Week 10 – Sleep
Here in Wake County I am often amazed at how the school system figures out the many functions and rules each school implements. One of my biggest issues is on the matter of sleep, or, in regards to my 2 teens, the deprivation of sleep. While I understand there are certain schedules that work better for busing, I do not understand why they have the group that will be the least likely to fall asleep at a time to get the recommended hours in, before their early wakeup call in order to get to their bus stop at 6:30am. In order for them to get their recommended 8.5 hours they would need to be asleep no later than 9:30pm. Good luck with that!
KIT Fx - Week 10: Sleep the daily recommended amount of time
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a website that provides good guidelines and other information on sleep
http://www.cdc.gov/features/sleep/
Insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions—such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression—which threaten our nation’s health. Not getting enough sleep is associated with the onset of these diseases and also may complicate their management and outcome.
Sufficient sleep is increasingly being recognized as an essential aspect of chronic disease prevention and health promotion. How much sleep is enough? Sleep needs vary from person to person and change as people age. Consider these sleep guidelines for different age groups (and note that the total hours recommended for children 5 years of age and younger include naps).
Infants
• Birth–2 months need 10.5–18 hours
• 2–12 months need 14–15 hours
Toddlers/Children
• 12–18 months need 13–15 hours
• 18 months–3 years need 12–14 hours
• 3–5 years old need 11–13 hours
• 5–12 years old need 9–11 hours
Adolescents need at least 8.5–9.5 hours
Adults typically need 7–9 hours
The website also provides good tips in getting the sleep you need:
• Go to bed at the same time each night, and rise at the same time each morning.
• Sleep in a quiet, dark, and relaxing environment, which is neither too hot nor too cold.
• Make your bed comfortable and use it only for sleeping and not for other activities, such as reading, watching TV, or listening to music.
• Remove all TVs, computers, and other "gadgets" from the bedroom.
• Avoid physical activity within a few hours of bedtime.
• Avoid large meals before bedtime.
Getting enough sleep is not a new idea, so why are we finding it increasingly difficult to fit in the right amount of sleep time? Some reasons are that we live a too-busy lifestyle or we see “excess” sleep as laziness. Let’s take this time to incorporate this very important need into our daily routines. This girl welcomes that suggestion!
maylene
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
KIT Fx - Week 9 Activity Exertion Level
Week 9 –Activity exertion level
Growing up in Southern California and attending “neighborhood” schools I had the opportunity of walking to school every day. Since snow days are a foreign concept there I cannot concoct believable tales of walking uphill 5 miles both ways in 3 feet of snow when telling my kids of the woes I faced as a child. I can, however, tell them I walked almost every day, both ways, to school and so did most of the other kids. I also tell them it was pretty far, like 5 miles each way, but that last part was more how I felt it was rather than reality, which was more like… a mile.
I repeated this tale of super-human abilities on a recent trip to New York City where the kids kept complaining of how far we were walking around. I also pointed out that everyone was walking but NOT complaining about it. After a few days I had to admit that I would rather be running than walking, which got me thinking about perceived levels of exertion and how each of us have our own baseline.
It is often said that walking a mile burns the same amount of calories as running that same mile. While this is not entirely true due to many factors, the idea that increasing levels of exertion can have the same effect or an increased value over the same amount of distance is true, and can often have increased overall health benefits.
KIT Fx - Week 9: Slowly increase exertion to recommended levels
By now you should be at least close to the recommended 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. If not then continue to increase the time at that moderate intensity before proceeding to increasing the intensity.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a website that provides good guidelines and other information on activity exertion levels
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/measuring/index.html
The talk test is a simple way to measure relative intensity. As a rule of thumb, if you're doing moderate-intensity activity you can talk, but not sing, during the activity. If you're doing vigorous-intensity activity, you will not be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath.
If you're not sure about becoming active or boosting your level of physical activity because you're afraid of getting hurt, the good news is that moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking, is generally safe for most people.
Start slowly. Cardiac events, such as a heart attack, are rare during physical activity. But the risk does go up when you suddenly become much more active than usual. For example, you can put yourself at risk if you don't usually get much physical activity and then all of a sudden do vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, like shoveling snow. That's why it's important to start slowly and gradually increase your level of activity.
If you have a chronic health condition such as arthritis, diabetes, or heart disease, talk with your doctor to find out if your condition limits, in any way, your ability to be active. Then, work with your doctor to come up with a physical activity plan that matches your abilities. If your condition stops you from meeting the minimum Guidelines, try to do as much as you can. What's important is that you avoid being inactive. Even 60 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity is good for you.
The site also mentions that adults need a minimum of :
• 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., brisk walking) every week OR
• 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., jogging or running) every week.
The site also suggests doubling these amounts for even greater health benefits.
Moderate-intensity aerobic activity means you're working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat. One way to tell is that you'll be able to talk, but not sing the words to your favorite song. Here are some examples of activities that require moderate effort: Walking fast, Doing water aerobics, Riding a bike on level ground or with few hills, Playing doubles tennis, Pushing a lawn mower
Build up over time
If you want to do more vigorous-level activities, slowly replace those that take moderate effort like brisk walking, with more vigorous activities like jogging.
Vigorous-intensity aerobic activity means you're breathing hard and fast, and your heart rate has gone up quite a bit. If you're working at this level, you won't be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath. Here are some examples of activities that require vigorous effort: Jogging or running, Swimming laps, Riding a bike fast or on hills, Playing singles tennis, Playing basketball
You can do moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or a mix of the two each week. A rule of thumb is that 1 minute of vigorous-intensity activity is about the same as 2 minutes of moderate-intensity activity.
Beginning in week 3 I challenged you to increase the amount of activity you were normally doing. Now we have to take a good look at if we can now increase the intensity to get closer to that level of increased benefits. Remember that we want to make small changes so consider jogging a quarter of every mile you used to walk, or incorporating a few hills on your next bike ride.
I also want to mention that while the use of heart monitors is an accurate way of measuring intensity it is not needed – use your perceived level of exertion, which may even change over time as your level of fitness increases. Keep it simple and it just might stick.
maylene
Growing up in Southern California and attending “neighborhood” schools I had the opportunity of walking to school every day. Since snow days are a foreign concept there I cannot concoct believable tales of walking uphill 5 miles both ways in 3 feet of snow when telling my kids of the woes I faced as a child. I can, however, tell them I walked almost every day, both ways, to school and so did most of the other kids. I also tell them it was pretty far, like 5 miles each way, but that last part was more how I felt it was rather than reality, which was more like… a mile.
I repeated this tale of super-human abilities on a recent trip to New York City where the kids kept complaining of how far we were walking around. I also pointed out that everyone was walking but NOT complaining about it. After a few days I had to admit that I would rather be running than walking, which got me thinking about perceived levels of exertion and how each of us have our own baseline.
