SPRING TRAINING 101
FITNESS Magazine Executive Editor
Sheds Light on Shedding the Winter Weight

As a Nation That Needs to Lose Weight,
There’s Confusion on Where to Begin

March 4th, 2011-Do you even know what’s healthy anymore?  Incorporate some fat into your diet, but not the wrong kind of fat.  Eat carbs, but only the right kinds of carbs.  Get plenty of protein, but make sure it’s lean protein.  It’s National Nutrition Month, and the USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services have just issued new dietary recommendations.  So what’s healthy now?  And how can we stock our fridge and pantry with the best foods for us and our families?  

As a nation we need help - we’re more overweight than ever – we’re motivated to take on the challenge. But, if you don’t know where to begin, the good news is that it doesn’t have to be hard! Pam O'Brien, Executive Editor of FITNESS magazine can help you and your family understand the healthiest food options and share her guide you to a well-stocked, healthy kitchen: 

What are some of your favorite ways to START eating better?
The best way to start eating healthy is to incorporate more vegetables and fruits, whole grains and lean protein into your diet. Stock your fridge and pantry with these healthy foods. Also if you can cook at home more, eat out less, you’ll consume hundreds of fewer calories—and you’ll save money, too. Eat every three to four hours to keep your energy levels stable and to keep from getting too hungry, and make sure you eat breakfast every day. You’ll consume fewer calories all day long if you eat a healthy am meal. Skip the super-sized portions. A proper serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards. One good rule is that half your plate should be filled with vegetables and fruits. Look at the labels of your favorite foods and make changes if needed and always drink plenty of water. 

What are some nutritious foods we should incorporate into our diets? Can you give us ideas we can use throughout the day?
The good news is that eating healthy is easy, delicious and quick. For cheese lovers looking for better-for-you options, Sargento offers two types of healthier varieties – Sargento Reduced Sodium and Reduced Fat natural cheeses. These cheeses contain 25 percent less sodium and 33 percent less fat than traditional cheeses. They’re available in several flavors, and both taste as great as their traditional counterparts.  They’re available in snacks, slices and shreds. You can visit www.sargento.com for more.

Soups are a great way to get in your veggies and protein.  Kettle Cuisine has 10 varieties of all natural, gluten-free soups, chilis, and chowders that are cooked to perfection using real ingredients and made-from-scratch stocks, offering a truly distinctive chef-created meal that’s healthy and easy to prepare.  For instance, their Three Bean Chili, which is loaded with protein, fiber and flavor, and comes complete with one serving of vegetables in each bowl. Found in your grocers’ freezer, these soups don’t use any artificial preservatives, meaning a fully prepared, single-serving, premium-quality meal is always just minutes away . Visit www.kettlecuisine.com for additional information.

Only one in ten Americans gets enough fiber in their diet, and for women looking to manage their weight, fiber is especially important.  I love these new Special K dessert inspired snack bars from the Kellogg Company – they’re a good source of fiber, which provides health conscious women with more positive nutrition as the strive to meet their weight management goals.   They come in great flavors like Chocolatey Chip Cookie and Raspberry Cheesecake and with 3 grams of fiber per bar, and 90 calories, they are a delicious way to add in some extra fiber at dessert time, or as a snack anytime of the day. Visit www.specialk.com for more.

You want to make sure you include good fats in your diet and olive oil is a very nutritious choice. Olive oil is primarily composed of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats – the good fat – and when used in place of saturated fats, can lower total cholesterol. It’s naturally cholesterol free, sodium free and free of carbohydrates. Olive oil is the only cooking oil that offers a variety of natural flavors and is extremely versatile, and can replace butter or margarine in many recipes.  I’ve actually made some delicious garlic olive oil chicken kebabs, as well as Strawberries Romanoff all with olive oil just to show you the versatility it has. Whether for baking, grilling, in salads, preparing store-bought mixes or even popping popcorn, olive oil is a better tasting and more nutritious choice. For information and these delicious recipes, go to www.aboutoliveoil.org

Unlike traditional yogurt, Greek yogurt is loaded with protein and low in fat, so it makes a satisfying healthy snack.  And now there is a tasty option for kids. The new Chobani Champions is the first Greek yogurt made specifically for kids. Available in two kid-friendly flavors, Very-Berry and HoneyNana, Champions is a great way to teach kids that there are food options that not only taste good, but are good for them too. Each cup of Chobani Champions is 100% natural – made with real fruit, packed with protein and provide an a good source of vitamin D (20% Daily Value) and bone-building calcium (10% Daily Value).  And at 100 calories each, it’s a great portion-controlled snack for parents too! Go to www.chobani.com for more information.

What are some tools for navigating food labels according to the new dietary guidelines?
The Nutrition Facts label provides crucial information about the food you’re eating. Here’s what to look for:

• Calories. The first thing to look for on a label is the number of calories per serving.Then check the serving size and number of servings per container. This information is critical to understanding everything else on the label. Some manufacturers take what most of us would consider a single-serve container and call it two servings.
• Fiber. It helps fill you up, and you need at least 25 grams daily. 
• Fat. Choose unsaturated fats whenever possible, like those found in olive oil, and limit foods with saturated and trans fats.
• Sodium per serving. According to the Institutes of Medicine, sodium should be restricted to 2,300 mg per day for healthy adults, and 1,500 mg for those with health problems or a family history of high blood pressure
• Sugar. It adds plenty of calories, and is often listed on the Ingredients List the label in "alias" terms, like "high fructose corn syrup," or  "dextrose." 
• % Daily Value (% DV). This reflects the percentage of a certain nutrient that the food supplies, based on a 2,000 calorie diet. It gives you a rough idea of the food's nutrient contribution to your diet. 

This year, food and beverage manufactures are launching a brand-new nutrition label called Nutrition Keys. This new label will place important nutrition information (like calories, saturated fat, sodium and total sugars) on the front of food packages in a simple and easy-to-read format.

What are your favorite nutrition tips from Fitness magazine?
Don't skip meals. In a recent survey in FITNESS, 43% of women told us that they regularly skip meals when they’re trying to lose weight. Don’t do that.  Simply chewing, digesting and absorbing food kicks your metabolism into gear. In fact, the more frequently you eat, the more often it revs up. But skipping a meal, or going too long between meals, brings your metabolism to a crawl because your system slows down to conserve energy. Keep your engine humming by having three healthy meals of 300 to 400 calories and two snacks of 200 to 300 calories every day.

Fill up on the right foods. Start by serving yourself protein at every sitting. Not only does your body need it to help build lean muscle mass, but protein also takes more calories to digest, and it keeps you feeling fuller longer. While you're at it, eat more foods that slowly release the sugar you need for sustained energy, like high-fiber fruits and veggies and whole-grain breads and pastas. Munch a food high in fiber three hours before your workout and you'll also burn extra fat, a study shows.

Eat something smarter. When junk food catches your eye, figure out a satisfying nutrient-rich option you can have instead. Nonfat Greek yogurt with some roasted peanuts and a drizzle of honey is a healthy and tasty alternative to a Drumstick cone from the ice cream truck.

And finally, exercise! Working out is the number-one way to get and stay healthy, burn calories and stay in shape. Aim for five workouts a week—three days of aerobic activity and two days of weight lifting.

Check out the latest issue of Fitness Magazine on stands now or go to www.fitnessmagazine.com for more tips on nutrition.