Here are some Nutrition and Physical Activity Tips from the Leon County
Heath Services Department. Try them with your child and let me know if
they help you emphasize a healthy life style.
September 5 - 9
Water is the best beverage. It has no calories. It quenches thirst better
than any other drink. A well hydrated person thinks better, looks better,
and feels better. If you drank a 12-ounce bottle of water instead of juice
or soda each day could save at least 4,500 calories in a month. - That’s
nearly 6 cups of sugar! Be as active as you can. The more active you are
the better your body works. Pick activities that you like to do so that it
is easy to keep doing them. Limit your screen time (TV, computer, video
games, etc.) to less than two hours per day. Get your friends and family
involved.
Good examples of activities are walking, dancing, bike riding, and playing
ball with friends.
September 12-16
Start the day with a healthy breakfast.
The key to a healthy breakfast is including plenty of nutrients that your
body can use to jumpstart the day. A breakfast with protein, carbohydrate
and rich in fiber can keep you energetic until lunch. A good example is
peanut butter on whole wheat toast, whole grain cereal with low-fat yogurt
or milk, or mixed nuts and dried fruit. Don't overdo it.
Do low - to moderate-level activities, especially at first. You can slowly
increase the duration and intensity of your activities as you become more
fit. Over time, work up to exercising on most days of the week for 30-60
minutes.
September 19 – 23
Professional Performance: Did you watch the Olympics? You may not be a
professional athlete (yet), but you can eat like an “all star.” Athletes
know that they need to make eating choices that help them perform at their
best. To help you get the most out of your body, eat a wide variety of
foods including lean meats and low-fat dairy products and exercise every
day.
Strength Training:
Unlike aerobic exercise that burns calories primarily during the exercise
session itself, strength training boosts your metabolism throughout the
entire day and night. Muscle tissue actively burns calories. The greater
your muscle mass, the more calories you burn.
September 26-30
Better Burgers: Did you know leaving the cheese and mayo off of your burger
could save 100 calories? Better topping choices include lettuce, tomatoes,
ketchup, mustard, pickles, and onions.
Adapted from “Smartmouth”, Center for Science in the Public Interest’s
website. www.cspinet.org
To lose body fat, you have to burn off more calories than you consume.
Exercise can help contribute to the calorie deficit, but exercise is often
overrated as a way to reduce body fat. Exercise is better used as a tool to
help maintain
weight loss, because it helps relieve stress (which can reduce stress
eating), helps you feel good about yourself, boosts your metabolism, and
increases the desire to feed yourself healthfully.
October
3 - 7 Get the calcium, not the fat! Did you know that you could save 400
pounds of fat and 1.5 million calories in your lifetime by drinking skim
milk instead of whole milk every day?
Adapted from “Smartmouth”, Center for Science in the Public Interest’s
website. www.cspinet.org
Small Changes:
Keep in mind that you can make small changes in your daily routine that
will increase you physical activity these changes include:
Taking the stairs, not the elevator.
Park furthest away in the parking lot.
Do abdominal work during TV commercials.
Keep moving!!!
October 10 - 14
5 a day! Eating a serving of fruit with lunch can help you reach the goal
of five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Try a fresh apple, peach,
plum or your favorite fruit cup for lunch or an after-school snack today!
Walking Pounds Away:
If you walk 5 hours more a week at a moderate speed and make no other
changes, you should lose a half pound a week, and get healthier to boot.
Add 5 minutes to your regular workout each week for a month, and you will
burn more calories easily.
October 17 - 21
Drink plenty of water. Sprinkle in lemon or lime juice to provide a new
twist. There are 1440 minutes in every day... Schedule 30 of them for
physical activity. You can exercise while watching TV: lift weights or
walk in place
October 24 – 28
Halloween Pumpkins, not just for Halloween anymore! Did you know that
besides being good for making jack o’ lanterns, pumpkins are a very
nutritious food? Of all canned fruits and vegetables, pumpkin is the best
source of Vitamin A. Pumpkin seeds are also a good source of iron and
other minerals when eaten in moderation. So when you carve your pumpkin
for Halloween, try something new and enjoy the pumpkin’s “insides” too!
Recommendations for exercise: “F.I.T.T. Principle”
Frequency:
How often should I exercise?
