Power 10

Want to improve your health or personal finances? Live The Power of 10. What does this mean? It means following expert recommendations that include the number 10 or multiples of ten. It just so happens that the number 10 and variations of it show up repeatedly in health and financial advice. The number ten is easy to multiply, divide, and remember and small enough to not discourage people from taking action to achieve their personal goals. Thus, it fits the Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ approach to making positive behavior changes. Over time, the results of small changes can be impressive. The remainder of this podcast will describe specific ways to “Live the Power of 10” in your daily life. Let’s start with some health behaviors. Want to lose 10 pounds in a year? Reduce your daily calorie consumption by 100 calories. Eliminating just one high-calorie food, condiment, or beverage per day can cut 100 calories. Examples include one tablespoon of mayonnaise, one tablespoon of butter or margarine, 10 potato chips, or a medium chocolate chip cookie. Other places to cut 100 calories per day include beverages such as an 8 ounce beer, cola, or other sugar-sweetened beverage. Another healthy practice is to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week. If you are pressed for time, break your activity up into three 10-minute sessions spread throughout the day. It may take a while to work up to a total of 30 minutes. You have to consciously plan the chunks of time throughout the day. Financial experts recommend saving at least 10 percent of your gross income. If you earn $30,000 a year, they recommend saving $3,000. Like increasing minutes of physical activity, it may take a while to work up to 10 percent in savings. Save what you can and increase the amount saved when you can. Put a priority on savings by setting money aside as soon as you earn it. Another small step to wealth is to save a dollar a day plus pocket change. You’ll save about $50 per month and over $500 in a year. A third “Power of Ten” suggestion is to consider investing for the long-term in stocks which, historically, have averaged about a 10 percent return. Ready to get started on the path to good health and increased wealth? Live the Power of Ten. For additional information, visit the Colorado State University Extension Small Steps to Health and Wealth™ Web site at www.ext.colostate.edu/smallsteps.