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.

No More Excuses for Childhood Obesity!

            As a Personal Trainer I get to hear excuse after excuse about why someone says they cannot lose weight.  Many times we are all confronted with junk food and high fat foods which are very enticing.  It is up to our own Free-Will whether or not we want to give in to these foods and gain weight or stand our ground and lose weight.  It is up to our own Free-Will whether or not we want to be active and play some sort of sport, exercise regularly, or find an outside and active hobby.  When we stop moving we gain weight.  If we are not getting enough rest and sleep, then we usually have lower immune systems and gain weight and feel irritable and stressed.  If we feel this way, then how do you think our kids feel when all they do is eat Junk, watch TV, play Video Games, and stay up too late and get-up real early for school.  We hurt our kids just like we hurt ourselves and there are no excuses for this. 

A lady asked me the other day what she should do with one of her sons who is gaining lots of weight.  She followed this up with all he eats is junk and he does not like to play too much or get a lot of exercise.  Contrast this kid to one of the one’s I am working with presently who is working out with me twice weekly, he’s also playing basketball in a youth league, and has cleaned-up most of his junky eating habits.  He is losing some body fat and toning-up.  I think you see where I am going with this?  If a family exercises regularly, eats healthy, and gets plenty of rest, then they will have less Obesity, less Illnesses, less Stresses, less Behavioral Problems, and more healthy and good times together. 

I had a lady talk to me a while back about her son.  She said she has him on Ritalin because he cannot focus in the morning during school.  After I spoke with the kid about his activity level, nutritional habits, and sleep amounts I found that he stays-up too late at night, wakes-up too tired in the mornings and usually has a Pop Tart and Soda right before going into school.  I would not be able to focus well either if I was covering-up my tiredness with a high-sugar and high-caffeine soda and high-sugar breakfast snacks.  When the kid would come off of the sugar and caffeine HIGH he was worn-out sitting in class.

A large Church group I am working with right now is the Fit-Club organized within True Holiness Church in Danville, VA.  I have been training their Pastor for a little while now and he has lost around 50 Pounds!  Charles Walker is still leading by example!  He is helping to get anyone interested in losing weight access to the right tools.  I go there twice weekly to train nearly 40 people.  The group also walks together at the River Walk Trail, plays Volleyball and Basketball together and many other healthy activities.  I am so proud of this group because they are not using the same old excuses that so many of us use like – “I am too tired after working all day, I cannot afford Personal Training, It’s too hard, It’s too much work, I don’t want to miss my favorite TV show, No matter what I do I can’t lose weight”, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!  This Church is taking care of its members and working together to provide the right solutions to Unhealthy Living.  This is about taking care of the BODY we were given and this Church is becoming the fitness leader in their community!  Everyone who attends is getting not only themselves healthier, but having a positive influence on everyone in their families (Their Kids) and social environment!   

Our kids respond to laziness, bad foods, and lack of sleep just like we do.  When we gain weight, have Diabetes, High Cholesterol, Obesity, High Blood Pressure, Weak Bones, High Stress, and Fatigue, then our kids will have the same if they follow in our footsteps. 

My Cheat Snack:

            Now remember every week I try to eat healthy and stick to my healthy eating plan so on the weekend I can cheat a little.  Well I went back to my old stomping grounds, Cold Stone Ice Cream, and they have a new flavor – Candy Cane ice cream.  Since it was one of my cheat meals this past weekend I did want to use it wisely and wow it hit the spot.  One of my clients had mentioned over the holidays that she made homemade peppermint ice cream and ever since I have been thinking about it.  I believe this Candy Cane ice cream was similar to a peppermint ice cream.  I had the smallest cup! 

            My Healthy Snack Option:

My son Dylan and I went to Sam’s on Sunday afternoon and bought a few groceries.  One that I was out of was Kashi “Go Lean Crunch” cereal.  I usually get a sweet tooth craving some afternoons so instead of something real bad I get a handful or two of this cereal for a snack.  The reason I chose this was by accident, Yenni had bought this for herself and Dylan as a breakfast cereal, and when I tried it one day, as I was searching everywhere in the house for something sweet, I really liked it.  It has a crunchy texture and lightly sweet taste and is full of good complex carbohydrates (whole grains), fiber, and some protein.  This Kashi cereal is both a great middle of the day snack and sweet tooth fighter for me. 

-Dave

Biking and Walking with Our Son Dylan!