This is new to me and I don’t know what I will say really so I’m just giving it a try. I was always a runner and in pretty good shape for most of my life. Then I hit a bad patch and each day just couldn’t get myself out there to run. I put on weight, which just made me feel worse about myself.

I finally got the running back again after a few years but it was much harder than it used to be and I struggled to get through even the shortest, slowest jog.

I was out in a run the other day and I had almost convinced (说服) myself to give up when I heard someone say, “You can do it! It’s hard, but you can do it!” There was a lady walking the other way and had the biggest smile on her face.

Those words of encouragement at a time when I was ready to give up were like a perfect intervention (干预). I finished my run and now every time I feel like quitting I will hear her words in my head and they give me motivation (动力) and encouragement.

I’ve never seen her again so I’ve never been able to thank her and let her know the effect something as simple as a few words of encouragement from a stranger had and still has on me. It always encourages me in my life and has great influence on my life. I will never forget it and place it in my heart. I will tell it to others and make others believe encouragement is very important to us.

   Easy Ways to Reach and Keep a Healthy Weight

Weight loss is most likely to be successful when people change their habits, replacing old, unhealthy ones with new, healthy ones. Here are 5 ways to make that happen.

1.Exercises.

【小题1】 Walking the family dog, cycling to school and doing other things that increase your daily level of activity can all make a difference. If you want to burn more calories, increase the intensity of your workout and add some strength exercise to build muscles. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even when you aren't exercise.

2. 【小题2】

One reason people get less exercise these days is an increase in screen time-- the amount of time spent watching TV, surfing the Internet or playing video games. Limit recreational screen time to less than 2 hours per day.

3. Watch out for sugary drinks.

One key factor in weight gain is that some people drink lots of sugary drinks, such as soda, juice drinks and sports drinks. 【小题3】

4. Eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

【小题4】 They're also packed with fiber, which means they can fill you up. And when you fill yourself up on fruit and vegetables, you are less likely to overeat when it comes to high-calorie foods like chips and cookies.

5. 【小题5】

Breakfast can promote your metabolism(新陈代谢), burning calories and giving you energy to do more during the day. People who skip(跳过) breakfast often feel so hungry that they eat more later on. So they get more calories than they would have if they didn't eat breakfast.

   "Keeping the body in good health is a duty，otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear." This saying by Buddha is a life motto of highly healthy people. 【小题1】The following four habits will significantly improve your health.

They are organized and disciplined.

If you want to be healthy，you should try to become organized. 【小题2】It will help you succeed in everything and do things on time.

【小题3】

In our busy lives，it's very easy to ignore the healthy habits that keep us feeling great and eating right. Highly healthy people usually have a habit to prioritize（优先考虑）their health. They are particular about their nutrition. They always avoid fast food because they find it very harmful.

They have an exercise schedule.

Exercise and other physical activities are not only good for you，but they are also a fun way to spend time. 【小题4】That's why they set aside time for exercise in the mornings or evenings. Due to the high level of self-organization，they easily stick to the exercise schedule. They think that active lifestyle and regular sports will help them live longer.

They get enough sleep.

Sleep plays an important role in immune（有免疫力）function，memory，learning and other important functions. 【小题5】 It is very important to wake up and go to sleep at the same time，because your body works according to a certain rule.

   When it comes to exercise，most of us fit into one of the two groups — those who keep a regular exercise habit and those who think about being more active but can’t seem to have a plan to do it consistently. Whatever your attitude to exercise，there’s another form of physical activity that many of us car-loving people can do to get enough movement in general.

Studies have shown that putting away your car and walking, biking or taking public transport to work can have a significant positive influence on your health by improving spirits, reducing body weight and lowering the risk of heart disease.

It’s not surprising that taking a bus or a train regularly leads to a more physically active lifestyle. Just think about what comes with using public transport. Those who travel to work without a car walk to stations, climb stairs, often stand while waiting for their bus or train, and then finally travel on foot or by bicycle to their destination. Such active transport can make up for the inactive time spent in work and school environments.

There’s no doubt that the improving public transport system in the city is influencing the way people work and live. But though the public transport system is improving, it is not within easy reach of everyone who would like to use it.

Bike-sharing programs are also growing in popularity（普及）and helping to bridge a gap in the crowded city public transport system. These programs allow users to easily book, ride and return a borrowed bike. Bike-sharing programs help people who might still need to travel some distance between the end of the bus or the underground line and their final destination. They also offer an opportunity to residents and visitors to travel freely around the city without being trapped in a car.

   As a high school senior, Kimmarie Pond had never even considered cycling to get fit. That changed after she participated (参加) in Soul-Cycle’s program called Soul Scholarships.

The program teaches healthy lifestyle lessons to teens from New York’s suburbs, where healthy living isn’t always discussed in schools or the community.

The 17-year-old girl was asked if she thought she was too old to learn about living a healthy lifestyle. “I would say that you’re never too old to learn anything,” Pond replied. “I don’t think cycling is that hard,” she added.

Like Pond, Brown said his favorite part of the program came after they got off the bikes. “We take nutrition classes, where we learn about alternative (可供替代的) food choices, healthy options that encourage us to be more healthy,” he said.

“Adapting (适应) to change,” he added, “is not something I’d necessarily do, but I did it, and for me that means everything.”

Early results are positive, and not just for Brown. About one third of the participants did not exercise before joining the program. Now, 95 percent of the participants are working out regularly. The participants are also reported to have cut back on soda, which can have high sugar content, by 46 percent.

“We have never expected that the kids would be so energetic and devoted to the program,” said Ashley Mashihi, a cycling instructor.

Small steps can mean big change for these teens. Maria Caban says she feels different now. “When I walk out,” she says, “I walk with my head up. I feel a lot of pride in my participation.”