March 16, 2010
Recommit Yourself to Wellness
National Nutrition Month
By Heather Stoeklen, ASHH Dietetic Intern
Approximately 100 million Americans made a New Year’s Resolution this past January, and if you are like the majority of these reported goal makers, your top resolution was to lose weight and get in shape. Statistically however, more than 80% of these resolutions will go unresolved this year. But it’s not too late to change the numbers.
March is National Nutrition Month, and this month, it’s all about incorporating a well-balanced diet and physical activity into your daily routine. So if you’re still groggy from your Thanksgiving turkey coma, or if you’ve been reduced to covering your treadmill with a sheet because it suddenly seems to have developed judgment as one of its features, now is the perfect time to recommit yourself to wellness.
Some of the easiest ways to get back on the bandwagon to healthy town is to make small changes to your current schedule and habits. Here are some quick tips to make this year’s National Nutrition Month memorable:
- Keep a food and physical activity journal. Studies have shown that people who write down what they eat, and how they exercise are more likely to be aware of and, ultimately, be able to change their habits.
- Turn off the television. Eating in front of the television leads to mindless eating. If you have ever sat down to enjoy your favorite show and a bag of chips but are soon searching for a hole in the bottom of the bag because there is no way that you ate all those chips, you have experienced mindless eating.
- Turn in your Clean Plate Committee Badge. You do not have to clean your plate. There is no exclusive club membership waiting under that last dinner roll; and contrary to popular belief, the starvation status of third world children does not depend on whether you finish off the casserole. Get some Tupperware and have leftovers-some food tastes better the second day anyway.
- Snack on fruits and vegetables. The message to “eat more fruits and vegetable” seems to confront us wherever we go. And for good reason. Fruits and vegetables are healthy, low calorie snacks that are simply bursting with nutrients that are beneficial to your body.
- Slow down, and pay attention. It takes approximately 20 minutes for our brain to get the signal from our stomach that we are full. Start listening to the signals that your body gives you. Stop overriding your instincts, remember, your body knows best.
- Get moving. Physical activity is essential for health and wellbeing, and you do not have to be a marathon runner or a body builder to see the benefits. Thirty minutes of moderate physical activity 3-5 times a week can make an impressive improvement on calorie control, strength, stamina, mood, immune system and overall health and wellness.
- Don’t give up. Deciding to move toward a healthier lifestyle can seem daunting. If you find yourself eating an entire plate of cookies, remember, all is not lost. Maintaining a well-balanced diet and physical activity takes practice. And like we were told in school or sports: practice makes perfect. Move beyond any missteps, and move toward a healthier you.
- Have fun. Incorporating a well-balance diet and physical activity into your routine does not have translate to boring. Try new foods, or try a new exercise class at your wellness center or gym – and as you anticipate bets for March Madness, don’t forget to place your bet on nutrition.
