Saturday, January 01, 2011

Physical Activity And Nutrition

For A Healthy Lifestyle

 

By Suman Madan, MS, RD, LD.

The New Year is a time for new beginnings, which may include making new resolutions. And after the holiday glut of heavy feasts and high calorie beverages, it's no surprise that "weight control" and "eat better" are at the top of your list. The key to weight control is balancing energy (food) intake with the energy your body burns (physical activity).

To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you eat. Exercise is a great way to accomplish this task. When you exercise regularly, you build strong muscles. Muscle cells burn more calories throughout the day than fat cells do, even while you are resting. Having more muscle mass helps boost your body’s metabolism. Through balancing the number of calories you eat with the number of calories you expend through exercise and physical activity, you can achieve your desired weight. The key to successful weight loss and improved health is making physical activity a part of your daily routine.

Health Benefits of Regular Physical Activity

In addition to helping to control your weight, research shows that regular physical activity can reduce your risk for several diseases and conditions and improve your overall quality of life. Regular exercise can help prevent:

• Heart disease and stroke. Alabama ranks 6^th nationally in deaths caused by heart disease and 7^th nationally in deaths caused by stroke. Daily physical activity can help prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening heart muscle, lowering blood pressure, raising HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol), lowering LDL cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol), improving blood flow, and increasing the heart's working capacity.
• High blood pressure. Regular exercise reduces blood pressure in people with high blood pressure (hypertension).
• Overweight and Obesity. Obesity rates in Alabama are increasing. Regular physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of overweight and obesity-related chronic diseases.
• Diabetes. The incidence of type II diabetes is increasing among youth nationwide. By reducing body fat, physical activity can help to prevent and control type II diabetes.
• Back pain. By increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise can help prevent back pain.
• Osteoporosis. Regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation and may prevent many forms of bone loss associated with aging.
• Arthritis. Arthritis is a leading cause of disability nationwide. Regular exercise relieves symptoms of many kinds of arthritis.

If physical activity is not a part of your lifestyle, start slowly and build up over weeks or even months. Walking is a great exercise to start with. It is important to begin at a slow pace, as starting slowly will allow you to become physically fit without straining your body. Every week, gradually increase the time you spend with the activity. For example, you may do it more often or even add a second activity. You can also increase the speed or difficulty of the activity, such as transitioning from walking on flat surfaces to walking up hills.

To become more active throughout your day, take advantage of any chance to get up and move around. Here are some examples:

• Take a short walk around the block.
• Walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. If your destination is several floors up, walk as many flights as you can before hopping on the elevator.
• Do calf raises while standing in line.
• Exercise at your desk.
• When you are at work, take an activity break -- get up and stretch or walk around.
• Park your car a little farther away from your destination and walk the extra distance.
• Play a game of catch or tag with the kids.
• Meet a friend at the park for lunch and take a stroll before you eat.
• Dance along to music while cooking dinner or cleaning the house.
• Wash your own car by hand.
• Lift weights or do jumping jacks during TV commercials.
• Walk or pace while you are on the phone. Make social hour more active -- meet friends for a game of bowling or basketball.
• Try gardening or yard work. Both activities burn calories and relieve stress. For example, rake leaves or mow the lawn.
• Play actively with the kids.
• On the weekends, take the kids to the park or zoo, go for a hike, play tennis, or take a dance class.
• Wear a pedometer. You’ll be motivated to increase the number of steps you take each day.

It does not matter what type of physical activity you perform, whether it be sports, planned exercise, household chores, yard work, or work-related tasks. All types of physical activity are beneficial. Make physical activity a regular part of your daily life.

Health Benefits of a Balanced Diet

In addition to regular physical activity, eating a balanced diet keeps you healthy and gives you the tools you need to get through the day. Our bodies rely on food for nutrition and energy. Foods are made up of different sources of energy—protein, carbohydrates, fats—and they all contain calories. We must consume calories to maintain our energy levels, but eating too many calories can get us off balance.
 
Start with vegetables, grains, and milk. Eat a variety of vegetables—everything from spinach and squash to okra and peas. Grains include both whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat, and oatmeal) and refined grains (cornbread, tortillas, and pasta). Milk products (including cheese and yogurt) supply your body with calcium, which is essential to keeping your bones healthy.

While fresh fruits are an important part of a balanced diet, be sure to limit your intake of fruit juices, which can be high in calories. For protein, choose lean meat, poultry, beans, and eggs. Steer clear of processed proteins, such as sausage and deli meats. The building blocks of a balanced diet are shown in the Food Guide Pyramid, a tool devised by the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA). Learn more about the Food Guide Pyramid and a balanced diet at www.mypyramid.gov.

Gradual Lifestyle Changes for Improved Lifelong Health

Physical activity and healthy eating must become things that you do without question, like bathing and brushing your teeth. Unless you are convinced of their benefits, you will not succeed. The point is not to make physical activity and healthy eating seem like unwelcome chores, but to help you make the most of the opportunities you have to be active and healthy. The decision to keep fit requires a lifelong commitment of time and effort. Patience is essential. Don't try to do too much too soon, and don't quit before you have a chance to experience the rewards. You can't regain in a few days or weeks what you have lost in years of sedentary living, but you can get it back if you are persistent with your efforts to be active and eat well. And the prize is worth the price.

This is your year. Make it a stand out by following a health and fitness routine that works for you. Regular exercise, healthy eating, and enough rest can help you be your best each day. Give yourself plenty of support when making lifestyle changes. Most importantly, keep your eyes on the prize and you will make yourself proud.

References:

• www.championsforhealth.org
• www.adph.org
• www.mypyramid.gov

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Suman Madan is a Licensed, Registered Dietician and has been practicing in Public Health for over 25 years. At Jefferson County Dept. of Health, she coordinates activities for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program and provides nutrition education for Northern and West End Communities. WIC is a federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Program. For more information on Alabama WIC, please visit www.adph.org/wic. Suman is available to answer any questions regarding WIC program benefits for the eligible families at suman.madan@jcdh.org

Suman Madan, MS, RD, LD

WIC Coordinator,

West End Health Center,

1308, Tuscaloosa Avenue,

Birmingham 35211

Tel. # 205.715.6131

 

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