Color your Diet
all foods fit
by Valerie Hisam
It doesn’t have to be complicated or come at a high price. Staying healthy can be easy and satisfying. Whether it is losing, gaining or maintaining weight, those who want to stay healthy need to have the fundamental basics instead of conforming to societal demands.
Even though our current society seems to dictate what the appropriate “look” is, what really matters is that each person does what is best for himself or herself by eating right and exercising. In doing so, people should remember it is not about measuring themselves against others, since these images can be fueled by the diet crazes of the moment and the celebrities who endorse them. So why is it that with all of the “normal” people and advertising, a growing population in the U.S. is becoming overweight instead of trying to convert to the skinnier image? According to the Weight-Control Information Network (WIN) Web site, about 66 percent of the American adult population is overweight or obese.
All it takes to avoid becoming a part of this statistic are a few habits that will have you eating and exercising right, and being happy with your body.
Plate it Right
The old-American tradition of sitting at the table and serving up a plateful of meat is no more. Now, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research Web site, you want to “aim for meals made up of two-thirds vegetables, fruits, whole grains or beans and one-third animal protein.” This constitutes the new-American plate of food that anyone can have to eat healthy.
The three main things that should be on a typical plate are carbohydrates, vegetables and fruit, and protein. According to Melissa Wdowik, the director of the new Nutrition Center located in the Gifford building, your plate should focus on color.
“Think color,” said Wdowik in an e-mail interview. “If you try to incorporate a variety of colors into your day; you will need to eat fruits and veggies along with grains and proteins.”
Wdowik said the easiest way for students to accomplish this is by planning ahead: make meals the night before, prepare a grocery list and stick with a planned menu. This also helps when trying to figure out what to eat in between meals.
“Stick to a variety of easy meal ingredients,” Wdowik said. “This is so you can have on hand what you need to eat a quick breakfast, pack an easy lunch and come home for a quick dinner, rather than eating chips because it’s easy.”
Jessica Malone, a senior food science and human nutrition major, said that learning how to control what you eat in other environments is also beneficial. As part of a project she recently worked on, Malone found that portion control is essential to weight loss.
“Restaurant portions are out of control,” she said in an e-mail interview. “Splitting with a friend or asking for a to-go box makes a difference.”
Crave it Right
With drive-thru restaurants and self-checkout lanes at super markets, it is easy to fall victim to those high-fat and sugar cravings the instant they hit. For students on the go, having a few tips about healthy snacking and curbing cravings will keep you on a healthy track.
Having a late night bowl of ice cream is one thing, but what happens when that little craving turns into constant snacking? Anyone can have cravings, but it’s about managing what you eat. According to WebMD.com, “the minutes spent perusing fast-food or vending machine options could be used toward time to visit the grocery store,” and that means having healthier options when it comes down to snack time.
Instead of vending machines and processed food, healthier snacks will help to curb cravings. Wdowik said fruit is the simplest answer, but in order for students to keep snacking right, they need to “think outside the box.” She suggests incorporating two or more food groups, such as pita bread and hummus or fruit with string cheese.
Malone, who works with the registered dieticians at Hartshorn Health Services, suggests sticking to certain groups, where you focus on just grains or fruits or dairy, and then adding from there. If snacks can be incorporated with a healthier meal plan, then even the busiest students will be more awake, attentive and better set for long days.
Eat it Right
Students come in a variety of body types, with different shapes and metabolisms, so taking care of their bodies are based on their individual circumstances. With hundreds of ways to lose weight, students can find it hard to know how to eat healthy and exercise just enough without causing their bodies to starve.
Every person needs to eat differently; WebMD.com pointed out that “hunger and appetite are body signals that tell you how much to eat. These signals can be influenced by your environment or ignored for short periods of time. However, they are powerful hormonal drives, and trying to ignore them for a long period of time (as in dieting behavior) can cause you to become obsessed with food,” and in some cases, your weight.
“Skipping meals is just bad,” Wdowik said. “It slows metabolism, memory and concentration and causes (students) to overeat once they do eat.”
Since students spend their college years in the fast lane, it can be especially difficult to find the time to eat and get a bit of exercise in, but listening to their body is the most important thing, Wdowik said.
“This may seem obvious, but students just react to hunger by grabbing fast food or whatever is left in the fridge,” she added. “People just need to learn to respond to hunger and fullness in their body and let that guide them.”
To stay healthy, it is about tying all of the right facts together. Learning how to eat the right amount food is essential, and everything else plays into portions, from snacks to cravings to not eating, it depends upon what each individual does. Malone’s biggest piece of advice is:
“Stop dieting. Listen to your body and don’t be afraid to eat all types of food in moderation. All foods fit.”