Drink Water!

Did you know that more than half of your body wight is actually liquid? Unless your throat feels parched, you probably give little thought to water. Yet this clear, refreshing fluid is one of your body's most essential nutrients. While you may survive for up to six weeks without food, you cannot live longer than a week without water. This fluid helps to keep our body in good working order, cushioning an hydrating our cells, tissues, and organs, transporting nutrients, and eliminating waste from the body. So the saying "You are what you eat" is only half true: You're also what you drink!

Water is the most abundant substance in the human body as well as the most common substance on earth. On average, body weight is 50 to 70% water. The specific percentage varies from person to person, relating to body composition, age, and gender. Body tissues of all types contain water, some more than others. In your body, blood is about 83% water; lean muscle tissue is about 73% water; body fat, about 25%; and bones, about 22% water. So with all of this water in our bodies, you can see why is is an essential nutrient to consume.

Replace Your Losses
In order to maintain a constant temperature and to dispose of waste, your body loses about a half gallon of liquid every day through sweat, exhaled air, and urine. During a strenuous workout you can sweat off up to an additional quart of liquid an hour, and even more on a hot, humid day. All of this water loss needs to be replaced each day. If your body fluids become depleted, you become dehydrated. Extreme dehydration is not a concern if your diet is reasonably balanced, your activity level is not excessive, and you're not stranded in a desert. But minor dehydration is sneakier, because it's not always easy to catch. it can make you feel grumpy and tired and make it hard to concentrate. Minor dehydration can be avoided easily by drinking enough fluids throughout the day. But if you tend to drink liquids only when you're thirsty, you may not be drinking enough of them. Thirst does help you gauge your level of hydration, but it's not quite as reliable a guide as you might assume. By the time you actually feel thirsty, you are actually already dehydrated! So don't wait until you're thirsty to consume fluids, try to consistently drink water throughout the day the remain hydrated.

Thirst in Disguise
It's important to recognize that thirst and hunger are both physiologically and psychologically driven. When you feel hungry between meals, what you may be experiencing is dehydration. Thirst can often disguise itself as hunger, and when you think you're hungry what you may be - even though you don't realize it - is thirsty. the next time you feel a little hungry, try reaching for a glass of water. You may be surprised that the refreshment it brings you turns off that hunger switch until your next meal.

Fluid Consumption: how much is enough?
The amount of water your body needs is based on the amount of energy your body uses. Te recommendation for adults is 1 to 1.5 milliliters of water per calorie of energy expended. That's 1 to 1.5 liters for every 1000 calories. In other words, most people need about 8 to 12 cups of water each day. In healthy people, water intake and water loss balance out. If you should consume too much water than your body needs, your kidneys simply eliminate the excess. When you don't consume enough, your body may trigger a sensation of thirst. As you may know, drinking water is not the only way to get the recommended amount of fluids each day. Most foods contain at least a small amount of water. In fact, some fruits and vegetables are up to 97% water. Consuming these water-containing foods will also help you stay hydrated.

Drinking for Health
To keep your body well hydrated, consume enough water throughout the day. Because milk, juice, and other beverages are mostly water, they count toward your daily water intake, too. Caffeinated beverages and alcoholic beverages, however, are not your body's best sources of water. Caffeine and alcohol at like diuretics, causing the body to lose water through increased urination.

Reduce your carbon footprint and use a reusable water bottle!!

Sources: American Dietetic Association, Nutrition for Dummies, 4th ed.

Shopping for Fresh Produce

Do you find yourself avoiding the produce section at the grocery store because you don't know how to judge an item's quality? This guide from the American Dietetic Association will help you to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables with ease!