It is often said that walking a mile burns the same amount of calories as running that same mile. While this is not entirely true due to many factors, the idea that increasing levels of exertion can have the same effect or an increased value over the same amount of distance is true, and can often have increased overall health benefits.
KIT Fx - Week 9: Slowly increase exertion to recommended levels
By now you should be at least close to the recommended 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. If not then continue to increase the time at that moderate intensity before proceeding to increasing the intensity.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a website that provides good guidelines and other information on activity exertion levels
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/measuring/index.html
The talk test is a simple way to measure relative intensity. As a rule of thumb, if you're doing moderate-intensity activity you can talk, but not sing, during the activity. If you're doing vigorous-intensity activity, you will not be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath.
If you're not sure about becoming active or boosting your level of physical activity because you're afraid of getting hurt, the good news is that moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking, is generally safe for most people.
Start slowly. Cardiac events, such as a heart attack, are rare during physical activity. But the risk does go up when you suddenly become much more active than usual. For example, you can put yourself at risk if you don't usually get much physical activity and then all of a sudden do vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, like shoveling snow. That's why it's important to start slowly and gradually increase your level of activity.
If you have a chronic health condition such as arthritis, diabetes, or heart disease, talk with your doctor to find out if your condition limits, in any way, your ability to be active. Then, work with your doctor to come up with a physical activity plan that matches your abilities. If your condition stops you from meeting the minimum Guidelines, try to do as much as you can. What's important is that you avoid being inactive. Even 60 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity is good for you.
The site also mentions that adults need a minimum of :
• 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., brisk walking) every week OR
• 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., jogging or running) every week.
The site also suggests doubling these amounts for even greater health benefits.
Moderate-intensity aerobic activity means you're working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat. One way to tell is that you'll be able to talk, but not sing the words to your favorite song. Here are some examples of activities that require moderate effort: Walking fast, Doing water aerobics, Riding a bike on level ground or with few hills, Playing doubles tennis, Pushing a lawn mower
Build up over time
If you want to do more vigorous-level activities, slowly replace those that take moderate effort like brisk walking, with more vigorous activities like jogging.
Vigorous-intensity aerobic activity means you're breathing hard and fast, and your heart rate has gone up quite a bit. If you're working at this level, you won't be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath. Here are some examples of activities that require vigorous effort: Jogging or running, Swimming laps, Riding a bike fast or on hills, Playing singles tennis, Playing basketball
You can do moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or a mix of the two each week. A rule of thumb is that 1 minute of vigorous-intensity activity is about the same as 2 minutes of moderate-intensity activity.
Beginning in week 3 I challenged you to increase the amount of activity you were normally doing. Now we have to take a good look at if we can now increase the intensity to get closer to that level of increased benefits. Remember that we want to make small changes so consider jogging a quarter of every mile you used to walk, or incorporating a few hills on your next bike ride.
I also want to mention that while the use of heart monitors is an accurate way of measuring intensity it is not needed – use your perceived level of exertion, which may even change over time as your level of fitness increases. Keep it simple and it just might stick.
maylene
Friday, February 19, 2010
KIT Fx - Week 8 Vegetables - Putting it all together
Week 8 –Vegetables – Putting it all together
How do you feel? Energized or tired? Clear-headed or frazzled? Full or hungry? These feelings should be incorporated daily into your journal and hopefully we are seeing more the former than the latter as we are continuing with our consumption of water, daily exercise and eating our veggies!
KIT Fx - Week 8: Eat the recommended amount AND variety of vegetables
To review, the US Government has a website that provides good guidelines and other information on vegetables
http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetables.html
Based on this our website has a simplistic table and weekly menu that incorporates the 3 groups of vegetables we have concentrated on (Dark Green, Orange & Dry Beans & Peas) with the last 2 groups (Starchy & Other). Again, this is just an example, condensed and simplistic but a good starting point to help you get used to personalizing it for each member of your family. It is based on different portion sizes for each member of your family spread throughout the week but only using a few varieties in each group so as not to buy too much and be wasted. Some portions will be doubled for certain meals, such as a small child eating 2- ¼ c servings of corn in one meal.
Monday – (lunch) Raw Carrot sticks & Red Pepper w/hummus, (dinner) Spinach & Peas salad w/Lentils, Onions & rice
Tuesday – (lunch) Baked Potato, (dinner) Black bean tacos w/Roasted or grilled Butternut squash, Corn, Onions & Tomatoes
Wednesday – (dinner) Steamed Broccoli & Mashed Potato
Thursday - (lunch) Steamed Corn & Peas, (dinner) Leftover roasted Butternut squash & Onions mixed into Risotto!
Friday – (lunch) Romaine salad, (dinner) Black bean chili w/ Onions & Tomatoes
Saturday – (lunch) Lentil, Potato, Corn & Onion soup, (dinner) Stir Fry w/Broccoli, Mushrooms & Onions
Sunday – (brunch) Omelette w/Spinach, Mushrooms, Onions & Tomatoes, (dinner) Spaghetti sauce made w/ Grated Carrot, Red Pepper, Mushrooms, Onions & Tomatoes
Again, please share your comments and ideas with us and others using the comment button below
maylene
How do you feel? Energized or tired? Clear-headed or frazzled? Full or hungry? These feelings should be incorporated daily into your journal and hopefully we are seeing more the former than the latter as we are continuing with our consumption of water, daily exercise and eating our veggies!
KIT Fx - Week 8: Eat the recommended amount AND variety of vegetables
To review, the US Government has a website that provides good guidelines and other information on vegetables
http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetables.html
Based on this our website has a simplistic table and weekly menu that incorporates the 3 groups of vegetables we have concentrated on (Dark Green, Orange & Dry Beans & Peas) with the last 2 groups (Starchy & Other). Again, this is just an example, condensed and simplistic but a good starting point to help you get used to personalizing it for each member of your family. It is based on different portion sizes for each member of your family spread throughout the week but only using a few varieties in each group so as not to buy too much and be wasted. Some portions will be doubled for certain meals, such as a small child eating 2- ¼ c servings of corn in one meal.
Monday – (lunch) Raw Carrot sticks & Red Pepper w/hummus, (dinner) Spinach & Peas salad w/Lentils, Onions & rice
Tuesday – (lunch) Baked Potato, (dinner) Black bean tacos w/Roasted or grilled Butternut squash, Corn, Onions & Tomatoes
Wednesday – (dinner) Steamed Broccoli & Mashed Potato
Thursday - (lunch) Steamed Corn & Peas, (dinner) Leftover roasted Butternut squash & Onions mixed into Risotto!
