Heatlh Diet
May 19, 2009
Filed under Diet And Nutrition
Why should I try to have a healthy diet?
Having a healthy diet is one of the most important things you can do to help your overall health. Along with physical activity, your diet is the key factor that affects your weight. Having a healthy weight for your height is important. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, breathing problems, arthritis, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea (breathing problems while sleeping), osteoarthritis, and some cancers.
You can find out if you’re overweight or obese by figuring out your body mass index (BMI). Women with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight, whereas women with a BMI of 30 or more are considered obese. All adults (aged 18 years or older) who have a BMI of 25 or more are considered at risk for premature death and disability from being overweight or obese. These health risks increase as the BMI rises. Your health care provider can help you figure out your body mass.
Having a healthy diet is sometimes easier said than done. It is tempting to eat less healthy foods because they might be easier to get or prepare, or they satisfy a craving. Between family and work or school, you are probably balancing a hundred things at once. Taking time to buy the ingredients for and cooking a healthy meal sometimes falls last on your list. But you should know that it isn’t hard to make simple changes to improve your diet. And you can make sense of the mounds of nutrition information out there. A little learning and planning can help you find a diet to fit your lifestyle, and maybe you can have some fun in the process!
What are the most important steps to a healthy diet?
The basic steps to good nutrition come from a diet that:
1. Helps you either lose weight or keep your BMI in the "healthy" range.
2. Is balanced overall, with foods from all food groups, with lots of delicious fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.
3. Is low in saturated fat,trans fat, and cholesterol. Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
4. Includes a variety of grains daily, especially whole-grains, a good source of fiber.
5. Includes a variety of fruits and vegetables (two cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a 2,000 calorie diet).
6. Have a small number of calories from added sugars (like in candy, cookies, and cakes).
7. Has foods prepared with less sodium or salt (aim for no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, or about one teaspoon of salt per day).
8. Does not include more than one drink per day (two drinks per day for men) if you drink alcoholic beverages.
How can I follow a healthy diet if I eat out a lot?
1. Ask the server to make substitutions, like having steamed vegetables instead of fries.
2. Pick lean meat, fish, or skinless chicken.
3. Make sure your entrée is broiled, baked, grilled, steamed, or poached instead of fried.
4. Ask for baked, boiled, or roasted potatoes instead of fried.
5. Order lots of vegetable side dishes and ask that any sauces or butter be left off.
6. Ask for low-calorie salad dressing or a lemon to squeeze on your salad instead of dressing.
7. Order fresh fruit or fruit sorbet in place of cake, pie, or ice cream desserts.
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Inexpensive Fun For The Family
March 24, 2009
Filed under Outdoors Activities.
Summer is the perfect time to get the entire family outside for some fun, but getting together doesn’t have to be expensive. There are plenty of activities everyone can enjoy that won’t break the bank. Just a few are flying a stunt kite after a picnic in a local park, getting everyone together on bikes and going for a ride or hiking along a local trail. These activities will get your family away from the television, video games and computer, off the couch and out in the sunshine.Flying A Stunt Kite After A Picnic In The Park.
A picnic lunch followed by flying a stunt kite in the park is a great way to spend an afternoon. Lunch can be as simple as cold sandwiches, chips and sodas or as elaborate as prepared salads and sparkling juice in plastic wine glasses. Afterwards, get out the stunt kite and fly the afternoon away. Prices for stunt kites start around $10 and go up from there so it’s easy to find one in nearly every price range, or even to buy one for each person in your family. Stunt kites are great for nearly everyone because they’re sturdier and can withstand crashes better than regular kites. Families can have stunt kite competitions to see whose kite can stay in the air the longest and who can do the best tricks like loops and dives
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All you need for this fun family afternoon is a kite, some good food, good company and a little wind. Going On A Family Bike Ride Another great family activity is a bike ride. Grab your bikes and helmets and find a local bike trail. Many areas of the country have extensive bike trails, with smooth surfaces to ensure a safe ride. If you have young children that are too little for a bike, they can ride a big wheel, tricycle or even sit down in a bike trailer attached to an adult’s bike. Make sure everyone has plenty of water and double check to see how long the trail is before setting out for the day.
You’ll definitely want to make sure young children can complete the trail. Hiking A Local Trail At A National Or State Park Many state and national parks are full of hiking trails and the park’s admission is usually minimal, making a family hike a great low-cost outdoor activity. You don’t actually need hiking boots, just grab some comfortable tennis shoes and get hiking! Make sure to stay on the trail, but it’s a good idea to have a cell phone or GPS unit with you in case you accidentally lose your way. These are just a few of the many outdoor activities families can take advantage of when the weather turns nice. No matter what you choose to do, the important thing is that you’re reconnecting as a family and enjoying each other’s company.
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