May 2011 

Tips From Nutrition Focus

Weight Loss Tip:

May: The Month of Celebrations!

By: Kimberly A. Tessmer, RD LD

The month of May usually brings around wedding showers, graduation parties, communion parties and holiday cookouts.  All types of celebrations that will ultimately include  many culinary delights.  All of these foods can challenge a healthful eating plan and/or a weight loss plan. The key is to do a little planning that can let you have your cake and eat it too.

Follow some of these helpful tips: 

Never go to a party hungry. Hunger often leads to overeating. Have a piece of fruit, cottage cheese or a small sandwich before you leave. 

Survey all the foods available and choose the ones you want the most. 

Watch your alcohol intake!  Alcohol can add even more calories, and not a whole lot of nutrition, to your celebration.  Drink alcohol in moderation and choose beverages such as water, sparkling water or juice more often.

Keep portions sizes of high-calorie foods small. Eat slower and try to savor the flavor without the excess portions.

Choose lower calorie foods at other meals to help balance out the calories but be careful NOT to skip meals because you are heading out to a party.  That can lead to overeating.

Don't skip your exercise. Maintain your normal exercise routine and if you don't have one, try to get some physical activity most days of the week. Physical activity can help burn those extra party calories. Have Fun!

Nutrition News: 

Safe Holiday Picnics

By: Kimberly A. Tessmer, RD LD

The month of May celebrates Memorial Day!  Along with this holiday your day may include plans for an outdoor picnic.

Holiday picnics always make foods taste better!  To keep your picnic fun and safe follow these safety tips: 

Make sure hands and food containers are clean.

Pack uncooked foods away from prepared foods.

Keep hot foods above 140 degrees Fahrenheit and cold foods below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. A thermometer is the best way to measure food temperature.

Wrap all foods in tightly sealed containers, so they don't leak.

Keep meat or poultry in the refrigerator or a cooler until you're ready to place it on the grill. Don't leave food outside in hot weather for more than one hour. If it's left out at room temperature, two hours is the limit.

 

Fitness Fun:

How do I decrease my percentage of body fat?

By: Kimberly A. Tessmer, RD LD

In order to decrease percentage body fat, one must focus on diet, aerobic training and strength training. Aerobic work and dietary modifications will be the primary tools to lose the fat. A strength training routine will tone and sculpt the body and increase lean body mass (decreasing the percentage of body weight that is made up of fat tissue).

There is such a thing as a "skinny-fat " person. This is an individual who appears thin but, has a high percentage of body fat. Keep in mind that the health risks are just the same for this body type. So, just because an individual appears thin does not mean they do not have to exercise.

Did you know that..... Strength training raises your basal metabolic rate, even more so than aerobic training? This means that the more lean body mass you have, the more calories your body will burn at rest. It is a well known fact that muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue. Therefore, if you decrease your percentage of body fat and increase lean body mass not only are you decreasing your risk of disease but also, creating a body that works efficiently. The more lean body mass you have the more calories you burn, even as you sit on the couch and watch T.V.!