Get Smart!     Get Fit!    Get Right!

We all like macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, bacon and biscuits and know that giving them up isn't so easy - so Dr. V and her nutrition team have simplified this lifestyle change with a month-long transition plan, tailored for "us". Our nutrition team, Sharon Cox and Veronica Mclymont, is up to the task of providing smart ideas to achieve a healthy weight, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Their nutrition plan is full of suggested meal ideas for any time of day and flavorful snacks for those on the go.

Get Smart:

Week One:

Take a look at the monthly calendar. Start today with Day #1. Each day has a tip for you that brings you one step closer to getting smart about nutrition. Every day check out a new tip and try to incorporate the tip into your current food choices.

If you're not ready TODAY to start changing your eating habits, try this for a few days. To get an idea of where you're starting from, purchase a small notebook, and record all the food you eat and drink during the day including soda. You will be amazed how much food you eat. This food journal will give you a starting point as to how much you are eating, and what you can cut out.

Check back from time to time to see healthy soulful recipes posted under this section, that offer healthy options for the foods "we" love!

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COMPLETE "GET SMART" GUIDE TO GETTING IT TOGETHER WITH GOOD NUTRITION

DAY # 1

Good Nutrition…What's in it for You?

Good nutrition is important for good health. The foods we eat each day play an important part in preventing certain diseases. Most of us are aware of this fact. Yet, 34% of African Americans are obese. People who are obese are more likely to develop chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. In fact, among African American adults, 11% have diabetes, more than 40% have high blood pressure, and heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death.

Lifestyle changes

1. The good news is that there are many steps we can take to help lower our risk of these diseases.
2. To get started, you must balance the types and amounts of the foods you eat with your physical activity.
3. This means, cutting back on excess calories and increasing your physical activity.
4. The changes you make in the foods you eat and your physical activity are within your control, and can help you get the maximum health benefits you need to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Getting started

1. First, determine your Body Mass Index (BMI). This is a measurement for body fat based on your height and weight.
2. Look at where you are now, and decide where you want to be. Use the chart below, to find your BMI.
3. First, find your height in the left-hand column. Go across to the next column and find your weight.
4. Move up to the BMI column. Your BMI will be the number at the top of the column.
5. If your BMI is 19-24, your weight is normal.
6. If your BMI is 25-29, you are overweight.
7. If your BMI 30-40, you are obese.
8. For example: If you are 65 inches (5 ft, 5 inches) and you weigh 168 pounds, then your BMI is 28 which means you are overweight. Your goal then should be to work to get to a BMI that puts you in the normal range.

Click for Body Mass Index (BMI) Table

Setting goals for a healthy lifestyle:

1. Remember, when you set goals, make sure that they are realistic.
2. For example, do not set a goal to run 5 miles a day, if you know this will be difficult to do.

Take inventory of your activity level

1. To increase your activity level, begin with at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days.

Take inventory of what you eat.

1. If your portions sizes too large, begin to cut back.
2. Eat more grains, fruits, and vegetables.
3. Eat less fatty foods.
4. Limit foods that are high in sugar and salt.

DAY # 2

Skip Fad Diets

If one of your goals this year is to lose weight, you will find diet plans popping up all over. All weight loss diets come with a promise….that you will lose weight. The fact is, many of these will be fads. Some diets claim to bust sugars, flush fats, and even avoid foods that are important for good health. Others come with their own set of restrictions and allowances promising dramatic results in a short time. Generally when the dieter goes back to eating regular foods, the weight quickly returns. Some diets may have harmful side effects if they are followed for a long time. It is important that children and persons with medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure check with their health care provider or a registered dietitian, before starting on any weight loss plan. Just how do you spot a fad diet when you see one?

The diet may be a fad if:

1. The diet removes or restricts one or more important food groups.
2. The diet calls for special foods.
3. The diet claims things that are not proven to be true.
4. The diet groups some foods as "good" and others as "bad".
5. The diet promises quick dramatic results, such as "big" weight loss in only a few days or weeks.
6. The diet does not encourage limiting food portions.
7. The diet does not encourage users to exercise components.

DAY # 3

Avoid Food Myths

If you toast bread will it cut calories...will eating grapefruit cut fat...and are brown eggs better than white eggs? Food myth; we all encounter them at one time or another sometimes causing much confusion among us. Although many myths may be harmless, it is best to base your information about food on the advice from nutrition experts. Here a few food myths and the facts behind them.

