Get a Healthy Start To the New Year with the Florida Health 60 Day Challenge

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Tallahassee, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health is encouraging all Floridians to start the New Year off right with your health in mind. Experts say it takes about 60 days to form a new habit, and the department’s 60 Days to Better Health Challenge is the perfect start to a healthy 2018.

“There is no better way to start off a new year than by committing to improving your health and encouraging your loved ones to do the same,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. Celeste Philip. “The 60 Day Challenge can jump start your health goals and help you develop activity patterns and food choices that can be sustained throughout the year and beyond.”

Watch the department’s video public service announcement for more information on the “60 Days to Better Health Challenge,” and then download this tool to help you guide and measure your progress.

The “60 Days to Better Health Challenge” tool recommends these resolutions for a healthy new year: 

• Eat your colors. MyPlate illustrates the five food groups that are the building blocks for a healthy diet. Before you eat, think about what goes on your plate.
• Drink 8oz of water 8 times a day. Water is your body's principal chemical component and makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water.
• Engage in 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Regular physical activity helps improve your overall health and fitness, and reduces your risk for many chronic diseases.
• Work on quitting tobacco. Tobacco Free Florida offers a number of free and convenient resources to help tobacco users quit. Through the Quit YOUR Way Program, tobacco uses can choose the service that works best for them. The Phone Quit, Group Quit, and More Tools to Quit services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• De-stress. Using healthy ways to cope with stress and getting the right care can put problems in perspective and help stressful feelings and symptoms subside.

For more tools and resources on how you and your family can start a healthy new year, visit www.HealthiestWeightFlorida.com.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.