| Nutrition for Families on the Go |
Eating Smart
by Wendy Composto, RD
by Wendy Composto, RD
I have a starling statistic to share with you today. "The average American gains two pounds each year." That may not seem like a lot, but after
10 years, that’s 20 pounds! Weight gain is pretty simple – it is just more calories consumed than calories exerted. Each pound gained accounts
for 3500 calories. So the two pounds gained over one year, is the result of consuming 7000 extra calories. That's about 20 extra calories a
day. With that knowledge avoiding the average American weight gain would seem simple. I don’t recommend counting calories to avoid the
extra weight gain, but I do recommend eating smart.
Here are some tips to avoid extra caloric intake:
*Drink skim milk instead of whole
*Eat water packed tuna instead of oil packed
*Flavor a sandwich with tomato slices and pepper strips instead of mayo
*Always discard poultry skin before eating poultry
*Substitute an English muffin & jelly for a doughnut
*Drink water instead of soda
*Avoid late night snacking and boredom eating
(if you are hungry after dinner try to eat fresh fruits or veggies)
*Watch portion sizes!
*When eating out avoid ordering anything fried in oil
*If you have children – don’t feel compelled to finish their meals. My favorite saying regarding my children’s wasted food is, "It will be wasted
on my hips just as surely as it would be wasted in the garbage."
*Add enough exercise to your daily routine to burn 20 extra calories. This can be as easy as walking for 5-7 minutes.
Wendy Composto is a Registered Dietitian with a degree in Nutrition from the University of Minnesota. She has experience as a clinical dietitian
and has been a stay-at-home mom for the past 7 years.
10 years, that’s 20 pounds! Weight gain is pretty simple – it is just more calories consumed than calories exerted. Each pound gained accounts
for 3500 calories. So the two pounds gained over one year, is the result of consuming 7000 extra calories. That's about 20 extra calories a
day. With that knowledge avoiding the average American weight gain would seem simple. I don’t recommend counting calories to avoid the
extra weight gain, but I do recommend eating smart.
Here are some tips to avoid extra caloric intake:
*Drink skim milk instead of whole
*Eat water packed tuna instead of oil packed
*Flavor a sandwich with tomato slices and pepper strips instead of mayo
*Always discard poultry skin before eating poultry
*Substitute an English muffin & jelly for a doughnut
*Drink water instead of soda
*Avoid late night snacking and boredom eating
(if you are hungry after dinner try to eat fresh fruits or veggies)
*Watch portion sizes!
*When eating out avoid ordering anything fried in oil
*If you have children – don’t feel compelled to finish their meals. My favorite saying regarding my children’s wasted food is, "It will be wasted
on my hips just as surely as it would be wasted in the garbage."
*Add enough exercise to your daily routine to burn 20 extra calories. This can be as easy as walking for 5-7 minutes.
Wendy Composto is a Registered Dietitian with a degree in Nutrition from the University of Minnesota. She has experience as a clinical dietitian
and has been a stay-at-home mom for the past 7 years.
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