MYTH: GRAPEFRUIT CUTS FAT

FACT: Not true.Grapefruit is rich in vitamin C, potassium, and fiber and it is low in calories. On half of a grapefruit has only 39 calories. Because it is nutritious and low in calorie, this may be the reason it is usually included in many weight reduction meal plans. Grapefruit does not decrease nor increase your metabolism, and will not burn off fat in the body or in any food.

MYTH: TOASTING BREAD REDUCES THE CALORIES

FACT: Not true. Toasting bread does not reduce the calories. When bread is toasted the only real difference between that and untoasted bread is that it has less moisture.

MYTH: BROWN BREAD HAS MORE FIBER THAN WHITE BREAD

FACT: Not true. The brown coloring does not necessarily mean that the bread is high in fiber. The brown color is likely from molasses, caramel coloring or honey. Bread that is high in fiber contains whole grain products. The word "whole" or "whole grain" on the ingredient list of the label will tell whether the bread contains whole grain, and must be the first item on the ingredient list.

MYTH: CARBOHYDRATES ARE "BAD" FOODS

FACT: Not true. Carbohydrates found in fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains provide the main source of energy for our bodies. Much of the carbohydrate foods we eat are high in calories because of the sugar and fats to we add to them. Compared to other foods, 1 slice of whole-grain bread has a mere 65 calories, and a small baked potato has only 90 calories. When you double up on portions, and add sugar, butter, margarine, or sour cream, you double up on the calories.

DAY # 4

Keep a Food Diary

If you are serious about changing the way you eat, a great way to start is to keep a food diary. Your food diary will be a record of everything that you eat each day. Keep a diary for at least one week. This will give you a snapshot of the kinds of foods you have been eating and how much you have been eating. Ask yourself….Am I eating too many fried foods, are my portions too large, am I snacking too often, what kinds of snacks do I eat? The answers to these questions should help you see the flaws and exactly where you need to begin to make changes.

Tips on How to Complete Your Food Diary:

1. Start with a simple notebook or journal
2. Make 3 columns similar to the sample below for: Meal, Food Eaten, and Amount.
3. Write down everything you eat for every meal each day
4. Write down how the food was prepared. For example, was the egg fried or hard-boiled… was the chicken fried or baked?
5. Write down condiments such as; butter, margarine, jams, sour cream
6. Write down beverages such as juice, sodas, coffee, teas or shakes
7. Write down snacks or anything you nibble on between meals

Here is a sample a page from a food diary for breakfast and lunch:

Click for Sample Food Diary Page

**Your food diary can help you pinpoint the trouble spots and get you on the road to creating healthy food habits.

DAY # 5

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Health experts recommend that we should eat 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. The truth is, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk for heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, disease fighting plant nutrients called phytochemicals, antioxidants vitamins, and minerals. They come in a variety of textures, tastes, and are excellent sources of fluids. To get the most from fruits and vegetables, choose a variety from the bright lush rainbow of colors. Choose from the blues and purples, greens especially dark green, whites, yellows/oranges, and reds. Don't forget, 100% fruit and vegetable juices also count as part of the fruit and vegetable group.

Click for Food Color Chart

What is a serving?

It's easy to eat 5-9 servings a day. A serving is not as big as you may think.

Fruits: 1 medium apple, banana, orange, ½ cup if it is cut up or canned, ¾ cup juice.

Vegetables: 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables, ½ cup cooked or ¾ cup vegetable juice.

Tips on how to include more fruits and vegetables in your daily diet:

1. Add fresh fruit to yogurt
2. Add fruit such as banana, or berries to waffle or pancake mix
3. Add fruit like peaches, banana or strawberries to hot or cold cereal
4. Eat a serving of fruit or vegetable at every meal
5. Pack fresh cut fruit, grapes, carrot sticks in sandwich bag, ready-to go or for a quick pick-me-up
6. Add cut fruit such as orange or apple wedges, to vegetable salads
7. Add lettuce and tomato to burgers and sandwiches
8. Add vegetables to soups, pasta and stews.
9. Make pizza healthy with topping of bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, spinach, tomatos and broccoli
10. When dining out:
    -choose raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, broccoli and cauliflower florets as appetizer
    -choose fresh fruit for dessert

DAY # 6

Curb Your Carbs

Carbohydrates are not the "bad" foods we make them out to be. The truth is, carbs are the main source of energy for our bodies. But all carbs are not created equal. To understand carbs you should know that there are two types of carbs:

