Wednesday, February 13, 2008

GOOD NUTRITION IS GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!





The “Healthy Freshman 15”

When many students make the transition from high school to college they may develop a different eating pattern that may not so healthy. Eating healthy while balancing a busy schedule with a new and different social life isn’t easy and it takes some thought and planning. Try these 15 tips to keep your body at a healthy weight and ward off gaining extra weight.

Eat at regular times.
Eat breakfast.
Choose a variety of nutritious foods.
Pick low fat options when available, such as low fat milk instead of whole milk or light dressing instead of full fat dressing.
Watch portion sizes.
Resist going back for seconds.
Steer clear of vending machines and fast food
Keep healthy snacks like fruit in your room.
Replace empty calorie soft drinks with water or other healthier beverages.
Drink alcohol in moderation, it is loaded with calories with little nutritional value.
Be aware of your attitude towards food, don’t let it preoccupy you.
Stay active, walk to class and take the stairs when you can.
Join an exercise class.
Eat when you are hungry and stop before you feel too full.
Call the Kent State Nutrition Outreach Program for other helpful advice.



The first thing to look into with nutrition is the type of food that you are taking in. Having a menu plan to get the essential ingredients everyday is the basis of nutrition. This includes the right amount of vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy products. It is important to find out what types of foods you should be eating for your body type to help with adding nutrition.

In relation to eating the right type of food is the vitamins and supplements that you should be getting every day. Even with eating the right foods every day, there are still some nutritional gaps that may occur with your meals. There are several safe and effective types of vitamins and supplements that you can take that will help you in staying nutritious and allowing for a balanced life.

The next thing to consider with nutrition is exercise. This includes cardio and resistance training. Cardio workouts are based around increasing your heart rate for a given amount of time each day. This will help the inner functioning of your body to be balanced and to be able to keep up with what you need to do every day. Resistance training is used to tone and build muscles. By using resistance training, you will also be increasing bone density.

There are several different types of exercises that can help with whatever your goals are. Several will use exercise as a way to loose weight. However, goals such as staying lean and toned, flexibility, balance, building muscle and strength, and building endurance can all contribute to your workout. By having some of these factors in line with your exercise routine, you will have the ability to perform physically at a higher level.

Within each of these basic nutrition guidelines are several individual decisions that will need to be made. By doing this, you will allow yourself the opportunity to get and stay healthy. Knowing how much to eat and exercise, as well as knowing the vitamins and supplements that you should be taking will all provide solutions for you to begin living a nutritious life. You should also know the different areas to stay away from in relation to this, such as fad diets and diet pills. These can throw off what your body really needs.

Keeping nutrition in line with your life style is not only important for physical health, but also for the ability to live a lifestyle that has energy. Being in touch with your nutrition needs will help with performance ability with your work and family as well. Looking into what is right for you in order to live a nutritious lifestyle is an important thing to look at in every day functioning.

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