Eating with Emily: Mealtime Matters Goal #1: Nutrition

How can you incorporate nutrition into your family’s lifestyle in a budget-conscious, and well-rounded way without enrolling in a college nutrition course? Glad you asked. The next couple weeks we will be scratching the surface of nutrition so that you can have the basics in hand.

Nutrition is not all about food. The foundation is a healthy lifestyle, which begins with fitness and weight management. This doesn’t mean that everybody out there has to run a marathon, although that is a great goal.

Step 1: Evaluate your body weight.

Remember that there are different methods for adults and children. Be sure to follow your pediatrician’s advice regarding your child’s weight. But, for adults, there is a quick algebraic equation that you can follow to derive your BMI (body mass index: or the statistical measure of the weight of a person scaled according to height). For you braniacs –

weight (in lbs.)

——————— x 703

height (in inches)²

healthy = 18.5 - 25

overweight = 25-30

obese = 30+

or – check out this link to the National Health Institutes and let their calculator do the work.

So, how did you do? Don’t worry, no polls in this column.

Other factors such as family history can influence your overall health, so be sure to have some sort of medical history in your files at home. And remember that sedentary lifestyles increase health risks and excess weight contributes to high blood pressure, heart disease, and some types of cancer.

Step 2: Manage your weight

Genes can sometimes influence weight gain. But what influences weight gain the most is the balance of calories and physical activity. If you do need to lose weight, do it gradually and safely, maximum weight loss should not exceed ½ - 2 pounds per week. It is never healthy to sacrifice your life for the “perfect” weight. You only have one body and one chance to keep it healthy. Please consult your doctor before trying anything drastic.

Step 3: Be physically active each day.

Activity should be part of your regular routine each day, just as brushing your teeth and sleeping. Make sure you choose a reasonable new activity and maintain it. You should aim to get 30 minutes of moderate physical activity 3 times per week. For some good tips on increasing physical activities, see the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Activity reduces the risk of developing or dying of heart disease. Aerobic activity (that which speeds up your breathing and heart rate) improves your cardiovascular fitness. Strength training and flexibility helps build and maintain your bones. Exercise is a means of expending calories that YOU control. The more you exercise, the more calories your body needs (within reason).

And, just some food for thought: 1 brownie = 400 calories; 1 mile = 100 calories

So, let’s get moving,

~Emily