Shopping for Fruit
Apples: firm with smooth, clean skin and good color. Avoid fruit with bruises or decay spots.
Apricots: plump with as much golden-orange color as possible. Blemishes, unless they break the skin, will not affect flavor. Avoid fruit that is pale yellow, greenish-yellow, very firm, shriveled or bruised.
Bananas: plump with uniform shape at desired ripeness level. Avoid produce with blemished or bruised skins.
Blueberries: plump, firm berries with a light grayish-purple surface.
Cantaloupes: slightly oval fruit, 5 inches or more in diameter, with yellow or golden (not green) background color. Signs of sweetness include pronounced netting on the rind and a few tiny cracks near the stem end. Smell the melon; it should be noticeably strong and sweet. At home, check for ripeness before you eat it; the stem area will be slightly soft when ripe.
Cherries: plump, bright-colored sweet or sour cherries. Sweet cherries with reddish-brown skin promise flavor. Avoid overly soft or shriveled cherries or those with dark stems.
Grapefruits: firm, thin-skinned fruit, full-colored, and heavy for their size. The best grapefruits are smooth, thin-skinned, and flat at both ends.
Grapes: plump grapes firmly attached to pliable green stems. Color is the best indication of ripeness and flavor. Avoid soft or wrinkled fruits and those with bleached-looking areas at the stem end.
Honeydew melons: melons weighing at least 5 pounds., with waxy white rind barely tinged with green. Fully ripe fruit has a cream-colored rind. When ripe, the blossom end should give to gentle pressure.
Kiwifruit:  choose evenly firm fruit. Will feel slightly soft when ripe.
Lemons: firm, heavy fruit. Generally, rough-textured lemons have thicker skins and less juice than fine-skinned varieties.
Mangoes: usually quite firm when sold and need to be ripened further at home before eating. Avoid those with shriveled or bruised skin. Once ripened, they will give to gentle pressure.
Nectarines: orange-yellow background color between areas of red. Ripe nectarines feel slightly soft with gentle handling, but not as soft as ripe peaches.
Oranges: thin-skinned, firm, bright-colored fruit. Avoid oranges with any hint of softness or whitish mold at the ends.
Papayas: fruit with the softness of peaches and more yellow than green in the skin. Most papayas need to be ripened further after purchase in a loosely closed paper bag at room temperature. Avoid bruised or shriveled fruit at room temperature.
Peaches: creamy or yellow background color. Ripe peaches feel slightly soft with gentle handling. Avoid green, extra-hard, or bruised fruit.
Pears: fruit with firm skin. Pears gradually ripen after picking.
Pineapples: large, plump, fresh-looking fruit with green leaves and a sweet smell. Avoid fruit with soft spots, areas of decay, or fermented odor.
Plums: fruit that is full-colored. Ripe plums are slightly soft at the tip end and feel somewhat soft when handled gently. Avoid fruit with broken or shriveled skin.
Raspberries: firm, plump, well-shaped berries. If soft or discolored, they are overripe Avoid baskets that look stained from overripe berries.
Strawberries: firm, plump berries that are full-colored.
Watermelons: fruit heavy for its size, well shaped, with rind and flesh colors characteristic of the variety. Ripe melons are fragrant and slightly soft at the blossom end. A melon that sloshes when shaken is probably overripe. The stem should be dry and brown, not green. When thumped, you should hear a low-pitched sound, indicating a full, juicy interior.

