THE SENSIBLE EATER

Valeo/Personal Training and Nephew Physical Therapy have teamed up in an effort to provide good, solid health, fitness, nutrition and therapy information to anyone interested. These FREE events will be held the 1st Tuesday of every month from 6:45 - 7:30pm at Ultimate Fitness and Health. Keep an eye out for us each month!

Mike and I gave a presentation last night called "The Sensible Eater: How to Prepare Yourself for the Holiday Season". We had a great turnout! Let me know if you weren't able to make it and would like to sit down and chat about what we discussed.

I love this definition of "Sensible Eater"....this is the kind of eater I want to be; how 'bout you?!

THE SENSIBLE EATER

• Someone who lets the Food Guide Pyramid guide his/her choices. Emphasis is placed on foods with highest nutrient quality (like fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lean poultry, fish, low fat milk products, nuts and unsaturated oils). But, sweets and high fat foods are also enjoyed in moderation, and without guilt! These people sometimes eat too much and sometimes too little as a result of environmental influences. But most of the time, they listen to their body’s internal cues for hunger and fullness and maintain a proper energy balance.
– Sheri Barke, MPH, RD
UCLA Arthur Ashe Student Health & Wellness Center

Here are some Take-Home Points, as discussed last night:

*Eat breakfast (ex. 1 whole grain, 1 lean protein, 1 sm. fruit)! And small meals every 3-5 hours after that.

*PLAN PLAN PLAN! Create a new habit of packing a cooler with your lunch and snacks for the day. Keep one in your car for long errand runs or road trips. Stock it with nutritious fruit and vegetable munchies, lean proteins, lean dairies and healthy fats. See notes for examples.

*Drink lots of water; often what you interpret as hunger is really thirst.

*Add nutrients and bulk to your diet with antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables (Volumize that meal!) Check out http://www.valeotraining4juiceplus.com/ if you aren't reaching the recommended 9-13 servings a day, according to the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.

*Be a MINDFUL holiday eater. Fill up on the good, nutritious foods and don't feel guilty for indulging on goodies occasionally!

Check out the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid. The food pyramid has changed over the years; are you up-to-date? I love the emphasis on fruits and vegetables. With the amount of cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes in our nation, we need to be getting whole-food nutrition in our bodies like never before! Food is fuel and medicine!