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Clean-Up Your Nutrition Plan and Activities!
Most of the time we all know what constitutes healthy and what doesn’t. I am sure we all know eating a cream-filled pastry instead of some fresh fruit with yogurt is not a wise choice. We all know that watching TV does not burn as many calories as going outside and playing games with our kids. It is our choice if we want to eat unhealthy and be less active, but I choose to eat healthy foods and stay active the majority of the time.
I took half the day off recently and took our 4 year old son Dylan fishing. This was his first real fishing day trip where he is old enough to bait the hook and reel the rod in. Both of us needed the Father and Son time together and we really enjoyed being outdoors and active. We ended-up staying outside most of the day and then a friend took us out on his four wheelers for a few hours. We had a blast! Dylan was so happy and I was too!
After we left the four wheelers we were hungry and needed to get some lunch so we stopped by the Corner Café in Kentuck, Virginia and ate. I could have gotten a burger and fries, but I didn’t. I got a grilled chicken sandwich, small side salad, and a small bag of baked potato chips. Sure it wasn’t as good as a burger and fries, but I knew I shouldn’t do that to myself during the week. I try to eat my reward meals or unhealthy foods only on the weekends and try to be real good during the weekdays.
Dylan was so tired after such a busy day of activities that he fell asleep on the ride home. He was tired because we kept busy and active. Most of us, especially kids, will be more tired and sleep better at night if we are active all day. Contrast this high level of activity with sitting in front of the TV all day and not feeling tired by the time bedtime rolls around because you have not expended much energy. When we are lazy during the day we do not have a need to go to bed early at night, but when active we are ready, willing, and able to catch some Z’s.
Most of us know what to eat and what not to eat. Most of us did not become Fat from eating too many chicken breasts and salads! Most of us did not become Fat from too much activity! Most of us became Fat from eating the wrong foods in larger quantities with less activity, exercise, and rest!
There was a lady in front of me in the grocery store line the other day that had 98% of her food items in her buggy very unhealthy. The healthiest items were some carrots and ketchup. The rest of her foods were cheese puffs, chips, juices, and unhealthy choices. She was a fairly large lady too. Now I am not quick to judge, maybe she was buying for someone else or for a party, but more than likely she was not. The USA has a nearly 60% Overweight/Obesity rate now so statistically most of us Americans are buying groceries that are not healthy. We all know that cheese puffs are not as healthy as some fruit or even some almonds, yet many of us are still buying these types of junk foods and are slowly killing ourselves. We really have to wake-up and take action in our decision making! We need to choose Healthy Foods and Healthy Activities more often!
For Healthy Eating and Nutrition choose from foods like these:
Healthy Grocery List Items
Proteins:
Unsalted Peanuts, Natural Peanut Butter, Natural Almond Butter, Beans, Cottage Cheese, Canned Tuna, Chicken Breasts, Canned Chicken, Whey, Casein, and Soy Protein Shakes (low-carb / low-sugar), Fresh Halibut, Fresh Flounder, Tilapia, Unsalted Almonds, Low Fat or Skim Milk, Unsalted Walnuts, Low Calorie Cheese – Sliced and Stick, Eggs, Tuna Steaks, Low Sugar Yogurt
Complex Carbohydrates:
Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Whole Grain Breads and Bagels, Sweet Potatoes, Red Potatoes, White Potatoes, Whole Grain or Long Grain Rice, Brown Rice, Whole Wheat Pasta, Veggie Pasta
Fruits:
Apples, Cherries, Peaches, Nectarines, Pears, Bananas, Blueberries, Strawberries, Papayas, Blackberries, Cranberries, Kiwi, Mangos, Plums, Grapefruits, Oranges, Tangerines, Pineapple, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Honeydew Melons
Vegetables:
Fresh, Canned, or Frozen Green Beans, Fresh Cucumbers, Fresh, Canned, or Frozen Spinach, Salad in a Bag, Fresh Lettuce – Iceberg and Romaine, Fresh or Frozen Cauliflower, Fresh or Frozen Broccoli, Fresh, Canned, or Frozen Collard Greens, Fresh, Canned, or Frozen Turnip Greens, Canned or Fresh Asparagus, Mushrooms, Onions, Tomatoes
Healthy Fats:
Canola Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Safflower Oil, Fish Oils
Miscellaneous:
Fresh or Bottled Herbs and Seasonings without salt/sodium, Bottled Water, Apple Cider Vinegar, Low Calorie Italian Dressing, Balsamic Vinegar, No-Trans Fat Butter – Tub, Stick, or Squeezed
Choose from Healthy Activities such as these:
Walking, Biking, Workouts at the Gym, Hiking Outdoors, Playing an Organized Sport, Walking the Golf Course during a game instead of riding, Roller Skating, Ultimate Frisbee, Basketball, Backyard Football, Hide and Seek with your Kids, Jogging, Fishing, Riding Four Wheelers, Dancing, Martial Arts, taking the stairs instead of the escalators or elevators, regular stretching, yoga, tai chi, etc.
We should be Exercising Regularly, Eating Healthy and Nutritious Foods, and Getting Plenty of Rest each and every day! When we do we Feel, Look, and Move Better! We sleep better, have more energy, and are faster and stronger!
Have a great weekend!
-Dave
P.S. – I do not consider myself a Republican or a Democrat. I choose to Vote for the Person I feel is most Qualified for the position they seek. I do not want to step on anyone’s toes politically. This is only meant to express my feelings about this candidate here in my weekly column. No one asked me to write this either. When I Vote I look at Experience, Qualifications, and Sincerity. Does this candidate genuinely care about what they do and the people they help. I am Voting for Danny Marshall in November because I know Danny well. He is Family Man, A Person who Cares about the Success of Southside Virginia, A Delegate who has stuck it out with us through the tough times and has worked hard to help Improve Southside Virginia. I see Danny with his Grandkids and he is a good Grandfather, a good Father, a good Husband, and a good Friend. Danny has done and continues to do a lot of Good for Southside Virginia. He really cares about our progress. There is no drama with Danny. What you see is what you get. He is straight forward and does what he says he is gonna do. It is not healthy for us in Southside Virginia to support someone just because they belong to our Party. We need to support the person who is right for the job. These are tough times for the Southside. I believe we need people like Danny Marshall representing us because he has not left our side during the past, and will stand with us to succeed for our future. We need a level-headed Delegate like Danny Marshall to keep representing us professionally, ethically, and honestly like he has been doing all along.
You can find out more about Danny Marshall by visiting www.DannyMarshall.com.
