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Making Healthy Choices
By Tamara Colarossi

 

Our society is dealing with an epidemic of obesity. Not just adults, but children too, are fatter than we have ever been. Let’s look at some typical American eating habits and how we can make, and model, healthier choices. When we are teaching our children how to grow up to be healthy adults, it is important that we walk the talk. You'll have less impact on them if your mouth is covered in jelly donut; SHOW them how to eat properly. Take a look at these healthy tips and see how you rate!

  1. Fresh food will always serve your body best. Try to avoid processed foods that come pre-packaged or are full of artificial ingredients. If you cannot pronounce many of the ingredients, or it has a shelf life of 6 months or more, it probably shouldn't be put into your body.
  2. Eat really slowly, taking time to savor each bite's flavor and texture.
  3. Take in smaller amounts of food. For example, if you have a salad for lunch, then only eat half. If you're still hungry after an hour or so, eat the other half. With pre-made salads, throw away the dressing they give you. It’s full of fat; just squeeze a fresh lemon on for flavor, or use your own lower-fat dressing. The same applies to deli sandwiches, etc.
  4. Of course, you don't want to deny yourself anything really yummy, like cakes or ice cream. Try only taking 3 to 5 small bites. This will allow you to taste and enjoy the food without having a negative impact on your health.
  5. Get your PROTEIN. A serving is about the size of a deck of cards.
    • Hard-boiled egg: not fried.
    • Broiled or grilled chicken: not fried.
    • Fresh meat that you prepare: not processed.
    • Grilled or broiled fish.
    • Plain nuts: not covered in salt, sugars, or chemical flavoring.
    • Edamame or soy bean tofu.
    • Beans: chili, soup, salad. Look for choices with low fat.
  6. Get plenty of CALCIUM, to promote strong bones.
    • Low-fat or skim milk.
    • Low fat or nonfat yogurt.
    • Minimal cheese, but eat the real stuff, not processed.
    • Spinach and broccoli are your bones' friends
  7. Take in CARBOHYDRATES (sugars and starches) in small portions. Remember the “deck of cards” rule.
    Try bread without butter: good bread tastes delicious on its own.
    Whole grains are great: oatmeal, bread, cereal, pasta.
    Use light sauces, such as tomato or a little olive oil, on your pasta.
    Stay away from cream sauces like Alfredo.
    Rice is great; just make it with very little butter.
  8. You can enjoy as many fruits and vegetables as you want. They are all good for you. I suggest a wide, colorful variety. There are tons of fresh fruits available year-round. Check out your local farmers' market or grocery store. Raley's, Whole Foods, and Nob Hill, in particular, have a wide selection of quality produce. Bananas are very filling and make a great quick breakfast when paired with a hard-boiled egg.
  9. Homemade smoothies are another tasty choice for a quick, healthy breakfast. Freeze a small container of non fat yogurt. When you’re ready for your smoothie, defrost it for about 5 minutes, and toss it into a blender, along with orange or some kind of juice, a banana, and whatever fruit you have around the house. Presto, a great treat! You can get really creative, but if you want to make it easy, use the old yogurt containers to freeze your fruit mix and just plop both containers into the blender with a little juice. It’s fast and easy.
  10. Set yourself up to succeed by having good choices around you and limit your access to unhealthy choices. Keep a bag of carrots and celery in your purse or car at all times for those times when you get the "munchies" or for a quick boost. Nuts and granola bars work well too.
  11. Drink LOTS of water. It helps your cells function at their highest level and it helps you flush waste from your cells more efficiently.
  12. Choose real fruit juice, not “drinks” based on corn syrup.
  13. ELIMINATE SODA, even diet soda.
  14. Stay away from coffee drinks with tons of “fixins”. Try tea instead, if you feel that you really need the caffeine, try Chai. You will find that once you start running your body more efficiently, you won’t need the caffeine to get your energy.
  15. Cut out fast food. You will see a huge difference immediately.
  16. Avoid chips, donuts, or any other “greasy” stuff. Trader Joe’s has baked potato chips that taste pretty good. Pretzels make a better choice too.
  17. Keep working out. Cardio work is especially important. Find ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine: take the stairs instead of the escalator/elevator, and park at the end of the parking lot for a little extra walk.
  18. Make mealtime a time to connect with your kids. Let them help with the planning, shopping, preparation, and serving of the meal. You can teach them much more than just how to make healthy food choices; you can also use meals as an opportunity teach them about different cultures, and to share family recipes and cooking techniques that have been passed down to you. Even if you do this only once a week, it will have a positive impact on their health, and can create memories that they'll cherish when they're grown.

    Be patient with yourself, and keep your goals in mind before you put anything into your body. Ask yourself “will this help me, or hurt me?” Your taste buds will need time to readjust to this sort of diet, and your stomach will probably need to shrink a bit.

    Think like the healthy person that you want to be. Do this on a regular basis: without looking in the mirror, see yourself the way you want to look and feel. Think of everything that you are doing as developing a healthy habit that will last your lifetime and set a great example for your kids.

 

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