Eat Well & Be Active… Today and Every Day!

There are many benefits of eating well and being active… better overall health, feeling and looking better, lower risk of disease, more energy, a healthy body weight as well as  stronger muscles and bones.

To be active every day is a step towards better health and a healthy body weight.  Canada’s Physical Activity Guide recommends building 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity into daily life for adults and at least 90 minutes a day for children and youth.  You don’t have to do it all at once.  Add it up in periods of at least 10 minutes at a time for adults and five minutes at a time for children and youth.  Start slowly and build up.

Eat well, another important step towards better health and a healthy body weight is to eat the recommended amount  and type of foods each day.  Limit foods and beverages high in calories, fat, sugar or salt such as cakes and pastries, chocolate and candies, cookies and granola bars, doughnuts and muffins, ice cream and frozen desserts, french fries, potato chips, nachos and other salty snacks, alcohol, fruit flavored drinks, soft drinks, sports and energy drinks and sweetened hot or cold drinks.

Read the labels. Compare the Nutrition Facts table on food labels to choose products that contain less fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar and sodium.  Keep in mind that the calories and nutrients listed are for the amount of food found at the top of the Nutrition Facts table.  Limit trans fat.  When a Nutrition Facts table is not available, ask for nutrition information to choose foods lower in trans and saturated fats.

Take a step today…Have breakfast every day.  It may help control your hunger later in the day.  Walk wherever you can – get off the bus early, use the stairs.  Benefit from eating vegetables and fruit at all meals and as snacks.  Spend less time being inactive such as watching TV or playing computer games.  Request nutrition information about menu items when eating out to help you make healthier choices.  Enjoy eating with family and friends!  Take time to eat and savor every bite!

Children:  Young children have small appetites and need calories for growth and development.  Serve small nutritious meals and snacks each day.  Do not restrict nutritious foods because of  their fat content.  Offer a variety of foods from the four food groups.  Most of all…be a good role model.

Women of childbearing age:  All women who could become pregnant and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding need a multivitamin containing folic acid every day.   Pregnant women need to ensure that their multivitamin also contains iron.  A health care professional can help you find the multivitamin that’s right for you.  Pregnant and breastfeeding women need more calories.  Include an extra 2 to 3 food servings each day.  For example, have a fruit and yogurt for a snack or have an extra slice of toast at breakfast and an extra glass of milk at supper.

Men and Women over 50:  The need for vitamin D increases after the age of 50.  In addition to eating well, everyone over the age of 50 should take a daily vitamin D supplement.

Eat well and be active… Today and every day!!!!!