In reality, though, summer isn't all beach volleyball and water sports. Lots of summer activities can work against our efforts to stay at a healthy weight (campfire s'mores and backyard barbecues, anyone?). The good news is it's easy to avoid problems if we know what to look out for.
~Get going with goals. When we don't have a plan, it's easy to spend summer moving from couch to computer, with regular stops at the fridge. Avoid this by aiming for a specific goal!
~ Stick to a schedule. With school out, we lose our daily routines. If you don't have a specific job or activity to get up for, it's easy to sleep late, watch too much TV, and snack more than usual. Make sure your summer days have some structure — like getting up at the same time each day and eating meals at set times.
~Stay busy. When we're bored, it's easy to fall into a trap of doing nothing and then feeling low on energy. In addition to helping you avoid the cookie jar, filling your days with stuff to do can give you a sense of accomplishment.
~Beat the heat. Don't let summer heat put your exercise plans on hold. Move your workout indoors.
~Think about what (and how) you eat. Summer means picnics and barbecues — activities that revolve around an unlimited spread of food. Pace yourself. Don't overload your plate. Avoid going back for seconds and thirds. Choose seasonal, healthy foods like fresh fruit instead of high-sugar, high-fat desserts.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
10 Simple Ways to Make an Exercise Lifestyle Change
1. Start today. Go outside for a walk.
2. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
3. Instead of driving, walk or bike to places like school or a friend's house.
4. If you have to drive, park farther away than you need to and walk the extra distance, if it's safe to do so.
5. Vacuum your room, wash the car, or mow the lawn. It's not a chore — it's an exercise opportunity!
6. Limit your time watching TV, using the computer, or playing video games — and when you do play, try interactive games that get you moving.
7. Dance. Even in the privacy of your room, letting loose to your favorite tunes could help you burn more than 300 calories an hour!
8. Figure out what type of exercise interests you, then give it a try! Take it slow if you've never done it before. And if you're nervous at first, find an exercise buddy to join you. It's usually easier to stay motivated about exercise if you do something you're interested in.
9. If you get bored or lose interest easily, alternate the kinds of activities you do so they always feel fresh.
10. Be sure to include some activity that gets your heart beating faster, quickens your breathing, and makes you sweat.
2. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
3. Instead of driving, walk or bike to places like school or a friend's house.
4. If you have to drive, park farther away than you need to and walk the extra distance, if it's safe to do so.
5. Vacuum your room, wash the car, or mow the lawn. It's not a chore — it's an exercise opportunity!
6. Limit your time watching TV, using the computer, or playing video games — and when you do play, try interactive games that get you moving.
7. Dance. Even in the privacy of your room, letting loose to your favorite tunes could help you burn more than 300 calories an hour!
8. Figure out what type of exercise interests you, then give it a try! Take it slow if you've never done it before. And if you're nervous at first, find an exercise buddy to join you. It's usually easier to stay motivated about exercise if you do something you're interested in.
9. If you get bored or lose interest easily, alternate the kinds of activities you do so they always feel fresh.
10. Be sure to include some activity that gets your heart beating faster, quickens your breathing, and makes you sweat.
10 Tips for Making Healthy Eating a Part of Your Life
1. Replace soft drinks, fruit juices, and sports drinks that are loaded with sugar with water, low-fat milk, or sugar-free drinks.
2. Eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day. The fiber will fill you up and you'll get the nutrients and flavors to keep your body satisfied.
3. Choose foods from all the different food groups. In addition to getting your fruits and veggies, include whole grains and lean protein at each meal.
4. Make healthier fast-food choices. Pick a small, single-patty burger instead of a large one and a side salad instead of fries. Stick to regular servings — don't supersize! Better yet, avoid fast-food places whenever you can.
5. Keep healthy foods on hand. If your kitchen is stocked with healthy choices like celery, raisins, and peanut butter you can make ants on a log instead of dipping into the cookie jar (you may need to teach your parents a thing or two about food to be sure they buy you the good stuff!).
6. Take your own good-for-you snacks and food on the road so you can avoid the vending machine or convenience store. Try carrot sticks, a piece of fruit, or your own homemade trail mix instead of cookies, chips, or processed foods that tend to be loaded with fat and calories.
7. Eat when you're hungry. If you're tempted to eat because you're bored, that's your mind telling you to find something else to do.
8. Eat a healthy breakfast every day.
9. Don't eat meals or snacks while watching TV because you'll probably end up eating more than you intend to.
10. Pay attention to portion sizes. If a portion is large, cut it in half and put half aside for later — or split it with a friend.
2. Eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day. The fiber will fill you up and you'll get the nutrients and flavors to keep your body satisfied.
3. Choose foods from all the different food groups. In addition to getting your fruits and veggies, include whole grains and lean protein at each meal.
