Nutrition: What to Eat and Why to Eat It!

Things to Have in the House at ALL Times

1) Whole Grains: brown rice, whole grain flour, whole wheat bread, etc.
2) Beans: dried will offer you a better selection, and are cheaper, but canned are fine. You want variety here. I love black beans and lentils. Yummmmm
3) Extra Virgin Olive Oil (yes, it matters): Your new go-to fat
4) Oil for Cooking: Peanut, Grapeseed, Sunflower (minimally processed, high quality, cold-pressed vegetable oil)
5) Staple Veggies and Fruits: Onions, garlic, frozen veggies like spinach, peas, and corn, fresh veggies as much as possible, keepers like carrots, sweet potatoes, celery, lemons, and limes
6) Fresh herbs
7) Spices--adds flavor without calories
8) Vinegar: Sherry, balsamic, red and white wine, rice vinegar
9) Soy Sauce--check to make sure it only contains: soy, wheat, salt, water, and bacteria
10) Dried nuts and fruits for snacking and cooking: Sesame and sunflower seeds, nut butters, tahini, walnuts, almonds
11) Canned Tomatoes: Plum and pre-chopped. Avoid additives
12) Sweeteners: Go with raw maple syrup and raw honey

Reasoning....

Grains, Breads, Cereals

*Absolutely matters if you buy whole wheat or not. But labels are tricky. Make sure you read everything and avoid anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Also, especially with cereal, check the label. Most "heart healthy" cereals have WAY too much sugar--which your liver will convert to fat. Whole grains are necessary--whole wheat is not the same as whole grain. Don't be fooled.

*Whole wheat bread, cereal, pasta, and brown rice. Trust me, especially with the pasta and brown rice, you won't be able to tell the difference. Now, wild rice is awesome as well, but more expensive. Quinoa is good to throw into salads and even hamburgers.

Why?

*Energy. Grains fuel you.
*B Vitamins are in fortified grain products and are responsible for energy metabolism
*Fiber helps with the digestive system and may reduce heart disease and some cancers.

Fruits and Vegetables

*Dark green, orange, yellow, and red fruits and veggies.
*Frozen veggies

Why?

*Vitamins and Minerals for the cellular reactions that keep your body running
*Fiber and Carbs for energy
*Protect against the effects of aging
*Reduce chance of cancer and heart disease

Meat and Meat Alternatives

*Lean meats
*Salmon
*Tofu
*Eggs
*Peanut butter (Smart Balance is a good choice--avoid sugar!)
*Nuts and seeds
*Beans (Not baked--avoid sugar)

Why?

*Protein and Minerals like iron. Protein helps your muscles recover, and your immune system cells, hair, skin, and nails are also made from protein.
*Fish, nuts, and seeds contain healthy fats called mono and polyunsaturated fats which play a critical role in cellular health and can lower risk of heart disease

*Fats are NOT bad!

Milk and Calcium

Skim Milk, Skim cheese, PLAIN Yogurt (preferably Greek--more protein, very little sugar)

Why?

*Calcium for bone health
*Calcium is responsible for regulation of cellular functions like muscle contraction

PROPER PORTION SIZE (probably much less than you think...)

*Drink a lot of water--preferably before you eat. It will fill you up and you'll eat less (it will help you avoid seconds and thirds)

*1 3/4 - 3 1/2 oz of meat =the size of a deck of cards.
* 1 cup of starch = size of a tennis ball/fist
* 1 hour before exercise eat a high-carb snack like a granola bar, toast with peanut butter/jelly, or a fruit, plus 2 cups of water
* If you exercise for over an hour, have a small snack of carbs and protein, and 2-3 cups of water
* At lunch and dinner, design plates that are half veggies, 1/4 starch, 1/4 meat.
*Fruit (can be frozen fruit) for dessert and maybe some skim milk, 3/4 cup plain yogurt
*Water is your best choice of beverage because there's no sugar involved. You do NOT need Gatorade, Powerade, a smoothie, etc. All hype. Also, fruit juice is too much sugar. That includes OJ.

Obviously, if you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight.
If you eat the same amount of calories that you burn, you maintain weight.
If you eat less calories than you burn, you lose weight.

Check your BMI (Body Mass Index) You can do this online: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

Normal weight falls between 18.5 and 25.9~Perfect!
Below that is underweight (increased risk of health problems)
Overweight is 25-29.9 (increased risk of health problems)

Then, there are three classes of Obese. I, II, III

I: 30-34.9 (High Risk of health problems)
II: 35-39.9 (Very high risk of health problems)
III: 40 and above (Extremely high risk of health problems)

Any category of "obese" means risk for high blood pressure, liver disease, high cholesterol, and type II diabetes. Diabetes, once you have it, is permanent.

Hydration

16-30 years old: 40mL per kg of body weight per day
30-55 years old: 35mL per kg of body weight per day
55-75 years old: 30mL per kg of body weight per day
75 and up: 25mL per kg of body weight per day

Final Suggestions
1. Choose in season fruit
2. Include 2 servings of veggies with lunch and 2 at dinner--at least
3. Eat WHOLE grains
4. Go meatless as much as you can to reduce saturated fat and increase fiber
5. Ditch juice
6. Purge processed foods--go fresh as much as you can
7. Don't eat in front of the tv-you eat much larger portions
8. Buy a scale-weigh yourself on a regular basis to stay on track
9. Half the amount of fat you currently eat-butter, mayo, oil, etc.
10. Sweets 2-3 times a week maximum--that includes anytime during the day!
11. Milk--Go for skim or 1% at the most

Sources: Food Matters by Mark Bittman and Walking for Fitness by Marnie Caron