Good morning, this is your Wellness Wake Up Call with Kristin Bogdonas, nutrition and wellness educator with University of Illinois Extension.
As we gear up for all the holiday season, let us not forget the importance of eating well and finding balance with our food choices. November is Eat Smart Month, an American Heart Association campaign encouraging Americans to make small, sustainable changes to live healthier lives.
Eat Smart
What is your key to eating smart? We all hear about the importance of being healthier but how do you incorporate this idea into your daily life? When we take the time now to evaluate our habits, and make a plan for some healthy changes, we will be more successful in carrying them through the holidays and into the new year ahead. Here are five Eat Smart strategies to focus on that can have lasting effects this holiday season.
Eat Smart Tips:
- Cut back on sugar. Research consistently shows that Americans consume too much sugar, which can raise the risk of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Instead of calorie-dense desserts, enjoy fruit or fruit-based desserts. Try to avoid sugary soft drinks and coffee. Instead, choose unsweetened teas and coffees and limit the amount. Try tonic water with lime for a refreshing beverage. Rethinking your drink could be a great goal to set through the holiday season.
- Increase vegetables; Vegetables are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A diet high in vegetables protects against cancer, diabetes, and heart disease and keeps you full.
- Hydrate: Water aids to promote good health overall. It’s recommended to drink ½ your body weight in ounces per day. For example, a person weighing 120 pounds needs 60 ounces of water daily.
- Limit high-fat foods. Eating more vegetables, lean meat, and fish is a great place to start. Choose low-fat dairy. Transition to healthy oils, like olive or avocado oil, for cooking. Substitute oils in baking with applesauce, banana, or pumpkin. This adds more nutrition and fiber and antioxidants.
- Watch the sodium. Buy “low” or “no sodium” canned goods and season after cooking. Instead of salt, try lemon, vinegar, chilies, herbs, and spices to add flavor to your food.
Meal Planning Tips:
- Choose a couple of recipes for the week
- Make your shopping list and shop at home first. Then, purchase what you need. Don’t forget to look in the freezer and in the back of your dry storage.
- If you work, plan lunches ahead of time or eat your leftovers from dinner.
- For busy mornings, make some grab-n-go breakfast items like overnight oats or frozen breakfast burritos.
- Make dinners a breeze by purchasing frozen or precut vegetables. Add a protein and a whole grain like whole wheat pasta or quinoa. If you are following a keto or gluten-free diet, try making cloud bread and freezing what you are not using to grab for another meal.
- Enjoy fruit for dessert and pair it with yogurt and granola for a heart-healthy snack. up apples from your local orchard this season.
- Stay flexible and plan ahead to reduce food waste.
Don’t forget Eat Smart Day observed on the first Wednesday of November.
This day encourages making healthy choices and being more mindful about our lifestyle behaviors. It’s not just about eating healthier for this one day but starting with one small change and building on for a healthier future. Eat Smart Day was created to help form some healthy habits in preparation for the holiday season and winter months. During this time, it's easy to overlook balanced meals which means weight gain can occur. You should still be able to indulge in all of your favorite holiday treats and traditions, but balance is key. This week, tell your family and friends about Eat Smart Day. Share resources or even host an Eat Smart Party featuring healthier foods and new traditions.
For resource links and a recording of today’s episode, please visit wvik.org/wellness. You can also subscribe to Wellness Wake Up Call today wherever you listen to podcasts and never miss out on these weekly wellness tips.
Thank you for listening! I hope you have a happy and healthy day ahead. Content for this episode was provided by Susan Glassman, nutrition and wellness educator with University of Illinois Extension.
Sources:
· University of Missouri; Healthy Concessions, Eat Smart in the Park, https://extension.missouri.edu/programs/healthy-concessions/eat-smart-in-parks
· American Heart Association, November 21, 2003, Bertrand, Courtney, Eat Smart Month and Balance, https://easternstates.heart.org/2023/11/21/november-is-eat-smart-month-and-balance-is-key/
· Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 2020-2025. Make Every Bite Count. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf#page=31
· University of Missouri, How to calculate how much water you should drink, Jennifer Stone, https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/wellness/how-to-calculate-how-much-water-you-should-drink
