy eating pattern focuses on variety, nutrient density, and amounts of foods and beverages. It consists of eating foods high in vitamins and minerals from all food groups. Ensuring your body has the proper “fuel” it needs to run effectively can help build your physical resilience. Here are some general rules to follow along with some foods to eat.

Fruits and vegetables• Make half of your plate fruits and/or

vegetables at each meal.• Aim for 5 to 7 servings per day.• Try to eat fruits and vegetables of varying

color for greater nutritional benefit.

Whole grains• Aim for a quarter of your plate at each meal to

be a grain.• Make half your grains whole for added

nutritional benefit by opting for things like whole grain bread, brown rice and quinoa.

Lean proteins• Aim for one quarter of your plate at each meal

to be a protein.• Focus on lean proteins such as eggs, chicken,

turkey, fish, beans, soy and nuts.

Healthy fatsEat foods high in healthy monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids such as those found in nuts, avocados, fish and oils such as olive, canola, safflower and sunflower oils.

Dairy• Aim to get 1 to 2 servings of dairy per day.• Choose options that are lower in fat.

Foods to limit• Refined grain products such as refined bread

products (white bread is one example), baked goods or other sweets.

• Certain proteins like fatty cuts of beef, pork and high fat dairy products.

• Foods that are high in saturated fat and trans fat such as those found in animal products like meat, dairy, coconut and palm oil, butter or hard margarine, biscuits, cookies and crackers.

Be smart about beverages• The general recommended amount is eight

8-ounce glasses of fluids per day plus additional for exercise recovery.

• Milk, fruit juice, tea, coffee and soda are included in this recommendation, but they shouldn’t be the majority of your daily fluid intake as they can add unnecessary calories and excess sugar to your diet.

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Next Steps1. Read Lesson 3: Managing Stress

2. Read Lesson 4: How to Strengthen Your Social Support

3. Take the Chapter 2 Quiz

©2021 Health Advocate HA-M-2003015-10.2FLY

Improving your sleep can help make for better resilience!

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Sleep

Adequate sleep is just as important to your health as healthy eating and exercise. As you sleep your body restores itself for the following day through tissue, cell and muscle repair; recharging your brain; and releasing important hormones. Both the quality and quantity of sleep are important for physical, emotional and mental health. Without sufficient sleep, you may experience poor concentration, irritability, higher stress levels, a weakened immune system, elevation in blood pressure and weight gain. All of these things can greatly influence your ability to handle stressful situations and decrease your resilience. Keep these tips in mind to help you improve your sleep for better resilience!

• Aim to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night.

• Try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning (even on the weekends).

• Find a bedtime routine to train your body to wind down in preparation for sleep.

• Put your phone on vibrate, turn off the TV, shut off

your tablet and log off your computer. The light, noise and stimulation from electronics can keep you from getting a full night’s rest.

• Don’t drink caffeinated beverages before bed. Caffeine takes about 4 to 7 hours to leave your body entirely!

• Avoid tobacco and alcohol prior to bed. Using tobacco or consuming alcohol too close to bed may prevent you from getting restorative rest.