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Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle
By Patrice Powers-Barker, OSU Extension, Lucas County
The Truth Contributor
In March, Americans are encouraged to think about healthy
eating during National Nutrition Month. The American Academy
of Nutrition and Dietetics chose a theme of “bite into a
healthy lifestyle” for 2015. The goal of “bite into a
healthy lifestyle” is to maintain a healthy weight, reduce
the risk of chronic disease and promote overall health. This
is can be achieved in the following ways:
·
consume fewer calories
·
make informed choices about food
·
exercise daily
Regular physical activity is just as important to a
healthful lifestyle as smart eating Regular physical
activity is just as important to a healthful lifestyle as
smart eating
Consume fewer calories
Calories are a unit of measurement to tell how much energy a
food provides for your body. Your body needs energy from
food. Problems can occur when you take in more calories than
your body will use. Those calories will be stored as fat in
your body. You don’t have to add up every calorie you eat
throughout the day but you should make sure you are not
taking in too many extra calories every day which causes
weight gain.
Individual calorie needs depend on a variety of factors
including height, weight and physical activity level.
Meeting with a registered dietician will help with specific
details and recommendations. In a recent nutrition class for
elementary students, one topic was called food “switcheroos.”
The idea is that everyone, no matter what our age, can make
healthier food choices that ultimately add more nutrients
and fewer calories, salt and fat to the diet. What healthier
foods can you switch for higher calorie foods?
Make informed choices about food
You have the right to know about the food you are eating. If
you are at a restaurant, you can view the nutritional
information on meals like the amount of calories. Many
restaurants offer information on their menus and some even
highlight items that are healthier choices with less
calories or less fat compared to other food items.
Another good place to look at options and make choices is on
the food packages in the aisles of the grocery store. The
nutrition facts will list calories, fat, cholesterol,
sodium, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals. In
addition to the nutrition facts is the list of ingredients.
The ingredients are always listed with the most at the top
of the list and the least at the bottom of the list. Use
this information to compare different options and choose the
healthiest one.
To learn more about your personal nutrition needs, a
registered dietician nutritionist is trained to help
individuals make healthy choices that best fit into their
tastes and lifestyle.
To learn more and to find an RDN in your area visit
www.eatright.org.
Exercise Daily
Smart eating and physical activity are perfect partners for
a healthy lifestyle. Not only is exercise good for the
physical body, including the heart, it is also good for the
mind. Exercise can help reduce stress. The American Heart
Association recommends “thirty minutes a day, five times a
week is an easy goal to remember.” Even if you do not do 30
minutes at a time, you can do 10 -15 minutes of exercise a
couple times a day. They also recommend that something is
always better than nothing when it comes to exercise. Don’t
make exercise all-or-nothing. Do something and then add more
to reach a realistic goal. When starting a new exercise
routine, check with your doctor.
Not only is it important to add physical activity to the
daily routine, it is also important to limit the number of
hours you sit and lay during the day. For example, if
someone rides on the bus or car in the morning, sits at a
desk all day, rides back home at night and then reclines on
the couch in the evening, it is possible that they spend 55
percent of waking time in sedentary behaviors. This is a
problem in the United States that has been called “sitting
disease.” Make a goal of standing a little more each day.
Add a few stretches or 10 minutes of walking and it will
help counteract all of the sitting.
Are you ready for spring? Are you ready for spring cleaning?
Sign up now for the OSU Extension online spring health
challenge called, “Spring Clean Your Wellness Routine.”
When:
March 30, 2015 – May 10, 2015
What does it cost:
Nothing – Free!
Who can participate:
Any adult with an email account
What is included:
Email educational messages twice a week, printable tracking
log to track your progress & Facebook and Blog articles.
Challenge Themes:
Vegetables and Fruits, Physical Activity, Stress Relief,
Positive Attitudes, Local Foods, Herbs and Gardening.
How do I sign up? –
Follow this link to online sign up
http://go.osu.edu/sp15Lucas
For Additional Information contact:
Patrice at
powers-barker.1@osu.edu
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