4. Make healthier fast-food choices. Pick a small, single-patty burger instead of a large one and a side salad instead of fries. Stick to regular servings — don't supersize! Better yet, avoid fast-food places whenever you can.
5. Keep healthy foods on hand. If your kitchen is stocked with healthy choices like celery, raisins, and peanut butter you can make ants on a log instead of dipping into the cookie jar (you may need to teach your parents a thing or two about food to be sure they buy you the good stuff!).
6. Take your own good-for-you snacks and food on the road so you can avoid the vending machine or convenience store. Try carrot sticks, a piece of fruit, or your own homemade trail mix instead of cookies, chips, or processed foods that tend to be loaded with fat and calories.
7. Eat when you're hungry. If you're tempted to eat because you're bored, that's your mind telling you to find something else to do.
8. Eat a healthy breakfast every day.
9. Don't eat meals or snacks while watching TV because you'll probably end up eating more than you intend to.
10. Pay attention to portion sizes. If a portion is large, cut it in half and put half aside for later — or split it with a friend.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Follow a Healthful Eating Plan
The Pyramid is a great tool to help put Dietary Guidelines into action. The Pyramid calls for eating a variety of foods to get the nutrients you need and, at the same time, the right amount of calories to maintain or improve your weight.
Cooking and preparing food at home allows you to tailor daily meals to fall within the recommended range of servings, as opposed to dining out where you may be unsure how many servings you are eating from each of the five food groups.
How many servings should people eat from each group every day?
OLDER CHILDREN, YOUNG ADULTS, AND ADULTS
Grain Group - 6 to 11 servings
Vegetable Group - 3 to 5 servings
Fruit Group - 2 to 4 servings
Milk Group - 2 to 3 servings
Meat Group - 2 to 3 servings
Fats and Sweets - Use sparingly
What counts as a serving?
Grain Group - 1 slice of bread - 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal - ½ cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta - 3 to 4 small crackers - ½ bagel or English muffin - 2 to 3 graham cracker squares
Vegetable Group - 1 cup raw leafy vegetables - ½ cup of other chopped vegetables, cooked or raw - ¾ cup of vegetable juice
Fruit Group - 1 medium apple, banana, or orange - ½ cup of chopped fruit, cooked or canned - ¾ cup of fruit juice
Milk Group - 1 cup of milk or yogurt - 1½ ounces of natural cheese - 2 ounces of processed cheese
Meat Group - 2 to 3 ounces of cooked meat - ½ cup of cooked dry beans or 1 egg counts as 1 ounce of meat - 1 egg; 2 tablespoons of peanut butter; ½ cup cooked dry beans, peas, or lentils; or 1/3 cup of nuts count as 1 ounce of meat
http://www.homebaking.org/index.html
Cooking and preparing food at home allows you to tailor daily meals to fall within the recommended range of servings, as opposed to dining out where you may be unsure how many servings you are eating from each of the five food groups.
How many servings should people eat from each group every day?
OLDER CHILDREN, YOUNG ADULTS, AND ADULTS
Grain Group - 6 to 11 servings
Vegetable Group - 3 to 5 servings
Fruit Group - 2 to 4 servings
Milk Group - 2 to 3 servings
Meat Group - 2 to 3 servings
Fats and Sweets - Use sparingly
What counts as a serving?
Grain Group - 1 slice of bread - 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal - ½ cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta - 3 to 4 small crackers - ½ bagel or English muffin - 2 to 3 graham cracker squares
Vegetable Group - 1 cup raw leafy vegetables - ½ cup of other chopped vegetables, cooked or raw - ¾ cup of vegetable juice
Fruit Group - 1 medium apple, banana, or orange - ½ cup of chopped fruit, cooked or canned - ¾ cup of fruit juice
Milk Group - 1 cup of milk or yogurt - 1½ ounces of natural cheese - 2 ounces of processed cheese
Meat Group - 2 to 3 ounces of cooked meat - ½ cup of cooked dry beans or 1 egg counts as 1 ounce of meat - 1 egg; 2 tablespoons of peanut butter; ½ cup cooked dry beans, peas, or lentils; or 1/3 cup of nuts count as 1 ounce of meat
http://www.homebaking.org/index.html
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Food Guide Pyramid Tips
Mypyramid.gov is one of the best websites that offers tips, activities/games, a menu planner, food calculator, podcasts on healthy snacking, etc. This is a great way to gain ideas on how to stay healthy. You can even calculate your daily caloric needs based on your individual stats and compare it with you actual calorie consumtion. The USDA Menu Planner is free of charge and helps motivate individuals and families to make healthier food choices. It gives you an easy way to know whether you are losing or gaining weight based on what you plan to eat. And it helps you plan upcoming meals.Go to http://www.mypyramid.gov/ for endless information on keeping a healthy lifestyle!
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