Friday – (lunch) Romaine salad, (dinner) Black bean chili w/ Onions & Tomatoes
Saturday – (lunch) Lentil, Potato, Corn & Onion soup, (dinner) Stir Fry w/Broccoli, Mushrooms & Onions
Sunday – (brunch) Omelette w/Spinach, Mushrooms, Onions & Tomatoes, (dinner) Spaghetti sauce made w/ Grated Carrot, Red Pepper, Mushrooms, Onions & Tomatoes
Again, please share your comments and ideas with us and others using the comment button below
maylene
Friday, February 12, 2010
KIT Fx - Week 7 Vegetables-Dry Beans & Peas
Week 7 – Vegetables-Dry Beans & Peas
Whenever I think of dry beans & peas I think of George Clooney. Like most women I think of George quite often, but only those who heard him exclaim “God bless the chickpea!” upon tasting Monica’s homemade hummus on the show Friends, can put him and the chickpea in the same thought.
Long pause while we all think of George… and now back to veggies.
KIT Fx - Week 7: Eat the recommended amount of Dry Beans & Peas
Based on the previously mentioned daily recommendation, most kids should get about 1/2-3 cups of dry beans & peas per week, adults about 3 cups per week.
The same website contains information on the importance of this vegetable group as well as ways it helps provide nutrients otherwise obtained from animal sources http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/dry_beans_peas_table.html
… These foods are excellent sources of plant protein, and also provide other nutrients such as iron and zinc. They are similar to meats, poultry, and fish in their contribution of these nutrients. Many people consider dry beans and peas as vegetarian alternatives for meat. However, they are also excellent sources of dietary fiber and nutrients such as folate that are low in diets of many Americans. These nutrients are found in plant foods like vegetables.
Examples of Dry Beans & Peas – Beans – black, kidney, garbanzo, lima, navy, pinto, soy and white. Peas – black-eyed, chickpea (ooooo….. george….) and split. And my favorite, lentils, which I posted a recipe for few weeks back. Not only is this group nutritious it’s also quite inexpensive and keeps well.
Pick 2-3 variations of dry beans & peas you and your family will enjoy and incorporate them into your daily diet. Divide the recommended intake for each of you over the week. Here is an example using Lentils, chickpeas and black beans added to your green & orange veggies:
Monday – (lunch) Raw Carrot sticks w/hummus, (dinner) Spinach salad w/Lentils & rice
Taco Tuesday – (dinner) Black bean tacos w/Roasted or grilled Butternut squash
Wednesday – (dinner) Steamed Broccoli
Thursday - (dinner) Leftover roasted Butternut squash mixed into Risotto!
Friday – (lunch) Romaine salad, (dinner) Black bean chili
Saturday – (lunch) Lentil soup, (dinner) Stir Fry w/Broccoli
Sunday – (dinner) Spaghetti sauce made w/ Grated Carrot
My hope is that we are moving right along and incorporating these important parts into our routines with ease. We’re journaling our progress, drinking the right amount of water, moving towards a good amount of regular exercise, and by the end of next week should be eating not only the right amount of vegetables but the right variety. The basic information is presented here but with the internet and a simple search you can read an abundance of articles and recipes that may further your quest into a healthier lifestyle.
maylene
Whenever I think of dry beans & peas I think of George Clooney. Like most women I think of George quite often, but only those who heard him exclaim “God bless the chickpea!” upon tasting Monica’s homemade hummus on the show Friends, can put him and the chickpea in the same thought.
Long pause while we all think of George… and now back to veggies.
KIT Fx - Week 7: Eat the recommended amount of Dry Beans & Peas
Based on the previously mentioned daily recommendation, most kids should get about 1/2-3 cups of dry beans & peas per week, adults about 3 cups per week.
The same website contains information on the importance of this vegetable group as well as ways it helps provide nutrients otherwise obtained from animal sources http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/dry_beans_peas_table.html
… These foods are excellent sources of plant protein, and also provide other nutrients such as iron and zinc. They are similar to meats, poultry, and fish in their contribution of these nutrients. Many people consider dry beans and peas as vegetarian alternatives for meat. However, they are also excellent sources of dietary fiber and nutrients such as folate that are low in diets of many Americans. These nutrients are found in plant foods like vegetables.
Examples of Dry Beans & Peas – Beans – black, kidney, garbanzo, lima, navy, pinto, soy and white. Peas – black-eyed, chickpea (ooooo….. george….) and split. And my favorite, lentils, which I posted a recipe for few weeks back. Not only is this group nutritious it’s also quite inexpensive and keeps well.
Pick 2-3 variations of dry beans & peas you and your family will enjoy and incorporate them into your daily diet. Divide the recommended intake for each of you over the week. Here is an example using Lentils, chickpeas and black beans added to your green & orange veggies:
Monday – (lunch) Raw Carrot sticks w/hummus, (dinner) Spinach salad w/Lentils & rice
Taco Tuesday – (dinner) Black bean tacos w/Roasted or grilled Butternut squash
Wednesday – (dinner) Steamed Broccoli
Thursday - (dinner) Leftover roasted Butternut squash mixed into Risotto!
Friday – (lunch) Romaine salad, (dinner) Black bean chili
Saturday – (lunch) Lentil soup, (dinner) Stir Fry w/Broccoli
Sunday – (dinner) Spaghetti sauce made w/ Grated Carrot
My hope is that we are moving right along and incorporating these important parts into our routines with ease. We’re journaling our progress, drinking the right amount of water, moving towards a good amount of regular exercise, and by the end of next week should be eating not only the right amount of vegetables but the right variety. The basic information is presented here but with the internet and a simple search you can read an abundance of articles and recipes that may further your quest into a healthier lifestyle.
maylene
Friday, February 5, 2010
KIT Fx - Week 6 Vegetables-Orange
Week 6 – Vegetables-Orange
One thing I learned when they were young is their tastes will change over time. Another thing I learned is more often than not it’s the texture, not necessarily the taste, which kids dislike. So my advice to parents is to reintroduce a food that was previously turned down at a later time and you may want to prepare or serve it in a different fashion. For example, my daughter dislikes sliced tomatoes but will eat tomatoes in a spaghetti sauce.
KIT Fx - Week 6: Eat the recommended amount of Orange Vegetables
Based on the previously mentioned daily recommendation, most kids should get about 1/2-2 cups of orange vegetables per week, adults about 2 cups per week.
Orange vegetables contain a high amount of vitamins A & C which along with fiber are good for your skin, eyes and heart. We grew up with the knowledge that carrots are good for our eyes and now we learn it’s also good for our skin. Yes, ladies, the hundreds of dollars you are spending on serums for “anti-aging” benefits can also be obtained from eating foods rich in the same vitamins you are slathering on your face!