1. Simple carbs, and Complex carbs.
2. Simple carbs provide us with quick energy, but little else in the way of nutrients. Sugar, honey, corn syrup, sodas, candy, pastries, pies, cakes, cookies and refined breads and cereals are all simple carbs.
3. Complex carbs are made up of starches and fiber. Grains, pasta, potatoes, peas, beans, lentils, other vegetables and variety of fruits are all complex carbs. They are called complex, because the starch they contain must be broken down during digestion to release energy. The fiber on the other hand, binds with water, swells, becomes bulky and passes through our bodies undigested.
4. Going easy on carbs is not difficult. Many of the carb-containing foods we eat everyday are way oversized in the first place. They are much larger that the true serving size. Take for example, that tasty New York bagel you like to grab for breakfast; it is equal to 2 servings of bread. The 12 ounce container of juice you picked up on your way in to work yesterday is 2 servings.

Serving sizes for other carb-containing foods

Breads, Cereals, Rice & Pasta

1. 1 slice bread 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta
2. 1 ounce dry cereal

Fruits

1. 1 medium whole fruit
2. 3/4 cup juice
3. 1/2 cup canned fruit

Vegetables

1. 1/2 cup cooked vegetable
2. 1 cup tossed salad

Milk,Yogurt, and Cheese

1. 1 cup of milk or yogurt
2. 1-1/2 to 2 ounces of cheese

Tips on How to Curb Your Carbs

1. Choose complex carbs like fruits, vegetables and whole grains instead of simple carbs.
2. Eat only the correct serving size for each food
3. Choose beverages made with little or no added sugar or sweetners.
4. Read the nutrition facts panel of packaged food, to find out the total amount of sugars the food contains.
5. Read the ingredient list of food labels to see if foods contain added sugar.
6. When eating out, skip the bread and rolls…..ask the waiter to remove the bread basket from the table.
7. When eating out, remember the rice, or pasta served, is often 2 to 3 times more that a single serving.

The chart below shows the carbs and calories in some common foods.

Click for Food Calorie Chart

DAY # 7

Go for the Grain

Eating whole grains can help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity. Whole grain means that none of the edible parts of the grain is removed. The grain still contains its kernel, bran and germ. Whole grains include whole cornmeal, bulgur (cracked wheat), brown rice, barley, quinoa, sorghum, spelt, and rye. Whole grains are low in fat, but rich in fiber, iron, B-vitamins and phytonutrients (nutrients from plants), necessary for good health. Eating a diet rich in fiber can help you maintain a normal bowel function, and control your cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Although many refined grains are "enriched" with B-vitamins and iron, they lack the fiber and plant nutrients they once contained before the refining process. This is because when grains are refined, most of the germ and bran are stripped away, leaving behind a grain with very little fiber.

When you go for the grain, choose foods that have the word "whole" or "whole grain" before the grain's name on the label.

For example: whole-wheat flour or whole-grain cornmeal. The whole grain should be the first ingredient listed. A grain product is not considered whole grain, if the label only contains words such as: wheat flour, enriched flour, or cornmeal.

How to go for the grains

1. Read food labels; bread that looks brown in color, does not mean it is a whole grain bread. The color could be from caramel or molasses that was added.
2. Choose whole-wheat pitas, crackers, or pasta instead of those made from white flour.
3. Instead of refined cereals, try a healthful bowl of oatmeal spiced with a dash of cinnamon, for breakfast.
4. Choose whole-wheat bread or bagel instead of bread or bagel made from refined flour.
5. Choose multigrain or bran muffins instead of danishes or doughnuts.
6. Choose low-fat popcorn as a snack instead of chips.
7. Try oats or wheat bran in recipes that call for breadcrumbs.
8. Make your favorite biscuits, using half whole-wheat flour and half white flour.
9. Try a new whole-grain each week. Some new grains to try are: wild rice, brown rice, kasha, bulgur, barley, quinoa, sorghum, spelt, and rye.

DAY # 8

Keep It Lean

If fried chicken, pork chops, bacon and sausages are a regular part of your diet, now it a good time to go lean. Eating a diet that is high in fat may be bad for your health. Since meats and poultry (chicken and turkey) come from animal sources, they are higher in saturated fats and cholesterol than most foods. High-fat meats can increase your risk of heart disease, certain cancers and obesity. The kind of meats and the cooking methods you use, will make the difference in how successful you are in keeping it lean.

