Kinship Link
Volume 10, Issue 1
Pro Kinship
for Kids
Inside this issue:
Eating Right
continued
2
22 Ways to Wellness
2
Pro Kinship for Kids
Lower level Our Saviors
Lutheran Church
1400 S. State Street
P.O. Box 666
New Ulm, MN 56073
Phone 359-2445 or
1-800-642-5779
Website:
www.prokinship.org
Newsletter by
Kari Beran, Director
January 2014
Eating Right for a Healthy Weight
As we start the new year
many of us often think of
New Year Resolutions to
help us be better in the New
Year. The food and physical
activity choices made today and everyday - affect your
health and how you feel
today and in the future.
Eating right and being
physically active are keys to
a healthy lifestyle. For you
and your family you might
have decided to trying eating
better for a healthier you.
Are you ready than to make
changes in your lifestyle and
the lifestyles of your family
and move toward a healthier
weight and an overall
healthier you.
Here are some tips to get you
started:
Start with a plan for
lifelong health. Focus
on the big picture achieving overall good
health - not just shortterm weight loss. By
putting more emphasis
on your health, experts
agree that you can raise
your overall self-esteem,
resulting in healthy
eating, weight loss, and
improved health.
Set healthy, realistic
goals. Start with one or
two specific, small
changes at a time. Track
your progress by
keeping a food and
activity log. When
you’ve turned a
healthy change into a
habit, reward yourself
with a fun activity.
Get a personalized
eating plan.
Eat at least three
meals a day and plan
your meals ahead of
time. Whether you’re
eating at home,
packing a lunch or
eating out, an overall
eating plan for the day
will help keep you on
track.
Balance your plate
with a variety of
foods. Give your body
the balanced nutrition
it needs by eating a
variety of nutrientpacked foods every
day. Just be sure to
stay within your daily
calorie needs.
Consider this: if you
eat 100 more food
calories a day than you
burn, you’ll gain about
1 pound in a month.
That’s about 10 pounds
in a year. The bottom
line is that to lose
weight, it’s important
to reduce calories and
increase physical
activity. A healthy
eating plan emphasizes
fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, and fatfree or low-fat dairy
products. It includes
lean meat, poultry, fish,
beans, eggs, and nuts. It
is low in saturated fats,
trans fats, cholesterol,
salt (sodium), and added
sugars. Half your plate
should be filled with
fruits and vegetables,
about one fourth with
lean meat, poultry or
fish, and one fourth with
grains. To round out
your meal, add fat-free
or low-fat milk, yogurt,
or cheese.
Start your meal with
low calorie foods like
fruits, vegetables, and
salads. These foods are
packed with nutrients
your body needs. Focus
on fruits and get your
needed 2 cups of fruit
each day. Vary your
veggies. Eat more
orange and dark green
vegetables such as
carrots, sweet potatoes,
broccoli, and dark leafy
greens. Include beans
and peas such as pinto
beans, kidney beans,
split peas, and lentils
more often. Get your
calcium-rich foods.
Have 3 cups of low-fat
or fat-free milk or an
equivalent amount of
low-fat yogurt and/or
Page 2
Kinship Link
Eating Right for a Healthy Weight continued
cheese every day. (1 1/2 ounces of
cheese equals 1 cup of milk.)
Make half your grains whole. Eat
at least 3 ounces of whole-grain
cereal, breads, crackers, rice, or
pasta every day. Look to see that
grains such as wheat, rice, oats, or
corn are referred to as “whole” in
the list of ingredients. Go lean
with protein. Choose lean meats
and poultry. Bake it, broil it, or
grill it. And vary your protein
choices with more fish, beans,
peas, nuts, or seeds. Know the
limits on fats, salt, and sugars.
Look for foods low in saturated
fats and trans fat. Choose and
prepare foods and beverages with
little salt (sodium) and/or added
sugars.
Focus on your food. Pick one
place to sit down and eat at home.
Eating while doing other things
may lead to eating more than you
think. Also, switching from a
large plate to a smaller one may
help you feel satisfied with
reduced portions.
Know when you’ve had enough
to eat. Quit before you feel full or
stuffed. It takes about 20 minutes
for your brain to get the message
that your body is getting food.
When your brain gets this
message, you stop feeling hungry.
So , fast eaters - slow down and
give your brain a chance to get the
word.
Get plenty of fiber from fruits,
vegetables, beans, and whole
grains. Fiber can help you feel
full longer and lower your risk for
heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Watch portion sizes to manage
your calorie intake. Try this:
without using a measuring cup,
pour what you think is one cup of
dry cereal or one-half cup of rice
or pasta into a bowl. Now check
the actual amount with a
measuring cup. How close is your
estimate?
Snack smart. Include snacks as
part of your daily calorie
allowance and limit portions to one
serving. Choose snacks by the
calories and nutrients they provide.
Plan for nutritious snacks to
prevent between meal hunger.
Keep portable, healthy snacks in
your desk, backpack, or car.
Find your balance between food
and physical activity. Regular
physical activity is important for
your overall health and fitness plus, it helps control body weight,
promotes a feeling of well-being,
and reduces the risk of chronic
diseases. Pick activities you like
and do each for at least 10 minutes
at a time. Be physically active for
at least 30 minutes most days of
the week. Aim for a total of 2
hours and 30 minutes or more each
week of moderate activity such as
brisk walking. For even greater
health benefits and to help control
body weight, be physically active
for 60 minutes every day, or most
days. Children and teenagers
should be physically active for 60
minutes every day, or most days.
Play it safe with foods. Prepare,
handle, and store foods properly to
keep you and your family safe.
Clean hands, food-contact
surfaces, fruits and vegetables. To
avoid spreading bacteria to other
foods, meat and poultry should not
be washed or rinsed. Separate raw,
cooked, and ready-to-eat foods
while shopping, preparing, or
storing. Cook meat, poultry, and
fish to safe internal temperatures to
kill microorganisms. Chill
perishable foods promptly and
thaw foods properly.
Is it right for you? This is the
questions to answer yes to if your
changes will be a lifetime of healthier
eating and healthier you.
Foods from all five food groups?
The right number of servings from
each group?
Food you will enjoy eating for the
rest of your life?
Foods you can buy at the
supermarket?
Some of your favorite foods?
Foods that fit your budget and
lifestyle?
Regular physical activity or
exercise?
22 Ways to Wellness
Do you want to feel better and be
happier? Here are a few ways to work
on this and improve your wellness:
Appreciate life
Keep an open mind
Take charge of your own money
and life
Learn to say no
Drink 8 glasses of water each day
Give thanks for all you have
Vary your routine
When you lose, don’t lose the
lesson
Take responsibility for your
actions
Don’t laugh at someone else’s
dream
Mind your own business
Look for adventures
Get enough sleep
Count your blessings
Keep a journal
Work at your relationships
Resolve conflicts as soon as they
happen
Volunteer
Be peaceful
Control your stress
Keep a positive attitude
Love others