Examples of Orange Vegetables - acorn squash, butternut squash, carrots, pumpkin & sweet potatoes
Pick 2-3 vegetables you and your family will enjoy and incorporate them into your daily diet. Divide the recommended intake for each of you over the week. Here is an example using Butternut squash & carrots being added to last week’s green veggie example:
Monday – (lunch) Raw Carrot sticks, (dinner) Spinach salad
Tuesday – (dinner) Roasted or grilled Butternut squash
Wednesday – (dinner) Steamed Broccoli
Thursday - (dinner) Leftover roasted Butternut squash mixed into Risotto!
Friday – (lunch) Romaine salad
Saturday – (dinner) Stir Fry w/Broccoli
Sunday – (dinner) Spaghetti sauce made w/ Grated Carrot
Remember to be experimental as you never know what your family will like. I also enjoy not letting them know what it is until they exclaim “mmmmm…. This is good. What is it?” :)
maylene
As in most families, my kids are very different in what they like and dislike when it comes to food. My daughter tends to be the picky one, and my son will eat just about anything you place in front of him. Back when they were babies, in the days when baby food in a jar was your only option, I used to cook fresh vegetables, then puree and freeze them in ice cube trays. I would defrost/warm them as needed and my kids grew up loving every vegetable I presented. Then one day, the first day of kindergarten for Squid, she came home and exclaimed “Mom! This girl had the most wonderful lunch. It was peanut butter and jelly…” (which she had before, but this was not fresh ground peanuts ground served with all-fruit as she was accustomed to) “… and it was on this thing called WHITE BREAD. And you can get it at Kroger!” Yes, my 4 year old daughter was telling me about this new invention and where I could buy it. So needless to say, she turned to the dark side and became picky but is now a teen and liking more healthy food than ever before… preferably followed by something fat & sugary :)
One thing I learned when they were young is their tastes will change over time. Another thing I learned is more often than not it’s the texture, not necessarily the taste, which kids dislike. So my advice to parents is to reintroduce a food that was previously turned down at a later time and you may want to prepare or serve it in a different fashion. For example, my daughter dislikes sliced tomatoes but will eat tomatoes in a spaghetti sauce.
KIT Fx - Week 6: Eat the recommended amount of Orange Vegetables
Based on the previously mentioned daily recommendation, most kids should get about 1/2-2 cups of orange vegetables per week, adults about 2 cups per week.
Orange vegetables contain a high amount of vitamins A & C which along with fiber are good for your skin, eyes and heart. We grew up with the knowledge that carrots are good for our eyes and now we learn it’s also good for our skin. Yes, ladies, the hundreds of dollars you are spending on serums for “anti-aging” benefits can also be obtained from eating foods rich in the same vitamins you are slathering on your face!
Examples of Orange Vegetables - acorn squash, butternut squash, carrots, pumpkin & sweet potatoes
Pick 2-3 vegetables you and your family will enjoy and incorporate them into your daily diet. Divide the recommended intake for each of you over the week. Here is an example using Butternut squash & carrots being added to last week’s green veggie example:
Monday – (lunch) Raw Carrot sticks, (dinner) Spinach salad
Tuesday – (dinner) Roasted or grilled Butternut squash
Wednesday – (dinner) Steamed Broccoli
Thursday - (dinner) Leftover roasted Butternut squash mixed into Risotto!
Friday – (lunch) Romaine salad
Saturday – (dinner) Stir Fry w/Broccoli
Sunday – (dinner) Spaghetti sauce made w/ Grated Carrot
Remember to be experimental as you never know what your family will like. I also enjoy not letting them know what it is until they exclaim “mmmmm…. This is good. What is it?” :)
maylene
Friday, January 29, 2010
KIT Fx - Week 5 Vegetables - Dark Green
Week 5 – Vegetables-Dark Green
According to the government standards most kids should get about 1-3 cups of vegetables per day, adults about 2-3 cups per day. From their website http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetables.html
The amount of vegetables you need to eat depends on your age, sex, and level of physical activity. Recommended total daily amounts are shown in the first chart.
This chart shows the amounts of various kinds of vegetables that qualify as a “cup”.
http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetables_amount_table.html
Furthermore, they recommend this daily intake should be comprised of a variety of vegetables.
Vegetable subgroup recommendations are given as amounts to eat WEEKLY. It is not necessary to eat vegetables from each subgroup daily. However, over a week, try to consume the amounts listed from each subgroup as a way to reach your daily intake recommendation.
The same link has a second chart that shows the amounts of recommended various kinds of vegetables in each of the 5 subgroups – Dark Green, Orange, Dry Beans & Peas, Starchy and Other.
http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetables_amount_table.html
Out of the 5 subgroups it is my experience that Starchy and Other vegetables are the most commonly eaten. The first three, Dark Green, Orange & Dry Beans & Peas are less popular and where we will be concentrating on the next 3 weeks.
KIT Fx - Week 5: Eat the recommended amount of Dark Green Vegetables
Based on this recommendation most kids should get about 1-3 cups of dark green vegetables per week, adults about 3 cups per week.
Dark green leafy vegetables are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins (including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins).
Examples of Dark Green Vegetables - bok choy (Gung Hay Fat Choy! Happy Chinese New Year!), broccoli, collard/mustard/turnip greens, dark green leafy lettuce, kale, mesclun, romaine lettuce, spinach, and watercress. Remember not to overcook them!
Pick 2-3 vegetables you and your family will enjoy and incorporate them into your daily diet. Divide the recommended intake for each of you over the week. Here is an example using Spinach, Broccoli and Romaine:
Monday – (dinner) Spinach salad
Wednesday – (dinner) Steamed Broccoli
Friday – (lunch) Romaine salad
Saturday – (dinner) Stir Fry w/Broccoli
Remember that every week builds upon the work done in previous weeks so keep up all that progress and let’s keep moving. Thanks to those of you who have emailed me how your family is doing. Share that communication with others such as what your family is liking/accepting, helpful hints and other information by posting a comment below.
maylene
Through all the years I have helped others lead a healthier lifestyle the most confusion has come from what qualifies as a vegetable and how much should we eat. Every region of the country has its own variety of local favorites and what is popular in one area can be relatively unknown in another. I was raised in Southern California and until I visited the south I never tasted turnip or collard greens but I had either romaine, bok choy or spinach almost every day. There is such a variety of wonderful vegetables, especially fresh local ones that we should look into expanding our diet in this very healthy way.
The amount of vegetables you need to eat depends on your age, sex, and level of physical activity. Recommended total daily amounts are shown in the first chart.