For weight loss, try to exercise for 30 minutes continuously most days of
the week.
How often should I strength train?
A minimum of 2 days each week with one day of rest in-between.
Intensity:
How hard should I work out?
Check your pulse every 15 minutes to make sure you are working out at an
appropriate intensity to gain benefits.
You should try to exercise between 55/65% to 90% of your maximum heart rate.
To calculate max heart rate:
220-age= max heart rate Example: 220-30 years old = 190 max
To determine 55-90%z;
Take max heart rate x .55 = 55% Example: 190 x .55=105 beats per minute
Max heart rate x .90 = 90% Example: 190 x .90=171 beats per minute
How hard should I strength train?
You should lift a weight heavy enough to complete 8-12 repetitions.
Increase slowly by 2-5 pound increments.
Type: What should I do?
Cross-training is very important for injury prevention and to prevent
plateaus in a weight loss or fitness program. The body adapts to a fitness
program every 4-6 weeks. Change a component of your exercise program each
month. Vary the time, intensity or type of exercise to prevent plateaus. Be
sure to vary your weight training routine. Change weight, sets,
repetitions, machines vs. free weights, etc.
Time: How long do I need to work out?
A minimum of 15-30 minutes on most days of the week. This time can be
broken up throughout the day or can be done continuously.
Start with 15 minutes. Each week gradually increase by 5 minutes until you
can complete 30-45 continuous minutes of cardiovascular exercise.
October 31- November 4 Calorie Conscious: Did you know that an entire
small cantaloupe has about the same number of calories as a small (1oz) bag
of potato chips?
Adapted from “Smartmouth”, Center for Science in the Public Interest’s
website. www.cspinet.org
Don't sweat it.
If you're pressed for time, divide your activity into small sessions. Take
a 10-minute walk at lunch, another one after dinner; and don’t forget your
abdominal work during commercials
November
7 - 11 Smart eating: Eating a handful of baby carrots for a snack can fill
you up without adding a lot of calories to your day. 10 baby carrots have
only 40 calories
.
Adapted from “Smartmouth”, Center for Science in the Public Interest’s
website. www.cspinet.org Use a visible reward system.
The effects of exercise are cumulative and long-term, so sometimes it helps
to see your results on a daily basis. After each workout, put a big red
star on the calendar as a symbol that you completed the day's workout. Take
photos of yourself every month in your workout gear so you have a visual
record of your results, too.
November 14 - 22
Thanksgiving can be healthy: Did you know that turkey is one of the most
nutritious meats you can eat? It has more protein and calcium, and less
fat, calories, and sodium than other meats. The white meat (without the
skin) is the healthiest way to enjoy turkey. If you like the other parts,
just be sure to be careful how much you have.
Find a convenient time and place to do activities.
Try to make it a habit, but be flexible. If you miss an exercise
opportunity, work activity into your day another way.
November 28- December 2
Pizza Principals: Choose you pizza wisely for fewer calories. 2 slices of a
medium deep-dish pizza with meat has about 900 calories and 50 grams of
fat. A better choice would be 2 slices of hand-tossed cheese pizza it has
about 500 calories and 20 grams of fat.
Stretching is a great way to warm up your muscles, before doing sports or
playing with friends. You'll be amazed at how flexible your body is with
regular stretching. Remember: Don't bounce!
December 5 - 9
Serving savvy: Do you know what a “serving” is of your favorite food? Try
looking at the nutrition label on the container and compare how much you
usually eat to the serving listed. You may be surprised…
When watching TV, sit up instead of lying on the sofa. Better yet, spend a
few minutes pedaling on your stationary bicycle while watching TV. Throw
away your video remote control. Instead of asking someone to bring you a
drink, get up off the couch and get it yourself.
December 12 -16
When a fruit is not a fruit: Did you know that food like cereal bars,
toaster pastries and fruit snacks do not count as a serving of fruit? They
may have fruit in the name or taste similar but they lack the fiber,
vitamins and minerals of the real thing. Try having fresh, frozen or canned
fruit as a more nutritious alternative.
It's easy to fit physical activities into your daily routine. Walk, bike or
jog to see friends. Take a 10-minute activity break every hour while you
read, do homework or watch TV. Climb stairs instead of taking an escalator
or elevator. Try to do these things for a total of 30 minutes every day.
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