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Nutritional Essentials #1: Awareness and Knowledge (October 21, 2008)
By Inshape | October 21, 2008
Last week we discussed five important factors related to nutrition. We are going to expand on each of these to give you a more in depth understanding of why they are crucial in helping you maintain a healthy and well-balanced eating plan. This week we will cover Awareness and Knowledge of your nutritional choices, arguably the most important in your ability to manage a healthy weight through diet.
Awareness
Awareness of what you choose to put into your body is critical to living a healthier lifestyle. Most of us know the good from the bad but don’t monitor how much good and how much bad we actually consume. Yes, it’s alright to have a cupcake once in awhile, or a big juicy burger, but a subconscious reach for the unhealthiest options in front of you, on a regular basis, takes its toll. It affects your weight (obviously), your cholesterol level, your energy, even your ability to absorb vitamins and minerals.
One way to monitor your food choices and caloric intake is to keep a food journal. The first step in learning how to improve your diet is learning what needs to be changed – and a food diary will do this. It may seem like a lot of work but there are many benefits from recording what you eat, how much you eat and when you eat. A journal allows you to monitor you caloric intake and can create a healthier relationship with food. Learning what triggers unhealthy eating patterns will help improve your diet. Knowing how many calories you actually consume versus what you think you consume is usually a wake up call. Note: a Cornell study estimated that the average person underestimated their caloric intake anywhere between 20-40%.
Free Offer from inSHAPE (expires Oct 31, 2008)
A journal encourages you to focus on the food choices you make and encourages mindful eating…it all comes down to awareness. The more aware you are of your choices, the less and healthier you will eat. Studies show that those who keep a food journal lose two times as much as those who do not. A simple notebook will do – just write down everything that you eat throughout the day, then go online and track it at www.nutritiondata.com. We’d also be happy to help you tally your caloric intake – so we’re making a special offer to you between now and October 31st. Track your caloric intake for any three consecutive days, send us the information, and we will provide you with an estimated tally of your caloric intake, percentage of carbs, protein, and fat, as well as make a few recommendations for modification. All for FREE - if you are interested, click here to sign up or send an email to info@inshapellc.com, and we will email you instructions.
Knowledge
Nutritional Knowledge is a little more challenging than simply being aware, because there are so many sources of knowledge, so many opinions from experts, and so many ideas about what is right for different types of bodies and lifestyles. Awareness forces your brain to own up to what you eat – knowledge provides your brain with the tools you need to create and sustain a successful eating plan.
Are you getting adequate protein, carbohydrates and fats and the proper amount of nutrients your body needs to function at peak levels? Are the foods you’re eating too high in sodium? Is your diet balanced? Reading labels is one way people choose items in the grocery store, but as we’re sure you know, labels can be both confusing and misleading; in fact, a nutrition label must be off by more than 20 percent to be in violation of federal law. Labels also mislead us because they almost always include information for a single serving, when in fact, the serving packaged is for two or three servings. You may think you’re consuming 120 calories of juice when in fact, your actual caloric intake is 240. Additionally, fresh fruits, veggies, and meats are often packaged without labels, compounding the confusion for anyone trying to cook a healthy balanced meal.
A great resource for information on achieving balance in your diet is the USDA’s www.mypyramid.gov. And if you’d like more advice or information from an expert, the inSHAPE nutritionist is available for an hour of shopping at a local grocery store with you. She will help explain how to properly read labels and the important ingredients to look for when trying to choose the best possible products.
Topics: Nutrition |
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