Shopping for Vegetables
Artichokes: tight, compact heads that feel heavy for their size. Surface brown spots don't affect quality.
Asparagus: firm, brittle spears that are bright green almost their entire length, with tight closed tips.
Beans: slender, crisp beans that are bright and blemish-free. Avoid mature beans with large seeds and swollen pods.
Beets: firm, smooth-skinned, small to medium beets. Leaves should be deep green and fresh-looking.
Bok choy: heads with bright white stalks and glossy dark leaves. Avoid heads with slippery brown spots on the leaves.
Broccoli: compact clusters of tightly closed, dark green florets. Avoid heads with yellow florets or thick, woody stems.
Brussels sprouts: firm, compact, fresh-looking sprouts that are bright green. They should be heavy for their size.
Cabbage: firm heads that feel heavy for their size. Outer leaves should have good color and be free of blemishes.
Carrots: firm, clean, well-shaped carrots with bright, orange-gold color. Carrots with their tops still attached are likely to be freshest.
Cauliflower: firm, compact, creamy-white heads (without brown spots), with florets pressed tightly together. A yellow tinge and spreading florets indicate overmaturity. Leaves should be crisp and bright green.
Celery: crisp, rigid, green stalks with fresh-looking leaves. Avoid celery with limp stalks.
Corn: fresh-looking ears with green husks, most stem, and silk ends free or decay or worm injury. when pierced with a thumbnail, kernels should give a squirt of juice. Tough skins indicate overmaturity.
Cucumbers: firm, dark green cucumbers that are slender but well-shaped. Soft or yellow cucumbers are overmature.
Eggplants: firm, heavy for their size, with taut, glassy, deeply colored skin. Stems should be bright green.
Greens: fresh, tender leaves that are free of blemishes. Avoid bunches with thick, coarse-veined leaves.
Leeks: clean, white bottoms and crisp, fresh-looking green tops.
Mushrooms: blemish-free mushrooms without slimy sports or signs of decay.
Okra: small to medium pods that are deep green and free of blemishes. Pods should snap or puncture easily with slight pressure.
Onions: green onions with with crisp, bright tops and clean white bottoms. Choose firm, dry onions with brittle outer skin, avoiding those with sprouting green shoots or dark spots.
Parsnips: small to medium, smooth, firm, and well shaped. avoid large roots because they may have a woody core.
Peas: small, plump, bright green pods that are firm, crisp, and well filled.
Peppers: bright, glossy, firm, and well shaped. Avoid those with soft spots or gashes.
Potatoes: firm, smooth, with no wrinkles, sprouts, cracks, bruises, decay, or bitter green areas.
Salad greens: crisp, deeply colored leaves free of brown sports, yellowed leaves, and decay.
Sprouts: crisp buds still attached.
Summer squash: yellow squash and zucchini of medium size with firm, smooth, glossy, tender skin. Squash should be heavy for their size.
Sweet potatoes and yams: firm, well shaped, with bright, uniformly colored skin.
Tomatoes: smooth, well formed, firm, not hard.
Winter squash: hard, thick-shelled.

Ten Easy Ways to Cut Calories

The difference between gaining and losing weight is simple math. By creating a deficit of 3500 calories you can lose one pound of fat. On the other hand, consuming an excess of 3500 calories will lead to a gain of one pound of fat. There are three simple ways to create a calorie deficit:

• Cut 3500 calories out of your diet
• Burn 3500 calories from exercise
• A combination of both (*best choice*)

Here are some easy ways to help you cut calories from your diet and other unhealthy components like cholesterol and saturated fat.
Easy Ways to Cut Calories

1. Switch to Low-Fat or No-Fat Dairy Products: Milk and other dairy products provide benefits for the body in the form of calcium; however, these products can also be high in cholesterol, saturated fat, and calories. Choosing a low- or no-fat product will allow you to reduce all three unhealthy components. For example an 8-ounce servings of whole milk contains 150 calories, but the same amount of skim milk contains only 85.

2. Substitute Sugar Substitutes: Sugar substitutes (ie. stevia, truvia, agave nectar) have much fewer calories than pure sugar, and some even contain zero calories. One teaspoon of sugar has 15 calories. Think this small amount doesn't add up? Say you add 4 tablespoon of sugar into your coffee each morning. After one week you've accumulated 420 calories, and in just over 8 weeks you have added enough calories to your diet to gain 1 pound.