This chart shows the amounts of various kinds of vegetables that qualify as a “cup”.
http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetables_amount_table.html
Furthermore, they recommend this daily intake should be comprised of a variety of vegetables.
Vegetable subgroup recommendations are given as amounts to eat WEEKLY. It is not necessary to eat vegetables from each subgroup daily. However, over a week, try to consume the amounts listed from each subgroup as a way to reach your daily intake recommendation.
The same link has a second chart that shows the amounts of recommended various kinds of vegetables in each of the 5 subgroups – Dark Green, Orange, Dry Beans & Peas, Starchy and Other.
http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetables_amount_table.html
Out of the 5 subgroups it is my experience that Starchy and Other vegetables are the most commonly eaten. The first three, Dark Green, Orange & Dry Beans & Peas are less popular and where we will be concentrating on the next 3 weeks.
KIT Fx - Week 5: Eat the recommended amount of Dark Green Vegetables
Based on this recommendation most kids should get about 1-3 cups of dark green vegetables per week, adults about 3 cups per week.
Dark green leafy vegetables are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins (including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins).
Examples of Dark Green Vegetables - bok choy (Gung Hay Fat Choy! Happy Chinese New Year!), broccoli, collard/mustard/turnip greens, dark green leafy lettuce, kale, mesclun, romaine lettuce, spinach, and watercress. Remember not to overcook them!
Pick 2-3 vegetables you and your family will enjoy and incorporate them into your daily diet. Divide the recommended intake for each of you over the week. Here is an example using Spinach, Broccoli and Romaine:
Monday – (dinner) Spinach salad
Wednesday – (dinner) Steamed Broccoli
Friday – (lunch) Romaine salad
Saturday – (dinner) Stir Fry w/Broccoli
Remember that every week builds upon the work done in previous weeks so keep up all that progress and let’s keep moving. Thanks to those of you who have emailed me how your family is doing. Share that communication with others such as what your family is liking/accepting, helpful hints and other information by posting a comment below.
maylene
Friday, January 22, 2010
KIT Fx - Week 4 Vegetables
Week 4 - Vegetables
By now you have incorporated your daily intake of water, working your way to 30-60 minutes of activity per day (keep on adding 10% or less each week until then) and have an accurate knowledge of any deficiencies in your daily routine and diet you want to address. This is right where you should be. If you are having trouble in any one spot just hang back and address that issue until it is incorporated into your lifestyle in a way that it has not created a hardship but a routine that is easily sustained. If you are there, keep all this up and lets continue to week 4.
Vegetables. For some it is the hardest item to incorporate in the right amount into our diets and this is why we will address it here. Again, I am not introducing a new idea here but the following are some reasons why vegetables should be a large part of our daily diet:
• May reduce your risk to many diseases and cancers
• Low in fat and calories but high in fiber which is helpful in lowering caloric intake and aiding in proper digestion
• Contains many nutrients that create a stronger body and healthier skin including protein, potassium and vitamins A, C and E.
More information can be found at http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetables.html
KIT Fx - Week 4: Increase your daily intake by 1 vegetable this week
Your daily intake of vegetables is dependent on many factors such as age, sex and level of activity. The link above will help you figure out which vegetables, and how much, should be eaten for everyone in your family. If you are deficient in the number or variety of vegetables this challenge is for you.
Pick 2-3 vegetables you and your family will enjoy and add one serving each day. Best if you can pick a vegetable from each suggested group, here is an example:
Green Leafy – Sautéed Spinach, Mon/Weds/Sunday
Orange – Carrot sticks, Thurs/Saturday
Dry Beans & Peas – Lentils (see recipe below), Tues/Friday
I can eat the same vegetable every day but my kids need a little more variety, especially when it comes to cooked vegetables. Be careful not to buy a lot of fresh produce at once as it will quickly expire and that is a lot of money to waste.
Contact our nutritionist Tracy Owens (see week2 for contact info) if you need help. Start slow, as we are doing with everything here, so your body, and you, can get acclimated to your new healthier lifestyle and once again, so it can last. If you need a reminder of all that we are doing visit our KIT Fx page on our website, link at the top. Remember, baby steps. You will soon look back at where you started and be amazed at what you have accomplished.
I am always looking for the best values when it comes to feeding my family. This recipe is based on an old-time ethnic favorite and my kids, and everyone I have made it for, love it. And where else can you get a low fat satisfying dish that is high in fiber and protein for 25 cents?
Recipe for Lentils & Rice
1 c Dried Lentils
1 c Brown Rice
5 c Water or stock (I have used chicken stock but watch the sodium)
1 med Chopped Onion
2 c Chopped Spinach
1 T Chopped Garlic
1 T Chili powder
1 T Olive Oil
approx 8 - 1cup servings (150 cals, 2gFat, 30g Carbs, 7g Fiber, 7g Protein)
1. Saute onions until opaque, add spinach and stir
2. Rinse and check lentils & rice, add to mixture. Cook for a few minutes on med, stirring occasionally
3. Add water, stir, increase heat and bring to boil
4. Lower heat to low/med, partially cover and cook for about 30-35 minutes
5. Add chili powder or other seasonings to taste. I sometimes add a dollop of plain NF yogurt and/or lemon.
Notes: Water is variable and I think 5 cups will give you a moist mixture. Also, left overs don't dry out if you keep it a bit moist.
Super cheap, like $2 for 8 servings, and lots of fiber and protein, low in fat.
maylene
By now you have incorporated your daily intake of water, working your way to 30-60 minutes of activity per day (keep on adding 10% or less each week until then) and have an accurate knowledge of any deficiencies in your daily routine and diet you want to address. This is right where you should be. If you are having trouble in any one spot just hang back and address that issue until it is incorporated into your lifestyle in a way that it has not created a hardship but a routine that is easily sustained. If you are there, keep all this up and lets continue to week 4.
Vegetables. For some it is the hardest item to incorporate in the right amount into our diets and this is why we will address it here. Again, I am not introducing a new idea here but the following are some reasons why vegetables should be a large part of our daily diet:
• May reduce your risk to many diseases and cancers
• Low in fat and calories but high in fiber which is helpful in lowering caloric intake and aiding in proper digestion
• Contains many nutrients that create a stronger body and healthier skin including protein, potassium and vitamins A, C and E.
More information can be found at http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetables.html
KIT Fx - Week 4: Increase your daily intake by 1 vegetable this week
Your daily intake of vegetables is dependent on many factors such as age, sex and level of activity. The link above will help you figure out which vegetables, and how much, should be eaten for everyone in your family. If you are deficient in the number or variety of vegetables this challenge is for you.
