HealthyLife Articles

Category: Healthylife® Weigh

  • Use Food Labels

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 3

    Smiling woman shopping in supermarket and reading food label.

    Information on food labels can help you choose healthy foods and drinks and avoid less healthy options. Some of the healthiest foods, like fruits and vegetables, don’t have a label at all! Practice reading food labels with the foods you have at home or the next time you grocery shop.

    Chart breaking down how to read a food label.

    What seems “normal” as a portion is influenced by what you have eaten in the past, what you see others eat, what you have been served at a restaurant, and what is on a food label. Part of adopting a balanced diet may be creating a new “normal” for yourself that is pleasing, filling, AND the right amount for your body.

    Chart breaking down how to read a food label.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Be Assertive

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 4

    Women with arms crossed looking convinced and confident.

    Learn the differences between passive, aggressive, and assertive communication.

    Passive

    *  You lack expression for yourself.

    *  You do not stand up for your rights and needs.

    Result: You usually do not achieve your goal.

    Aggressive

    *  You stand up for your rights and needs, but at the expense of someone else.

    Result: You usually put down or hurt someone else. You gain no respect.

    Assertive

    *  You stand up for your rights and needs without putting down or hurting someone else.

    *  You express your feelings without becoming victim to them.

    Result: You build self-respect and feel good about yourself.

    Example: Your aunt offers you a large piece of cherry pie that she said she made especially for you. You know that you have eaten enough for the meal and eating the piece of pie does not fit your eating goals.

    *  Passive Response: “Thank you. It’s delicious!” Thinking… “I really don’t want to eat this right now, but I don’t want to hurt her feelings.”

    *  Aggressive Response: “I can’t believe you’re offering me cherry pie when you know I’m trying to lose weight. You’re going to ruin my diet!”

    *  Assertive Response: “I appreciate that you went to the trouble of making this pie for me! It looks great and I’m sure it tastes great. I am very serious about losing weight so I’d like to split that piece with someone.”

    What Assertive Looks Like

    *  Body Posture: Be relaxed and natural. Avoid slouching, putting your hands in your pockets, and facing away from the person you are speaking with.

    *  Eye Contact: Good eye contact is vital to convey self-confidence and interest. Don’t stare at the other person; this comes across as a challenge.

    *  Voice, Tone, and Quality: Use a strong, varied tone. Speak clearly and firmly. Don’t shout or speak too softly. Don’t whine.

    *  Distance from the Person: Don’t position yourself too far or too close.

    *  Facial Expression: Let your face convey the same message as what you are saying.

    *  Content: Use short sentences. Be specific, clear, and firm.

    Practice First

    Plan or write down what you want to say. Have responses ready ahead of time to deal with questions and comments. Reinforce your remarks by saying what positive outcomes will occur for you and the other person. Practice in front of a mirror or with a friend.

    Benefits of Being Assertive

    *  You can feel comfortable saying “no.”

    *  You have more confidence to ask others for help.

    *  You gain more respect from others.

    *  You feel less angry with yourself and with others.

    *  You feel justified to say what you want to say.

    *  You feel comfortable requesting clarification.

    *  You accept compliments graciously.

    *  You can change your mind without feeling guilty.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Choose Fresh, Frozen, Canned, Or Dried

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 2

    Frozen strawberries.

    All forms of fruits and vegetables can be healthy options. You may like the taste of one form over another. If you have only tried a vegetable in one form (for example, canned green beans), try it fresh or frozen. You may be surprised how different it tastes. Frozen and canned produce is picked at the peak of ripeness. This means the nutrients were able to fully develop before the plant was picked. This makes these choices very healthy, especially outside of the growing/harvest season.

    Fresh

    *  Choose a variety of fresh produce. Include ready-to-eat snacks like apples and baby carrots.

    *  Buy produce that’s in season to help the environment and provide natural variety in your diet.

    *  Grow your own, when possible.

    Frozen

    *  Choose frozen veggies without added sauces or salt. Add your own seasonings that have little or no salt or sodium.

    *  Choose fruits without added sugar. Fruit has plenty of natural sugar.

    Canned

    *  Choose low-sodium added varieties.

    *  Wipe off the top of the can before opening it.

    *  Rinse the vegetables in a colander to reduce the sodium content further.

    *  With canned fruit, look for options packed in water or 100% fruit juice. Avoid canned fruits that are packed in syrup.

    Dried

    *  Avoid choices with added sugar.

    *  Drink a glass of water to replace the water that has been removed.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Energy, Learning, And Focus

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 5

    Senior couple exercising in gym.

    Improved Energy Levels

    Exercise helps transport oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. When your heart and lungs are working more efficiently, you have more energy to work, do daily chores, keep up with active kids, and have fun.

    Improved Ability to Learn

    Exercise increases production of cells in the brain responsible for memory and learning. Exercise can help with decision-making and higher-level thinking. Exercise also helps increase brain volume and reduce the number and size of age-related holes in the brain. This decreases the risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s.

    Improved Focus

    Exercise that requires hand-eye coordination or quick foot work helps your brain cells grow. These exercises, like tennis or basketball, may improve your concentration skills better than more simple exercises, like riding a stationary bike.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Grocery Shopping With Kids

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 3

    Family of four grocery shopping.

