Nutrition Tips From The Dietitian
Wondering how we stay healthy here at Live Fit? Our Dietitian recommends these tips for keeping our waist line trim and our body fully charged!
Aim for at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
Think about the colors of the rainbow and try to get different colors of fruits and vegetables with each meal/snack.
For example, red raspberries with breakfast, orange carrots as a snack, yellow pepper with hummus with lunch, green kale chips as a snack, purple eggplant with dinner.
Eat more beans, lentils and whole grains.
Rinse canned beans with water to reduce sodium. Check the ingredient list on food packages and look specifically for the word "whole".
Eat less red meat.
Try replacing red meat with things like eggs, poultry, fish, peas, soy-based foods, nuts and nut butters, low fat dairy products.
Limit red meat to only two meals per week.
Keep salt intake to a minimum (less than 2300 milligrams per day).
Avoid using the salt shaker or adding soy sauce to you dish.
Eat more meals at home! Processed foods and restaurant foods contain more salt. Use fresh ingredients at home with spices and herbs.
Replace your snacks with fresh fruits and vegetables.
Check the food label for sodium content.
Limit your sugar and sugary beverage intake.
Excess sugar can come from things like honey, syrups, and jelly.
Limit sweet treats to 1-2 per week, like cookies, cake, ice cream, donuts.
Replace juices and soda with water or zero calorie flavored water.
Along with diet, regular exercise is just as important for maintaining a healthy weight. Exercise keeps our muscles activated and engaged and prevents our bodies natural decline in function as we age. In the beginning, start small! Aim for a quick 10 minute walk each day and then increase it as the weeks go by. Don't forget to do regular strength building exercises and stretching to keep you flexible :-)