Pick 2-3 vegetables you and your family will enjoy and add one serving each day. Best if you can pick a vegetable from each suggested group, here is an example:
Green Leafy – Sautéed Spinach, Mon/Weds/Sunday
Orange – Carrot sticks, Thurs/Saturday
Dry Beans & Peas – Lentils (see recipe below), Tues/Friday
I can eat the same vegetable every day but my kids need a little more variety, especially when it comes to cooked vegetables. Be careful not to buy a lot of fresh produce at once as it will quickly expire and that is a lot of money to waste.
Contact our nutritionist Tracy Owens (see week2 for contact info) if you need help. Start slow, as we are doing with everything here, so your body, and you, can get acclimated to your new healthier lifestyle and once again, so it can last. If you need a reminder of all that we are doing visit our KIT Fx page on our website, link at the top. Remember, baby steps. You will soon look back at where you started and be amazed at what you have accomplished.
I am always looking for the best values when it comes to feeding my family. This recipe is based on an old-time ethnic favorite and my kids, and everyone I have made it for, love it. And where else can you get a low fat satisfying dish that is high in fiber and protein for 25 cents?
Recipe for Lentils & Rice
1 c Dried Lentils
1 c Brown Rice
5 c Water or stock (I have used chicken stock but watch the sodium)
1 med Chopped Onion
2 c Chopped Spinach
1 T Chopped Garlic
1 T Chili powder
1 T Olive Oil
approx 8 - 1cup servings (150 cals, 2gFat, 30g Carbs, 7g Fiber, 7g Protein)
1. Saute onions until opaque, add spinach and stir
2. Rinse and check lentils & rice, add to mixture. Cook for a few minutes on med, stirring occasionally
3. Add water, stir, increase heat and bring to boil
4. Lower heat to low/med, partially cover and cook for about 30-35 minutes
5. Add chili powder or other seasonings to taste. I sometimes add a dollop of plain NF yogurt and/or lemon.
Notes: Water is variable and I think 5 cups will give you a moist mixture. Also, left overs don't dry out if you keep it a bit moist.
Super cheap, like $2 for 8 servings, and lots of fiber and protein, low in fat.
maylene
Friday, January 15, 2010
KIT Fx - Week 3 Activity
Week 3 - Activity
I don’t think you need anyone to tell you that daily activity is crucial to being healthy so we will just jump into what our challenge is this week. Make sure you consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program, especially if you've been sedentary or you have any chronic medical conditions.
KIT Fx - Week 3: Add up to 10% amount of activity to your daily routine to 30-60 mins a day
Your journal should report how much activity you actually accomplished last week. If this was a pretty average week then use it as your base. If not, then average the last 3-4 weeks and that will be your starting point. If, for example, you went on 3 1-mile walks then this week you will go on 3 1.1 mile walks, or add 1 more walk of .3 miles. While this can also be done by measuring time (say 3 20-minute walks) I tend to use distance as much as possible as it accounts for extra effort. For example if I did use time I could say I walked 20 minutes, add 2 minutes and that would be fine IF I used the same effort as I used last week. What if I decided to speed walk where last week I only meandered? Then my 22 minutes this week would cover more distance making the effort actually more than 10% of last week. So whenever possible use distance especially since your efforts last week or this should be quite lower than your effort over time.
Your end goal will be between 30-60 minutes of daily activity. Get there slowly by adding only 10% or less per week.
For those of you that are just starting an activity program, I suggest you choose an activity that is considered “cardio” raising your heart rate over time, something that will make you sweat a little, and to try it outdoors. Make sure you will enjoy the activity because as we all know, if it's fun we will do it more often. Don’t over do it the first few weeks out. For example, try walking briskly, a hike through nature trails or a fun game of basketball, with the kids.
I know some of you may want to push it and increase by more but I want to remind you what happened last time you “pushed it”. Did it stick? If so, you wouldn’t be reading this :) What we are trying to accomplish here are small incremental changes that will easily fit within your existing schedule. The extra effort is barely noticeable and will incorporate into your daily routine easily, and over time, those efforts will show great rewards that can be sustained. Be patient and work with me here.
maylene
Ok, so we are journaling and drinking the right amount of water. Noticed anything yet? At this point some of you may realize that even though our challenge has not tried to change your diet certain things have popped up such as being more thoughtful of eating or drinking something and maybe even pushing away certain things that you normally would not have questioned before. That is the idea, to become aware of what you would normally do, realize that some things need to change, and then slowly change them. Keep up the journaling and the right amount of water and we will now add activity.
I don’t think you need anyone to tell you that daily activity is crucial to being healthy so we will just jump into what our challenge is this week. Make sure you consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program, especially if you've been sedentary or you have any chronic medical conditions.
KIT Fx - Week 3: Add up to 10% amount of activity to your daily routine to 30-60 mins a day
Your journal should report how much activity you actually accomplished last week. If this was a pretty average week then use it as your base. If not, then average the last 3-4 weeks and that will be your starting point. If, for example, you went on 3 1-mile walks then this week you will go on 3 1.1 mile walks, or add 1 more walk of .3 miles. While this can also be done by measuring time (say 3 20-minute walks) I tend to use distance as much as possible as it accounts for extra effort. For example if I did use time I could say I walked 20 minutes, add 2 minutes and that would be fine IF I used the same effort as I used last week. What if I decided to speed walk where last week I only meandered? Then my 22 minutes this week would cover more distance making the effort actually more than 10% of last week. So whenever possible use distance especially since your efforts last week or this should be quite lower than your effort over time.
Your end goal will be between 30-60 minutes of daily activity. Get there slowly by adding only 10% or less per week.
For those of you that are just starting an activity program, I suggest you choose an activity that is considered “cardio” raising your heart rate over time, something that will make you sweat a little, and to try it outdoors. Make sure you will enjoy the activity because as we all know, if it's fun we will do it more often. Don’t over do it the first few weeks out. For example, try walking briskly, a hike through nature trails or a fun game of basketball, with the kids.
