Nobody's perfect, especially when it comes to taking care of your health. The bar for fitness, diet and general wellness is set pretty high, which is great...but unrealistic for many of us. We may throw in the towel completely if we don't get in those recommended nine servings of fruits and vegetables or miss one of those recommended every-day workout sessions. But a better approach to wellness is that every little bit helps. So what if you don't exercise for an hour every single day? Half of that is much, much better than none at all. The ideal intake of fruits and vegetables is nine servings, but guess what? Five is good enough to shoot for. According to a Harvard study, that's all it takes to reduce stroke risk and fit enough fiber and antioxidants into your diet. If you don't have time to get in all that exercise that experts recommend, then shoot for two hours total per week. Recent studies show that's all that you need to reduce your risk of heart disease by up to 27 percent.
Maximize your efforts by increasing your speed and intensity for 30 to 60-second intervals during your workout. The ideal amount of water is eight 8-ounce glasses daily, but if you drink water with meals and whenever you're thirsty, it's good enough -- especially when you eat foods that contain water, like soups and fruit. Boost those benefits by drinking a glass before you eat - it'll help you consume less food. Portion control is key to weight loss, but instead of measuring every single thing that goes in your mouth, experts say it's OK just to measure grains, like pasta, and fats only. These foods add more calories than foods that are OK to load up on, like water-packed fruits and veggies. Just remember - perfection is impossible, but making sensible choices isn't.