Everyone is so busy and cannot take the time to read a lengthy and in depth article, so I thought I would gather some quick nutrition, wellness and fitness tips for you. Remember to take time for yourself because when you have energy and focus, you can help yourself and others too.
- Be careful of sugar drinks like soda, sweet tea, even fruit juices, because they can easily add up on your calories for the day. Weight/fat gain is a direct link to obesity, heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes and many other Illnesses that could be prevented.
- We have all heard that fruit smoothies are healthy…right? Well, yes and no…for the nutritional value, then yes! However, due to the high amount of sugar, I would have to say no…unless you limit your consumption. Do you know that some smoothies, depending on content and size, can have 1000-1500 calories each…not so good if you are trying to lose weight on a 2000 calorie diet.
- What is the difference between whole grain and whole wheat? Whole grain may contain two or more grains such as oats, buckwheat and whole wheat, whereas, whole wheat just has the wheat grain.
- If you are looking to wholegrain or whole wheat to add fiber to your diet, please read the label…many breads and pastas do not contain a significant amount of fiber…some less than one gram per serving.
- Processed food/fast food, are mainly empty calories, and may contain preservatives, artificial ingredients and flavors, added sugar and fat, and usually contain very little fiber. Make wise choices…
- Fatty fish (salmon is great example) contain Omega 3s and recent studies show they can reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and even Dementia. Sometimes it is difficult to eat enough servings to make a difference, or maybe, you just don’t like fish…I eat fish several times per week, but I, and Dr. Michael Lange begin the day with a Fortifeye Omega 3 Max.
- If you are allergic or sensitive to eating shellfish, please be careful about taking bone and joint supplements because they may contain shellfish as a main ingredient. If you read the label, it should state that the supplement contains shellfish.
- For every pound of body weight that you lose, you will reduce the impact pressure on your knee joints by 4lbs, and impact pressure on your hips by 6lbs. So if you suffer from sore and painful joints, this could be a major relief factor for you.
- The World Health Organization recommends a limit of less than 5gr. of salt (about a teaspoon) on a daily basis. This would be great if we had complete control of our food, but sorry to say we don’t…canned food, processed food and breads all contain hidden salt (and sugar) as do many of the foods we eat everyday. One habit that I wish people would break is salting their food before tasting.
- My simple nutrition rule has been, “if its white, don’t eat it”…and that includes white rice, white bread, white flour, white pasta, sugar and salt. Again, when you read the labels on these ingredients you will see a column of zeroes, and that’s because they have no nutrient value. You will most likely see a triple digit number, and that would be the empty calories that you just ate.
- If you cannot find the time to do a full exercise session, it’s ok to break it up into smaller sessions. Maybe do your cardio work in the a.m. and lift weights for 15 minutes in the p.m. Maybe turn your lunch break into a workout break…and afterwards, drink a serving of our Fortifeye FIT drink mixed with a serving of our protein, now that’s what I call a real “power lunch”
- Are you bored, easily distracted or just not motivated to exercise? This may help… try exercising with a friend. Dr. Michael Lange and I work out together when I visit his home before we do the radio show, or when we travel to conferences. We have excuses too…jet lag, long day, tired, no I don’t want to, but we motivate each other to get in the gym…and within a few minutes, we are both past that roadblock and have an awesome workout.
I hope these little tips and insights have been helpful. You can do it, I know you can!
To your good health,
Doc
Dr. Richard Hall PhD SNS CPT
Fortifeye Performance Nutrition