I know some of you may want to push it and increase by more but I want to remind you what happened last time you “pushed it”. Did it stick? If so, you wouldn’t be reading this :) What we are trying to accomplish here are small incremental changes that will easily fit within your existing schedule. The extra effort is barely noticeable and will incorporate into your daily routine easily, and over time, those efforts will show great rewards that can be sustained. Be patient and work with me here.
maylene
Saturday, January 9, 2010
KIT Fx - Week 2 Water
Week 2 - Water
KIT Fx - Week 2: Drink the correct amount of water
This week we will keep up the journaling, as hopefully it is something you have gotten use to and figured out which type works best for you, and add keeping up with our water intake. The easiest way my family does this is to take a container and fill it with the amount of water you need to drink each day, and drink it. Mine is in a pretty jug which fills a glass I keep handy and I otherwise allow the water to be used for tea but nothing else. This keeps me from drinking other things such as soda or other beverages that we all know are not good for us. My son likes to keep his in a smaller container and he knows he needs to drink 3 of them, or more during his summer football sessions. Watch out for frequent trips to the restroom and know this will subside as your body gets used to the increase in water intake. Feel free to comment and have a great week!
maylene
Our bodies are made up of approximately 50-55% water. What do you know about water? Here are some facts:
• It is fat free, cholesterol free, calorie free and low in sodium
• Just a few days without water can compromise your health
• Water carries away waste products so toxins do not build up in your body
• Muscle tissue is approximately 73% water
• Sweat, which is comprised of water, transports heat from the muscle to the skin. Sweat also helps cool the body when you are feverish
• Blood is 90% water. Blood transports nutrients to cells and carries away waste products--if you don’t drink enough it hampers this process
• Water is lost every day through the simple act of breathing
• Water aids in the digestive and elimination process
• Even a small amount of dehydration can cause problems. Your body will steal water from cells and the blood stream
• Recent studies indicate that drinking sufficient amounts of water may lower colon cancer risk by 45% as compared to those who drink 2 or fewer glasses daily.
How much water should you drink???
• The best way to tell if you are getting enough water is the color of your urine--it should be light in color and large in volume. (However, if you take vitamin supplements your first trip to the bathroom you will notice that your urine will be a bright yellow)
• Another “rule” is to divide your weight by 2 and this is the number of ounces of fluid that you need every day. Keep in mind this includes the fluid in milk, juice, coffee, etc. You can actually take 20% away from this figure because it is presumed that 20% of your fluid needs are covered by what is naturally occurring in foods.
• If you are urinating more than once every 2-4 hours you are probably drinking more than you need so back off a little bit
So how much fluid do you need if you are an athlete and you spend a lot of time soaked in sweat?
• Drink 1 oz for every 10 pounds of weight 2-3 hours before competing or training. For example, a 150 pound person needs approximately 15 oz of fluid 2-3 hours before competition
• Drink another 7-10 oz 15-20 minutes before competing
• Drink 5-8 ounces of fluid every 15 -20 minutes during competition
• After competition, weigh yourself sometime to see how much weight you lose in sweat. Then drink 20 ounces of fluid for every pound that you lost.
• If, you are dehydrated, muscles lose strength and endurance and leg cramps will be likely to develop
What are the benefits of drinking water??? Just consider the following
Weight control - Water makes you feel fuller
Mental Performance - Dehydrated people perform worse on arithmetic tests than well-hydrated individuals
Physical Performance - When you are dehydrated, your heart beats faster, you slow down, and you lose strength, power and endurance.
Tracy Owens, MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN, Board certified sports dietitian, provides nutrition counseling at the office of Triangle Nutrition Therapy www.trianglediet.com. She also provides sports specific nutritional expertise and programs for teams, local sports performance centers, gyms and clubs.
It was nice to hear that many of you are on board and looking forward to some sustained change in your lives. Hopefully the journaling has brought forth some issues that need to be addressed, foods that need to be eaten or not eaten or a much needed activity boost. Keep the journaling up and let’s move on.
The following is information about the importance of water in our diet by our nutritionist Tracy Owens. Tracy and I have collaborated on many programs over the years and she always seems to have the best solutions to dietary issues not just because her information is correct but because it’s easy for the client to follow. You can have all the knowledge in the world but if it can’t fit in your lifestyle, once again, it’s not going to stick. So why would I pick water over say, eating vegetables or increasing activity? Because I feel it’s the one dietary thing you cannot do without and the thing that makes the biggest difference in a person’s lifestyle whether they are trying to lose weight, combat lethargy, gain strength, etc. KIT Fx - Week 2: Drink the correct amount of water
This week we will keep up the journaling, as hopefully it is something you have gotten use to and figured out which type works best for you, and add keeping up with our water intake. The easiest way my family does this is to take a container and fill it with the amount of water you need to drink each day, and drink it. Mine is in a pretty jug which fills a glass I keep handy and I otherwise allow the water to be used for tea but nothing else. This keeps me from drinking other things such as soda or other beverages that we all know are not good for us. My son likes to keep his in a smaller container and he knows he needs to drink 3 of them, or more during his summer football sessions. Watch out for frequent trips to the restroom and know this will subside as your body gets used to the increase in water intake. Feel free to comment and have a great week!
maylene
Our bodies are made up of approximately 50-55% water. What do you know about water? Here are some facts:
• It is fat free, cholesterol free, calorie free and low in sodium
• Just a few days without water can compromise your health
• Water carries away waste products so toxins do not build up in your body
• Muscle tissue is approximately 73% water
• Sweat, which is comprised of water, transports heat from the muscle to the skin. Sweat also helps cool the body when you are feverish
• Blood is 90% water. Blood transports nutrients to cells and carries away waste products--if you don’t drink enough it hampers this process
• Water is lost every day through the simple act of breathing
• Water aids in the digestive and elimination process
• Even a small amount of dehydration can cause problems. Your body will steal water from cells and the blood stream
• Recent studies indicate that drinking sufficient amounts of water may lower colon cancer risk by 45% as compared to those who drink 2 or fewer glasses daily.
How much water should you drink???
• The best way to tell if you are getting enough water is the color of your urine--it should be light in color and large in volume. (However, if you take vitamin supplements your first trip to the bathroom you will notice that your urine will be a bright yellow)
• Another “rule” is to divide your weight by 2 and this is the number of ounces of fluid that you need every day. Keep in mind this includes the fluid in milk, juice, coffee, etc. You can actually take 20% away from this figure because it is presumed that 20% of your fluid needs are covered by what is naturally occurring in foods.
• If you are urinating more than once every 2-4 hours you are probably drinking more than you need so back off a little bit
So how much fluid do you need if you are an athlete and you spend a lot of time soaked in sweat?
• Drink 1 oz for every 10 pounds of weight 2-3 hours before competing or training. For example, a 150 pound person needs approximately 15 oz of fluid 2-3 hours before competition
• Drink another 7-10 oz 15-20 minutes before competing
• Drink 5-8 ounces of fluid every 15 -20 minutes during competition
• After competition, weigh yourself sometime to see how much weight you lose in sweat. Then drink 20 ounces of fluid for every pound that you lost.
• If, you are dehydrated, muscles lose strength and endurance and leg cramps will be likely to develop
What are the benefits of drinking water??? Just consider the following
Weight control - Water makes you feel fuller
Mental Performance - Dehydrated people perform worse on arithmetic tests than well-hydrated individuals
Physical Performance - When you are dehydrated, your heart beats faster, you slow down, and you lose strength, power and endurance.