    Grocery stores can be full of education and adventure for kids. Including kids in grocery shopping-and every part of meal prep-helps set up kids to make healthier choices later in life.

    *  Show the variety of different foods, especially in the produce section and grain aisle.

    *  Let kids pick out something colorful from the produce section. You can look up online what to do with it later!

    *  Ask kids to help you decide between healthy options (apple vs. orange). This encourages kids to make healthy choices.

    *  Discuss why certain foods are stored in the freezer or on the shelf.

    *  Ask younger kids to describe the foods you pick out. Use shapes, colors, and counting to identify foods on the shelf or in your cart.

    *  Ask older kids to help you read labels and signs in the store. Explain what these labels mean.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • It Takes A Village

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 4

    Three friends at the beach.

    Build support around you. Support from others can help:

    *  Motivate you and lift you up when you stumble.

    *  Hold you accountable.

    *  Give you new ideas and inspiration.

    *  Make activities more fun.

    Start With One Person

    Find someone you know and trust. This could be anybody-a family member, friend, or coworker. Perhaps this person already motivates you to make positive changes in your life.

    1. Let them know what you are trying to do.

    2. Ask them if they would be willing to support you.

    3. If “yes,” say “thank you!”

    4. Let them know how to help you. This may change over time.

    5. Thank this person often. Let them know the impact they are having on your lifestyle change.

    Let Others Know How to Help You

    Even when someone wants to help you, they may not know how. You have probably experienced this already, like when someone gives you cliché advice or gives you a sweet treat to cheer you up.

    Be specific when you tell others how to help you. Here are a few ideas.

    *  Remind you of your strengths and talents.

    *  Share healthy recipes for easy meals and snacks.

    *  Plan social times that don’t involve food. For example, go for a walk or go to the same exercise class.

    *  Give you non-food gifts only.

    *  Take care of your children so you can do your planned exercise. Or, plan an event where your families can be active together.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Pack Travel Snacks

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 3

    Mix of dried fruits and nuts.

    Pack these items ahead of time. Take them with you when you drive, fly, or take a bus or train. Be sure to pack snacks for kids traveling with you as well. This can help kids get in the habit of packing their own travel snacks. It can also take away your excuse to stop for fast food and buy candy or salty snacks. Use these ideas for a healthy work snack as well. Keep a healthy snack in your desk drawer, locker or fridge, if they need to be kept cold, like hummus or fresh edamame.

    *  Homemade granola bars. Look for recipes with nuts, seeds, peanut butter, and dried fruit to help keep you full and give you lasting energy.

    *  Homemade trail mix.

    *  Peanut butter + apple slices, celery sticks, or whole grain crackers

    *  Hummus + sliced veggies (celery, carrots, cucumber slices)

    *  Apple slices with cinnamon

    *  Almonds, peanuts, walnuts, cashews

    *  Dried fruit

    *  String cheese

    *  Whole fruit, like apples and bananas

    *  Edamame

    *  Protein bar

    *  Small, single-serving boxes of whole grain cereal

    *  Small square of dark chocolate

    Respect Food Allergies

    If traveling in a public place (e.g., train, bus, airplane), avoid snacks that contain peanuts. If someone has a severe peanut allergy, you may be putting their life in danger.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Picky Eaters

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 3

    Women having lunch.

    Perhaps you buy food or cook for a picky eater. Perhaps that picky eater is you! Vegetables tend to be one of the biggest sticking points with picky eaters, though picky eating can apply to all food groups. Don’t give up!

    Here are some tips for managing picky eating:

    *  Set an example by trying it yourself and using positive language. Even if you don’t like the taste, you can express gratitude or pat yourself on the back for trying a new food.

    *  Add the new food to a food you already like. For example, if peanut butter and jelly is a favorite, swap white bread for whole grain bread. This will add extra nutrients while keeping the preferred peanut butter & jelly filling!

    *  Stock up on healthy choices. Limit junk food and unhealthy options.

    *  Try new foods. Serve a variety of foods at meals to provide a choice. Encourage kids to pick out a new vegetable when grocery shopping. To make it fun, have a child pick a color first. Then, have the child pick out a vegetable that matches that color.

    *  Don’t force a food that is disliked. Part of managing weight is developing a healthy relationship with food.

    *  If it has been more than 6 months since you tried it, try it again! Tastes can change.

    Appreciate your own willingness and effort to try something new! If you have children, they are watching and learning the value of openness.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Quit Smoking

    Healthylife® Weigh

    Part 3

    Hands breaking a cigarette in half.

    Smoking and the use of other tobacco products causes serious harm to the body, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and emphysema. Smoking can also complicate diabetes and other health conditions.

    If you are smoking, try to quit. Talk to your doctor about tools to help you quit. Call 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669) to talk to someone who can help you quit.

    Quitting smoking may cause some weight gain as your body learns to regulate blood sugar and appetite normally again. Smoking can also be a coping strategy for stress, so you will need to learn new ways to manage stress. It is worth it to quit smoking.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine