Healthy Lifestyle November 2005 What is a Healthy

Healthy Lifestyle November 2005

What is a Healthy Lifestyle? • • • Consuming nutritious foods Regular exercise Not smoking Stress management Getting enough sleep

Importance of Following a Healthy Lifestyle • • • Prevent obesity/weight maintenance Reduce risk of various diseases and cancers Promote longevity Increased confidence Increased energy Look better and feel better!

Nutritious Diet • The secret to healthy eating is to remember: – Variety – Moderation – Balance • Follow the food guide pyramid and dietary guidelines • Drink lots of water

Variety, Moderation, Balance • Eating a variety of foods is important to get all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients the body needs to function at its best • Eat foods in moderation – Moderate intake of sugars, sodium, fat, and cholesterol – Consuming too much of a food can lead to excess calories being consumed and weight gain can result – Remember portion control – Eat when hungry and stop when full! • Balance the foods you eat with exercise for weight maintenance

Food Guide Pyramid • An outline of what should be eaten each day • Emphasizes variety • Shows a range of servings to consume per day – The number of servings depends on the amount of calories you need each day

Food Guide Pyramid Calorie ranges needed: – 1600 – sedentary women and most older adults – 2200 – most children, teenage girls, active women, many sedentary men – 2800 – teenage boys, active men, some very active women

Food Guide Pyramid

What Counts as a Serving • Grain group – 1 slice of bread – 1 oz ready to eat cereal – ½ cup cooked rice, cereal or pasta • Vegetable group – 1 cup raw vegetables – ½ cup cooked vegetables – ¾ cup vegetable juice

What Counts as a Serving • Fruit group – 1 medium apple, banana, or orange – ½ cup chopped, canned, or cooked fruit – ¾ cup fruit juice • Milk group – 1 cup yogurt or milk – 1 ½ oz natural cheese – 2 oz processed cheese

What Counts as a Serving Meat group • 2 -3 oz lean meat, poultry, or fish – About the size of a cassette tape • Counts as 1 ounce of meat: – ½ cup cooked dry beans – 1 egg – 2 T peanut butter – 1/3 cup nuts

Dietary Guidelines Aim for fitness • Aim for a healthy weight – Balance the calories you eat with physical activity • Be physically active each day

Dietary Guidelines Build a Healthy Base • Let the pyramid guide your food choices – Choose low-fat dairy and lean meats – Enjoy fats and sweets occasionally – Remember portion control! • Choose a variety of grains daily, especially whole grains – Consume whole grains in place of enriched grain products

Dietary Guidelines Build a healthy base • Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables daily – Aim for 5 servings a day of fruits and vegetables • Keep foods safe to eat

Dietary Guidelines Choose sensibly • Choose a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat – No more than 30% of total calories should come from fat – No more than 10% of total calories should come from saturated fat – Limit use of solid fats and opt for vegetable oils – Choose low-fat, low sodium, and low cholesterol foods – Choose low-fat or fat-free milk products – Include more legumes and fish into your diet

Dietary Guidelines Choose sensibly • Choose beverages and foods to moderate intake of sugars • Choose and prepare foods with less salt – Aim for no more than 2400 mg salt/day – Go easy on foods prepared with added salt

Exercise Benefits of exercise: • Burns calories consumed for weight maintenance • Reduces risk of various disease development • Relieves stress and anxiety • Improves strength • Builds bone • Improves mood

Exercise • Less than 50% of adults do not get enough physical activity • More than 1/3 of children, grades 9 -12, do not engage in vigorous physical activity • In 2001, high school participation in physical education classes was only 32%

Exercise Aim for • 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week of moderate intensity physical activity OR • or 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week of vigorous intensity physical activity

Exercise Moderate-intensity exercise: • Walking briskly • Mowing the lawn • Dancing • Swimming • Biking on level terrain • Any activities burn 3. 5 -7 calories/minute

Exercise Vigorous-intensity exercise: • Jogging • Mowing lawn with non-motorized push mower • Chopping wood • Aerobic dancing • Swimming laps • Biking uphill • Any activities burn more than 7 calories/minute

Smoking • The leading cause of preventable death in the US • Results in 5. 6 million years of potential life lost each year • Increases risk of – Cancer – Cardiovascular disease – Respiratory diseases

Stress • The body’s physical and psychological response to anything overwhelming • Consequences of stress: – – Interfere with relationships deplete energy interfere with physical functioning and bodily processes cause ulcers, allergies, asthma, and migraine headaches

Causes of Stress • • • Fear Uncertainty Attitudes Perceptions Change

Ways to Reduce Stress • Exercise regularly • Talk to family and friends about problems for support • Avoid cigarette use • Eat sensibly • Practice relaxation techniques • Take breaks and time off to rebuild energy • Get enough sleep – Sleep recharges the body and mind