3. Serve Stew Instead of Steak: Many cuts of red meat are high in calories, cholesterol, and saturated fat. You can decrease the amount of fat that you consume with certain preparation methods. Cutting off visible fat before preparing the meat will save you 100 calories per tablespoon of fat. Preparing beef as stew rather than broiling or roasting it will allow you to remove high-calorie fat as well. Stew is prepared by cooking the beef in large pan then a variety of vegetables are added. The juices from the cooking process are often used to create a gravy for the stew. By cooking the beef ahead of time and storing in the refrigerator for a few hours, the fat in the juices will harden on top. This fat can them be skimmed off the top of the pan and discarded. Removing fat this way will also save you 100 calories per tablespoon of fat.
4. Choose Low-Fat Desserts: Completely cutting desserts out of your diet rarely works for anyone. Instead choose low-fat desserts like sorbet, dark chocolate, yogurt, or fresh fruit. Remember moderation is key!

5. Peel the Poultry: Most of the fat in poultry is found in the skin. A fried chicken breast with skin has 217 calories; without the skin, only 160. Save yourself and remove the skin!
6. Choose Salad Dressing Wisely: Salad can be a low-calorie meal if prepared with the right ingredients. Even throwing in a couple croutons and a pinch of cheese won't entirely cancel out the healthy ingredients in your salad. These ingredients may not do you in, but the dressing you choose just might! Choose oil based dressings like italian or greek over a creamy dressing such as caesar or ranch. Using a low-fat or no-fat dressing will also allow you to save on calories and fat. No matter which dressing you choose, be sure to stick to the serving size listed on the bottle or recalculate if you use multiple servings.
7. Make One-Slice Sandwiches: Depending on the brand you choose, one slice of bread can pack up to 150 calories. By preparing your sandwich with just one slice of bread, you can save on calories and possibly unneeded carbohydrates.

8. Eliminate the High-Fat Ingredient: Many restaurant foods contain at least one high-fat ingredient that can be eliminated to cut calories. For example, a Half Chipotle Chicken Sandwich at Panera Bread has 420 calories. Remove the bacon and you can save yourself 70 calories. The same can be said for other sandwich toppings such as cheese and mayo.
9. Season with Spices: Using spices to prepare food can help you save on calories. By using spices for flavor instead of fattening ingredients like butter, margarine, or oil can help you save about 100 calories per tablespoon. Some good combinations include dill on potatoes, chives on corn, and oregano on green beans. Try out your own combinations to make a tasty low-calorie dish that is full of flavor.

10. Eliminate Fat from Meat: When browning meat for dishes like spaghetti sauce or tacos be sure to remove the excess fat before completing your preparation. To remove the most fat, boil a pot of water while your meat is browning. When browning is complete pour off the excess fat, turn the meat into a strainer and pour a cup of hot water over it. Repeat two times. Just as with our other meat preparation methods, every tablespoon that melts of drains from the meat saves you 100 calories, plus cholesterol, and saturated fat.

Have a Healthy Thanksgiving

Planning ahead of time can help you from overindulging during your Thanksgiving feast. Here's a few tips to help you make better choices this Thanksgiving and start the holiday season off on the right path!

Don't skip meals before the main event
Some people skip breakfast and lunch to "save room" for Thanksgiving dinner. Skipping meals is one of the worst things you can do. By skipping meals, especially breakfast, your metabolism will not get going for the day making it slower all day. You can still save room for dinner and dessert by eating light for breakfast and lunch. Have a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast and a piece of fruit as the fiber will allow you to feel full for many hours. If your Thanksgiving feast is in the evening, eat a cold quinoa or couscous salad is a great option for lunch. This can be prepared the day before so that it doesn't interfere with any of the cooking for dinner. I'll post a couple different cold salad recipes for you all. If lunch is late in the afternoon. Eat a veggie-filled salad for lunch.

Make time for activity
There are many ways to incorporate physical activity into Thanksgiving. Find a Thanksgiving day walk/run in your area and get the whole family involved. They are often early in the morning to give you plenty of time to cook and socialize later. Instead of watching football all day, grab a football and have a family game. Charades is also a great game to get the family moving and it can be enjoyed by everyone. Or you could opt for a walk around the neighborhood. A little activity is better than nothing!

Socialize away from the appetizers
If you're not careful you can consume an entire meals worth of calories just from appetizers alone! Instead of catching up with family and friends right beside the appetizer table, avoid the temptation by taking your conversation to a different room. If you can't resist, choose a small plate and take one small servings of your favorite appetizer to satisfy your craving.

Make smart food swaps
If you're the one preparing dishes for the meal, choose healthier options that will allow you to cut calories and fat for everyone. Make mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes, add extra vegetables to the stuffing, make casseroles with low-sodium, low-fat versions of condensed soups, use milk instead of cream, and butter replacements (such as Smart Balance) in place of butter. Also use frozen or fresh vegetables whenever possible instead of canned.

Drink water
Over the course of Thanksgiving day, sip on water instead of calorie filled beverages. If alcoholic beverages are part of your family's Thanksgiving festivities, alternate between alcoholic beverages and water. Also, drink a glass of water before eating dinner to help decrease your appetite. Drinking water between every several bites of food will also make you feel full sooner.

Bring a healthy dish
If your Thanksgiving feast is more of a pot luck, bring a healthier option. This food is being served to people you love so why not help them make healthier choices too. Bring a tray of raw vegetables with a greek yogurt dip for an appetizer, or serve roasted vegetables as a side dish. Instead of a calorie-filled dessert, bring fresh fruit. Your waistline will thank you for at least choosing one healthy dish.

Use a smaller plate
At a buffet style meal most people will fill their entire plate almost until the point that it is pouring over the sides. By choosing a smaller plate you can still fill the plate but you will be able to fit less food, which equates to less calories. If you must use a larger plate, only fill it within the plate's inner rim instead of the whole way to the edges.

Be picky about your food choices
There's no sense in eating foods that you don't love. Pick the few items that you want to consume and know that you'll enjoy. If there's one food that you know is something you only get to eat on Thanksgiving, don't feel bad about eating it! Pick white meat turkey instead of ham, and be sure to remove all of the skin before eating.

Be smart about dessert
You can eat dessert on Thanksgiving, just be smart about the amount you eat and the dessert you choose. If there are several desserts you would like to try, put just enough for one bite on your plate. /this way you can try them all and still only eat one total portion size. Avoid desserts high in sugar and fat like pecan pie, and opt for pumpkin pie instead.

Don't leave with leftovers
At the end of the night, kindly decline any high-calorie leftovers. If you cannot avoid taking leftovers home choose the healthy foods like white meat turkey and vegetables. If you're hosting, try to send all the high-calorie leftover home with your guests. It's one thing to overindulge for one day, but it's another thing to keep it up for the next week. Get back into your healthy habits the next day not the next week.

The main thing to remember is that it is not the end of the world if you overeat on Thanksgiving. Don't let overeating put you into the mindset that you've ruined your healthy lifestyle for the week and you'll start over again on Monday. Wake up Friday morning with a positive attitude, head to the gym (or the mall) and burn off some calories. The sooner you get back on track, the sooner you'll feel great again.

Holiday Weight Gain in College Students

Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season. The next five weeks are filled with family, friends, finals, and lots of food! It's no wonder that the average American packs on a few pounds during the holidays. I believe that college students are even more susceptible to weight gain over the holidays for several reasons.

First of all is Thanksgiving. For some students this is the first time home since August and you're dying for some home cooking. And who doesn't love a good Thanksgiving feast? Most people overindulge at Thanksgiving with foods that are full of butter, sugar, and fat. Enough about Thanksgiving, I'll expand more on that in my next post.

After Thanksgiving college students return to school and are faced with final projects, final papers, and final exams. This is a very stressful time especially for the first year students who are experiencing their first final exam week. Finals time often means late nights at Willy T, skipped workouts, and increased stress levels. All of these are contributors to weight gain. Most students who stay up late to study or finish an assignment will end up consuming an extra 250-1000 calories than they normally would each day. These calories usually come from energy drinks, snacks, and added meals. Skipping workouts means that calories are not being burned, and spending more time studying decreases daily calorie burn. Instead of consuming extra calories during finals, most students should actually cut back on calories because of decreased activity. And stress often leads to eating when you're not hungry. Stress eating combined with the distraction of studying can lead to some very dangerous mindless eating. Ever grab a bag of something to snack on while studying, and next thing you know the entire bag is gone!? That's mindless eating. I'll post more about mindless eating before we get into finals week.

Once winter break arrives college students head home to their family and friends. Just like Thanksgiving, Christmas break is filled with lots of food and drinks that can lead you to consume extra calories. Christmas cookies, pies, and other pastries are fine in moderation, but you should not eat multiple servings each day around Christmas. Also be careful of liquid calories. Many of the warm, creamy beverages we love when the weather is cold can pack about 350 calories per 12 oz. serving. Drink just 10 servings and you will have consumed enough calories to gain one pound.

Not only do we often consume extra calories over winter break, but many college students also get out of their regular exercise routine. When you're at school it's fairly easy to go to the Johnson Center to workout. When you head home it's not always as easy to access a fitness facility, but you can find other ways to stay active without a gym. Go back to the basics and do some calisthenics in your living room. Jumping jacks. high knees, and butt kicks will still burn calories. If it happens to snow where you are over winter break, go shovel some snow. Not only will you burn about 400 calories an hour, you'll also have happy parents!

Don't let yourself be someone that gains weight over the holidays. Stay active and make smart dietary choices! I'll post several more times about staying healthy over the holidays, so stay tuned!

Tips to Improve Your Sleep

Sleep is a critical factor in weight maintenance and weight loss. Many college students do not get enough sleep for various reasons. If you find that you can't fall asleep at night or have trouble sleeping through the night, the things you do in the hours before you climb in to bed may be to blame. Having a good evening routine is important for falling asleep and staying asleep through the night.


What You Can Do During the Day
Eat Dinner Early
Avoid fatty foods late at night as they will take longer for your stomach to digest, which may make sleeping difficult. Try not to eat fatty foods at least 3 hours before going to sleep. If you get hunger late at night avoid heavy foods that cannot digest quickly. Some good choices for a late night snack include Chamomile tea, walk milk (keep it skim or 1%), a few slices of turkey, bananas, honey, oatmeal, flax seed, and whole wheat bread.
Move Around After Dinner
Avoid post-meal drowsiness by doing some type of activity after dinner. You don't have to go to the gym or run miles, that would actually be counter-productive. Do some household chores such as washing the dishes, folding laundry, or taking out the trash.
Skip the Afternoon Nap
You may think that taking an afternoon nap may recharge you for the rest of the day, but the opposite is often true. Napping often leaves your groggy and can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep at night.
Get Regular Exercise
Engaging in regular exercise can help you sleep better at night. Logging your exercise minutes in the afternoon is most beneficial for better shuteye at night. Be cautious of vigorous activity at night as it may negatively affect your sleep.

Your Evening Routine
Leave your Work at Work
This may be difficult during college, but try to complete your school work as early in the day as possible.
Find Yor Perfect Bedtime
To get the best sleep, get on the same schedule every day. Yes, even on the weekend! You will get the most benefit from sleeping for 7-8 hours each night, and this amount of sleep has been shown to be most beneficial for weight maintenance.

Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol
You drink caffeine to stay awake and boost your energy so consuming caffeine in the evening and even throughout the day can affect the way you sleep at night. If you feel that you must consume caffeine, try to do so before 3 pm. On to alcohol...Even though you may feel that you fall asleep faster and sleep better when you consume alcohol, you are not getting quality sleep. Alcohol throws off your normal sleep cycle causing you to wake up tired and not re-energized.
Avoid Screen-time Before Bed
Computer screens and TVs emit blue light which has been found to suppress melatonin, the hormone that encourages your body to sleep. Try reading a book before bed or writing in a journal. If you find that you are studying at night, try to complete assignments that involve computer use first and save reading for before going to sleep.

For more information on this topic you can view the complete article here.

