4 Heart Healthy Ways to Celebrate National Nutrition Month
March is National Nutrition Month. During this month, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics focuses attention on the importance of informed food choices and the role healthy eating and physical activity play in weight management and disease prevention.
Implement the 4 steps outlined below to move forward with your diet and lifestyle goals to promote heart health.
1. Plan ahead
A significant hurdle for improving food choices is time. The week is busy and as you run from one activity to the next, food preparation can fall to the side and you end up turning to quick and easy processed meals or dining out. There are choices that hinder achieving your goals.
Plan ahead by preparing meals in bulk on the weekends and freezing for quick, easy, healthy meal choices when you are in a crunch.
2. Clean out your cupboards
Don’t rely on willpower. Purge the unhealthy foods from your cupboards so they are not tempting you. Don’t use the excuse of my kids or spouse wants this on hand. If it’s not a good choice for you, it’s not a good choice for them. Save those less healthy options for special occasions, you don’t need to have them on hand constantly.
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Will you 'Eat with Color' this National Nutrition Month?
Every March we celebrate National Nutrition Month. This year the focus is on making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.
‘Eat Right with Color’ is the theme this year. What does this mean for you?
Heart Health – Are you on the right path?
Did you know that every March since the 1970’s we have been celebrating National Nutrition Month? For those in a healthcare profession this is a time extra emphasize is placed on nutrition education and getting the message out to you. How can you get the most out of this time focused on nutrition? Every March provides you an opportunity to take an annual inventory of your nutrition habits. Are you “fueling” your body the way you want to ensure weight loss and heart health?
If this is the first time you have taken “inventory” focus on just a few areas. I will help you narrow it down by starting with beverages, snacks, and dining out. Do you select the healthiest choices in these areas?
Beverages
What is sitting on the corner of your desk or in the cup holder in your car? Soda, coffee, water? If you are a soda drinker, consider what you can do to cut back. A 12 oz. can of regular soda contains about 150 calories. If you drink one can everyday you consume 4200 soda calories each month and 50,400 calories each year. This is equal to an extra 14 ½ pounds of body weight. What are you adding to your coffee? Frequent Starbucks consumption, or adding cream and sugar to your coffee means extra calories expanding your waistline. Positive steps towards being healthier – Switch to diet soda to drastically decrease sugar and calorie intake. Try nonfat dairy creamers, less sugar and cream, or adding sugar substitutes to your coffee. Save dollars and calories by brewing coffee at home and have Starbucks for the occasional treat. If you are toting around a bottle of water you are doing great. Everyone should be consuming six to eight 8-oz. glasses of water daily. Water is the beverage our bodies need and crave to keep us replenished and feeling our best.
Snacks
Are you heading for the vending machine for your afternoon snack? Most vending machines contain high fat and high sodium products. Forgo the Swiss cakes by bringing snacks to work with you. You know you are going to have an afternoon craving, so plan ahead. Some good snack choices include fruit, yogurt, crackers and cheese, or a handful of nuts.
Dining Out
Is the drive in lane your destination several evenings after a long day of work? Most fast food is deep fat fried and includes significant fat, calories, and sodium. If you are tired and do not want to deal with cooking a meal at home you can select healthier options at the drive through. Opt for products that are not breaded, such as a grilled chicken sandwich. Forgo the fries and get a yogurt, side salad, or fruit to go with your sandwich. Your heart will thank you.
Just remember when March rolls around next year to take another inventory. Expand to other areas, such as fruit and veggie intake, omega 3’s, whole grains, etc. If you evaluate how you are doing every year and make modifications you are taking positive steps towards a healthy long life.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Be Heart Healthy and Lose Weight