Tracy Owens, MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN, Board certified sports dietitian, provides nutrition counseling at the office of Triangle Nutrition Therapy www.trianglediet.com. She also provides sports specific nutritional expertise and programs for teams, local sports performance centers, gyms and clubs.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
KIT Fx - Week 1 Goals
Week 1 - Goals
Every year I see my cousin Richard at the Holiday gatherings and, in unison, we look at each other with thumbs up and announce the following year, “2010! That’s my year!”. We have been doing this since the 80’s when staying in shape suddenly became… well…. difficult. Both of us were athletes throughout our childhood. Richard mostly played volleyball and football and I played volleyball and softball but we were always at the beach, water or snow skiing or playing tennis. I remember I could eat 2 Big Macs for lunch or share a Little Caesar’s Pizza Pizza with my best friend Christine (which means we each ate a whole large pizza) followed by a pint of Haagen-Dazs and never see the ill effects.
Then adulthood came and with it a much more sedentary lifestyle. Instead of daily exercise we may have squeezed in a couple of days a week of some sort of physical activity. And this is where the goal setting started. Richard would always have this certain amount of pounds he was going to lose and mine was usually just to be comfortable in my jeans again. Ok, maybe I had dreams of ripped abs too and looking skinny in my white jeans. The thing is we would almost always meet this goal at some point in the year, usually right before summer where we would have to be on that beach in little nothings that showed off our efforts. The problem was we always ended back at square one by years end.
I have the feeling many of you are nodding your heads as you too may have faced this problem as well. Why can’t we meet and keep our goals? Is it because they are not reasonable or we should not expect to have such goals as we get older? I believe we cannot keep our goals because we focused on the end result rather than the effort in attaining it. I believe it is better for us to focus on changing our lifestyles in a healthier way than to focus on the way we wanted to look in the end. If we focused on, say, eating more vegetables or cutting the amount of fat and sugars in our diet or getting daily exercise in a way where we accomplished the task at hand, I think we would have felt better and had found a way to keep the extra pounds off.
So that is my challenge for you all and we will call it the KIT Family Challenge or “KIT Fx”. Let’s set a goal to make our lives better in every way. That is our Big Goal; Where we want to be at the end of the year. But we need to make little goals as well, daily, weekly and monthly ones, in which we tackle the issues that block our ability to sustain a healthy lifestyle. I have a plan and invite you to try it. It will address issues with our nutrition, physical and lifestyle fitness. Each week we will tackle a goal and sustain it for the year. They may seem like small goals to some, huge challenges to others however you will need to conquer that goal before moving on to the next goal of its kind. That way you deal with one issue at a time in a manner that can be handled and therefore, sustained. You can start today, tomorrow or when you feel it’s best but make sure you start soon.
maylene
KIT Fx - Week 1: JOURNAL
We need to see where we are today, in the beginning, to appreciate what our efforts will change in the future.
The Task: Start a journal. It can be hand written, a homemade excel spreadsheet (sample here) or a software program. Keep it simple so that it takes no more than a few minutes each day.
Make sure it has the following basic information:
• Day 1 - Measurements. Can include health status, weight, size, mood, habits, level of activity, whatever you would like to see change in. Place this information on a back page and once it’s listed do not look at again until instructed to do so.
• Daily –
1. Nutrition Intake. List all that you and your family eat and drink, including time and approximate amount.
2. Physical movement. Did you take a walk, bike, play or go to the gym? List activity, level of intensity and measurement such as time or distance.
3. Lifestyle changes. What is your mood and what might have caused it? Did you try something new today and if so, how did you feel about it?
Every year I see my cousin Richard at the Holiday gatherings and, in unison, we look at each other with thumbs up and announce the following year, “2010! That’s my year!”. We have been doing this since the 80’s when staying in shape suddenly became… well…. difficult. Both of us were athletes throughout our childhood. Richard mostly played volleyball and football and I played volleyball and softball but we were always at the beach, water or snow skiing or playing tennis. I remember I could eat 2 Big Macs for lunch or share a Little Caesar’s Pizza Pizza with my best friend Christine (which means we each ate a whole large pizza) followed by a pint of Haagen-Dazs and never see the ill effects.
Then adulthood came and with it a much more sedentary lifestyle. Instead of daily exercise we may have squeezed in a couple of days a week of some sort of physical activity. And this is where the goal setting started. Richard would always have this certain amount of pounds he was going to lose and mine was usually just to be comfortable in my jeans again. Ok, maybe I had dreams of ripped abs too and looking skinny in my white jeans. The thing is we would almost always meet this goal at some point in the year, usually right before summer where we would have to be on that beach in little nothings that showed off our efforts. The problem was we always ended back at square one by years end.
I have the feeling many of you are nodding your heads as you too may have faced this problem as well. Why can’t we meet and keep our goals? Is it because they are not reasonable or we should not expect to have such goals as we get older? I believe we cannot keep our goals because we focused on the end result rather than the effort in attaining it. I believe it is better for us to focus on changing our lifestyles in a healthier way than to focus on the way we wanted to look in the end. If we focused on, say, eating more vegetables or cutting the amount of fat and sugars in our diet or getting daily exercise in a way where we accomplished the task at hand, I think we would have felt better and had found a way to keep the extra pounds off.
So that is my challenge for you all and we will call it the KIT Family Challenge or “KIT Fx”. Let’s set a goal to make our lives better in every way. That is our Big Goal; Where we want to be at the end of the year. But we need to make little goals as well, daily, weekly and monthly ones, in which we tackle the issues that block our ability to sustain a healthy lifestyle. I have a plan and invite you to try it. It will address issues with our nutrition, physical and lifestyle fitness. Each week we will tackle a goal and sustain it for the year. They may seem like small goals to some, huge challenges to others however you will need to conquer that goal before moving on to the next goal of its kind. That way you deal with one issue at a time in a manner that can be handled and therefore, sustained. You can start today, tomorrow or when you feel it’s best but make sure you start soon.
maylene
KIT Fx - Week 1: JOURNAL
We need to see where we are today, in the beginning, to appreciate what our efforts will change in the future.
The Task: Start a journal. It can be hand written, a homemade excel spreadsheet (sample here) or a software program. Keep it simple so that it takes no more than a few minutes each day.
Make sure it has the following basic information:
• Day 1 - Measurements. Can include health status, weight, size, mood, habits, level of activity, whatever you would like to see change in. Place this information on a back page and once it’s listed do not look at again until instructed to do so.
• Daily –
1. Nutrition Intake. List all that you and your family eat and drink, including time and approximate amount.
2. Physical movement. Did you take a walk, bike, play or go to the gym? List activity, level of intensity and measurement such as time or distance.
3. Lifestyle changes. What is your mood and what might have caused it? Did you try something new today and if so, how did you feel about it?
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