Managing Your Hunger

Listen to Your Body
About 60 to 75% of your daily calories are expended just keeping up your bodily functions (refer to my post of calculating calories for more info). They're used to maintain your body's temperature, for regulating your nerves, for breathing, and to keep your heart beating. Calories are also important for nourishing and repairing your muscles and cells. A simple rule to keep in mind is to eat when you're hungry and stop when you're not.

Don't skip meals
Avoid slowing down your metabolism by eating 5-6 small meals a day. Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and snack on healthy choices throughout the day. Skipping meals doesn't help you to cut calories. People who skip meals actually end up overindulging at the next meal. Smaller portion sizes and choosing healthy foods will help you to cut calories, not skipping meals.

Water helps the burn
A majority of people don't drink enough water. Without enough water in your system, your metabolism slows down and you end up burning fewer calories. Always drink at least 8 glasses or 64 ounces of water each day. Not sure if you're drinking enough water? When you're awake, you should be taking a bathroom break at least every 4 hours. If you're not, it's time to hydrate.

Catch more Zzzzzs
Getting too little sleep triggers hormonal changes that lead to an increased appetite. Also, sleep deprivation will cause your body to have more cravings for foods high in sugar and fat. If you're tired, you often won't have enough energy to workout to your full potential. Your body will thank you for getting enough sleep each night, 7 to 8 hours is best.

Don't Let Your Hunger Manage You
When you're hungry, it's easy to let your stomach to the talking. Make sure you take control over your hunger before it gets out of control. Here are a few tips to help you manage your appetite:

Drink water 30 minutes before every meal

• Sometimes the effects of thirst are disguised as hunger pangs. Water will not only ease the hunger temporarily, it will also help you to reduce the amount that you eat at your next meal. Drink water instead of soda, fruit juice, or  sugary drinks during your meals and you won't be adding empty calories.

End your membership to the clean plate club

• Avoid overeating just because it's there. Yes there are starving children in Africa, but that doesn't mean that you have to overeat. Pack leftovers and eat the next day. When eating out, ask the server to brink a take-home container with your meal and pack half of the meal before you even start eating. That way you can enjoy the same delicious meal twice and get more bang for your buck.

Hold the dessert

• Don't eat dessert right after finishing your main course. Wait at least 20 minutes and then if you're still hunger choose a healthy dessert like fresh fruit or sorbet.

Eat slowly

• Your taste buds can savor the flavors longer and you'll avoid filling up quickly. Thoroughly chewing your food will also help your body to digest it properly. Try to chew eat bite 20 times before you swallow.

Info to Share!

I wanted to share the info with you that Jill Kindy, RD gave us at the Lunch & Learn yesterday. If you're looking for healthy foods to eat on or off campus this is a great place to get some ideas!

Healthy Eating on Campus
At Campus Dining Facilities

• Deli sandwich (limit the sauce/dressing)
• Grilled chicken sandwich
• Baked or grilled chicken breast
• Baked or grilled fish
• Roast Pork
• London Broil
• International Station options
• Pasts with marinara (with or without meat)
• Salad Bar (limit dressing or use low fat variety)
• Fruits and vegetables
• Broth based soup
• Veggie Burgers

Near Campus Options

• 6" sub/pita sandwiches - turkey, grilled chicken, ham, veggie (limit the mayo/dressing), with baked chips or fruit
• Chicken or steak burrito (no cheese or sour cream)
• Pasta with Marinara or meat sauce
• Regular hamburger/cheeseburger, with apples (no fries)
• Regular roast beef sandwich
• Grilled chicken sandwich/salad (limit sauce/dressing)

What to Have in your room/apartment

• Whole grain bread, English muffins, bagels, tortillas
• Peanut butter & jelly
• Lunch meats -turkey, ham or roast beef
• Tuna fish (packed in water)
• Cheese
• Low fat yogurt
• Low fat milk
• Scrambled eggs (cook for 90 seconds in the microwave)
• Broth-based soups
• Canned fruits (packed in lite syrup/own juice)
• Microwavable potatoes or sweet potatoes
• Whole grain cereal
• Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers
• Nuts
• Whole grain crackers
• Low fat popcorn