Tips to Keep it Lean

1. When you shop, whatever your choice of meats, choose, lean cuts such as tenderloin, sirloin, or round.
2. When buying ground meats, read labels and choose packages that contains meat that is at least 90% lean.
3. When cooking ground meats, first cook the meat, then use a colander or strainer to drain off the excess fat.
4. Make the switch from fatty meat sausage to turkey sausage.
5. Make the switch from beef or pork bacon to turkey bacon.
6. Before you cook chicken and turkey remove the skin.
7. Instead of frying, cook meats using low-fat methods such as broiling, roasting, grilling, braising or stewing.
8. After meats are cooked, drain away all the oil and dripping...do not use it to make gravy.
9. To make low-fat gravy, skim the fat from the pan juices, and cook the juices over medium-high heat and thicken as desired.
10. Cut fat in stews by chilling the stew in refrigerator after cooking, skim the fat when it hardens, then reheat the stew.

DAY # 9

Trim the Fat

Many foods in the American diet are high in fat. Although some of the fat in foods occurs naturally, much of it is added in cooking or processing. The truth is, eating too much fat can cause obesity, and heart disease. The main culprits are saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol.

Saturated fats
Saturated fats are found mainly in foods that come from animal sources. Liver, veal, lamb, pork, lard, the skin of chicken and turkey, butter, cream, whole milk, and dairy products made from whole-milk are high in saturated fats.

Trans fats
Trans fats are found in small amounts in meats and dairy foods. The majority of trans fats in foods are made when hydrogen is added to oils to make them more solid, and to give them a longer shelf life. Shortening, margarine, baked goods like cookies, crackers, and some processed foods are high in trans fats.

Cholesterol
Although we make some cholesterol in our bodies, the cholesterol in our diet comes from animal sources. Beef, pork, lamb, liver, kidneys, sweetbreads, the skin of chicken and turkey, whole milk and dairy products made from whole milk are high in cholesterol.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are actually "good fats" and are plentiful in nuts, vegetable oils, and oily fish like sardines, salmon and chunk light tuna.

How to Trim the Fat

1. Buy foods that say "0 grams of trans-fat" or "trans-fat free" on the label.
2. Buy foods that say "0 grams of cholesterol" or "cholesterol-free" on the label.
3. Instead of foods that are high in fat, choose low-fat or fat-free foods.
4. Instead of frying in oil, use a non-stick pan or non-stick cooking spraying.
5. If you choose to cook with oil use it sparingly, choose Canola, safflower or olive oil.
6. Bake, broil, grill, roast, or stew, meat, poultry and fish.
7. Replace whole milk with low-fat or skim milk.
8. In recipes that call for eggs, reduce the amount of whole eggs by substituting some with egg whites.
9. When making scrambled eggs, use only one egg per serving.
10. Eat only lean cuts of meat; trim the fat from meats and remove the skin from chicken and turkey.
11. When roasting or baking meats, use wine, or low-fat broth for basting.
12. The white meat of chicken and turkey (the breast), has less fat than the dark meat (the wings and thighs).
13. Instead of high-fat salad dressings, sprinkle vinegar or lemon juice on salads or use low-fat salad dressings.
14. Minimize use of products, such as margarines, that contain partially hydrogenated oils (trans-fatty acids).
15. Instead of baked goods or ice cream, try fresh fruit, sorbet, sherbet, ice milk and non fat frozen yogurt..
16. Refrigerate gravy from stews, when the fat becomes solid, skim the fat, and get rid of it.
17. Limit use of ham hocks, fat-back and bacon in cooking. Use herbs and spices or low-fat broths to add flavor to dishes such as greens and beans.

DAY # 10

Size up Your Portions

Have you noticed that the popularity of free beverage refills, "all-you-can-eat restaurants", giant cookies, and value meals have become second nature these days? Americans are facing ballooning food portions and as a result... ballooning weights. Take for example the 1-ounce hamburger patty, it has long been replaced by 4-ounce and 8-ounce patties on large buns. The 8-ounce cup of soda has turned into a "giant drink". Normal portion size of foods are disappearing fast. The fact is, the more we see and eat larger portions of food, the more likely we are to lose sight of normal portions. One way to take control is to begin to think of the foods you eat in terms of their serving sizes.

What is a serving?

Bread, Cereal, Rice, Grits, and Pasta