Posted by Jim on 6th June 2010
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The Eating Buddy – Easy tips to make smart and healthy choices

Why does everyone make healthy eating choices so difficult? I will say this first if it grows from the ground, comes from some type of animal and humans do not get their hands on it, EAT IT! Is that simple enough? Ok maybe it is not that simple but let’s break it down a bit more.

  • Rainbows - Who doesn’t like rainbows? Rainbow? You can’t eat a rainbow or can you? Spice things up. Walk into the grocery store and walk into the fruits and vegetable department. Challenge yourself to fill the cart with as many colors of the rainbow you can find.
  • Don’t reach for that salt shaker – Better yet throw it away! The more sodium you consume the better chance your blood pressure goes up, the better chance for heart disease and stroke, the better chance you will be dead. OK maybe I took that a bit far, but enough with the salt! USDA’s Guidelines suggest less than 2,300 milligrams per day for healthy adults, 1,500 milligrams per day for those who have high blood pressure, older than 40 or African-American or roughly 2/3 of Americans. 2,300 milligrams of salt = 1 teaspoon, average American consumes 4,000 milligrams of salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.
  • Fat can be good for you – Fats deliver essential fatty acids that we as humans cannot make, such as the much touted Omega-3. That being said remember everything in moderation. Good fats are unsaturated – monounsaturated and polyunsaturated are the good ones. Bad fats are trans fat and saturated fats.

  1. Monounsaturated fats are plant based – Canola, Olive and peanut oils, peanuts, pecans and avocados
  2. Polyunsaturated fats are plant and fish based – Safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn and sesame oils. Sunflower seeds, soybeans, fatty fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon along with most nuts.
  3. Trans fats are mostly made by humans – Processed food like french fries (yum), doughnuts (yum), pastries (yum), pie crusts (yum), biscuits (yum), pizza dough (yum), crackers (yum), cookies (yum), stick margarine’s, and shortenings. I know unfair! Based on a 2,000 calorie diet limit these to 2 grams or less than 1% of your diet. Hmmm… I wonder on how most of us do in this category? I know unfair!
  4. Saturated fats are mostly in animal products – Beef lamb, pork, bacon, cheese, full-fat yogurt, butter, whole milk, snack chips and bakery items made with tropical oils like coconut. Based off that 2,000 calorie a day diet this should be less than 7% of the diet. I wonder how we are doing in this category?

  • How BIG? - Seriously folks? Just because the food is good for you, you can destroy the whole idea by eating the wrong portion size. Read the portion size on the package, better yet if you are unsure here is a tip. Make a fist, I’ll wait… OK look at it and that is a portion size of a piece of chicken or steak, now look at your plate, I’ll wait… what is the size of that piece of chicken or steak on the plate. Other tips use smaller plates, cups and utensils. Measure your food or weigh it, take some time but your waistline will thank you.

Commercials I have noticed while I have been writing this post and People wonder why we have a weight problem in this country.

  1. Papa John’s Pizza – 2 large pizza’s for $10’s. OK not that 2 large pizza’s would be enough, for $2 more you can extra size them!
  2. Wendy’s – Deluxe meals for $2.99
  3. Taco Bell – For $2.99 you get some type of cheesy/beany/meaty burrito with Doritos and large soda
  4. Golden Corral – $10 all you can eat baby back ribs along with the rest of the buffet
  • Grain, Grain, Grain and more Grains – 2 1/2 servings per day is enough to lower your risk for heart disease. To go along with that fact grains are linked with less obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
  • Here fishy fishy here fishy fishy – Want to lower your risk of heart disease? Eat at least 6 ounces of cooked fish a week (This does not mean the McFish at McDonald’s).
  • Beans Beans the Magical Fruit the more you eat the more you… - Beans and the cousins legumes are low in fat and calories, good source of protein, folate, fiber and antioxidants. The recommendation is three cups a week.
  • Eat a pyramid - Check out the www.mypyramid.gov and read about the eating guidelines.

So there are seven tips. Most people believe all they have to do is walk on a treadmill for a 1/2 hour. Yes that is a good idea and initially there will be some weight loss but that will plateau. Not until you figure out your diet you will be fighting a harder battle of the bulge.

Until next time this is Your Fitness Buddy…

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