Healthy Eats Available at Campus Convenience Stores
Breakfast

• Cereal - Cheerios, Raisin Bran, Special K, Total, Wheaties, Frosted Mini-Wheat, Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Bear Naked Fit Granola
• Milk, orange juice, apple juice, V8 vegetable juice, soy milk
• Bars - Nature Valley Oats & Honey, Kashi, Fiber One
• Yogurt
• Fruit - apples, oranges, strawberries, grapes, canned peaches
• Peanut butter on 100% whole wheat bread

Lunch/Dinner (entrees and sides)

• Sandwiches - 100% whole wheat bread, deli meats and sliced cheese, peanut butter & jelly
• Tuna Fish
• Frozen Meals - Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine
• Soups - tomato, chicken noodle, chicken and rice, vegetable, vegetable beef
• Pre-made salad with grilled chicken
• Baked beans
• Vegetable - canned, frozen, or raw

Snacks

• Almonds, cashews
• Fruits
• Light popcorn
• Yogurt
• Pretzels
• Bars - Kashi, Nature Valley, Fiber One, Nutrigrain
• Wheat Thins, Triscuits
• String cheese
• Raisins
• Graham crackers
• Beef Jerky
• Trail mix
• Peanut butter crackers
• Pudding

Healthy Snacks for Eating on the Run

• Pretzels
• String Cheese
• Soft Pretzels
• Fruit Smoothies
• Cheese & Crackers
• Carrot Sticks
• Protein Bars
• Peanut Butter & Jelly
• Graham Crackers
• Raisin Toast
• Dry Whole Grain Cereal
• Half Sandwich
• Rice Cakes
• Low-fat Milk
• Applesauce
• Small Milk Shakes
• Slice of Pizza
• Fruit
• Yogurt
• Fruit Juice
• Muffins
• Bagel with Cream Cheese
• Vegetable Juice
• Peanut Butter & Crackers
• Granola Bars
• Snack Bars
• Popcorn
• Three Bean Salad
• Pudding
• Fig Bars
• Celery Sticks with Peanut Butter
• Vanilla Wafers
• Gingersnaps
• English Muffin Pizza
• Snack Sized Canned Tuna
• Cereal and Milk
• Vegetable Soup
• Sunflower Seeds
• Nuts
• Instant Breakfast Drinks
• Yogurt Smoothies

Healthy Mini-Meals

• Fruit Smoothie: 1/2 cup frozen fruit, 1 cup non-fat yogurt, 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 apple, fruit juice, 4 fig bars
• 1/2 cantaloupe stuffed with cottage cheese
• Peanut butter & jelly sandwich, skim milk, banana
• Bagel, English muffin with melted cheese & tomato
• 1/2 tuna fish sandwich, carrots, skim milk
• Pita bread topped with beans and melted cheese
• Vegetable soup with whole grain roll or crackers
• 2 turkey slices, lettuce & tomato on a tortilla
• Hummus and pita bread wedges
• Cereal and low-fat milk
• Chili stuffed baked potato topped with low-fat cheese
• Bagel with cream cheese and a slice of fruit
• Pita bread stuffed with vegetables, beans or cheese, and low-fat salad dressing

Weight Loss Tips

• Eat breakfast - this helps boost your metabolism
• Exercise at least 30 minutes per day, 4-5 days per week
• Eat healthfully - balance, variety, moderation
• Limit high calorie drinks (sodas, lemonade, alcoholic beverages, sports drinks, energy drinks)
• Eat when you are hungry (not when you are bored, stressed, procrastinating, etc...)
• Stop when you are satisfied.full (not when the plate is clean or the bag is empty, etc...)
• Limit late night eating. If you are hungry, a healthy snack is okay - just don't have a 2nd dinner
• Get adequate sleep