A Healthy Start to a New Year

Hi everyone! I haven't disappeared. I'm still here!

I hope all of you enjoyed your holiday season and are having a wonderful start to 2011. Take a look at all the food-related things I got for Christmas! I can't wait to cook up a storm this year! (I had to include the dark chocolate truffles from my parents! They're so good and my little indulgence.)

Thank you everyone for the awesome presents!

Have you made your New Years Resolutions yet? I hope I can encourage everyone to add improve eating and wellness habits to the your lists! Whether that's drink one less soda can a week, or eat whole wheat pasta instead of regular, or even move from 2% milk to 1%, any positive small changes in our diet can have an impact on our health and maybe even lead to bigger changes.

Make sure your goals are measurable and obtainable. Instead of saying "I will work out more in 2011", try starting with "I will walk 30 minutes, 3 days a week".  Also, those who write down their goals are about 80% more likely to follow through with them, so write those suckers down!

If interested in weight loss, try for a healthy and attainable goal of no more than 2 pounds per week. Any more than two pounds per week is less likely to stay off permanently. Also think of 1 pound equaling 3500 calories, or 500 calories a day, so read those nutrition labels and add it up! You'll realize how easy it is to remove 500 calories daily, especially if you drink plenty of liquid calories (sodas, juice, sports drinks, smoothies, etc.). We'll go over nutrition labels for the next blog entry. Remember, you can also create a deficit in your "energy-in vs. energy-out" through exercise.

Image via fireheartbliss

Don't lose weight or change eating habits at the cost of nutrition. Our bodies need carbohydrates, protein, and, yes, even fats for daily living. Nutritious eating involves choosing complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and "good" fats, such as omega-3's, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated fats. We'll also review all this for the coming year! I also encourage all of you to enjoy a variety of foods. Not only will this help you avoid a rut, but through a variety of foods you'll be maximizing exposure to those nutrients we've been talking about thus far. The best way to get the most positive effects from nutrients, is yes, via foods! Many nutritious foods contain several substances that work together to maximize absorption and the incredible effects of each single nutrient, something which many supplements and shakes are lacking. Not to mention, foods contain substances, such as the flavaenoids and phenols, that many of us (and supplement/shake companies) either don't know about or ignore. Also, don't concentrate on one nutrient only, but realize the importance of all nutrients and look at the food as a whole. For example, "low-fat" does not necessarily mean low calories, and sometimes contain more sugar.

Just in case you're wondering, I'm still working on increasing my fruits and vegetable intake to around 9 servings daily. I'm experiencing obstacles, "off-days", and "excuses" just like anyone else trying to change they're eating habits. Making small steps to reach 9 servings is both encouraging and effective, and I've discovered so many new fruits, vegetables, and foods! Spinach nuggets (haha, that's right, spinach nuggets) are delicious!

Finally, as I research more and more information about oncology and nutrition, I want to encourage everyone to increase they're daily intake of antioxidants through foods. Antioxidants are incredible substances that can protect our bodies from oxidative damage that can lead to numerous diseases, including heart disease and cancer. If you don't believe you can avoid certain diseases, at least think of nutrition and physical activity as a way of maximizing and prolonging a life sans disease before succumbing to the effects of genetics, age, and daily living, and in turn, medication, medical bills, and hospital visits.

So, share your nutrition and physical activity goals for the new year!

Image via Heart Fish Blog