Small Changes Produce Big Results

I like the sound of that, don't you? I can handle small changes!

I was perusing the pta.org site looking for some good info to post to our PTA facebook page and came across this great article. Here are the tips:

Be Fad-Free - The best path to better nutrition is to be free of fad diets and to choose a plan that is appropriate for lifelong health.

Stick a Fork in It - Keep your dressings on the side. Dip your fork into the dressing first before stabbing the greens. Save hundreds of calories and avoid unwanted fat.

Switch Hands - Did you know you will snack less when you are munching if you use your non-dominant hand because you will have to think more about what you are doing. Try it.

Count Colors Not Calories - Have at least one fruit and one vegetable that is green, red, purple, orange, and yellow each day.

Put Kids In Charge - Get kids involved in the grocery shopping. Let kids pick out their favorite vegetables and help prepare their choices for dinner. They will be very excited to have the hole family eating what they have chosen and prepared.

A New View - Think of food as a way to fuel your body and as the tool to significantly reduce your chances of cancer and disease rather than placing it in good vs. bad-for-you categories.

Cold Turkey - If you are trying to eliminate caffeine it is much easier to quit if you gradually cut down. Mix decaffeinated beverages with your regular and gradually decrease the amount of regular as you increase the decaffeinated.

A Better Bean - All beans are a healthy idea but beans with the darker seed coats pack the most nutritional punch. Black beans rank the highest in antioxidant nutrition followed by red then brown beans.

Raising the Bar - When choosing a breakfast cereal bar, look for bars with low sugar and at least 3 grams of fiber.

Shake the Habit - The amount of salt we physically need is found naturally in the foods we eat. Cut back on salt by slowly reducing your daily intake. After about 3 months you will actually prefer less salty foods.

The Right Start - When deciding which cereal to have, choose one that has at least 5 grams of fiber per serving; 7 grams is even better.

“In Own Juices” - If you buy canned fruit look for the products that say they are packed in their own juice and skip those that say “heavy” syrup. “Light” syrup is fine occasionally.

Bone Up - Daily calcium needs change with age. Children ages 1 to 3 need 500 mg. Kids 4 to 8 need 800 mg. Adolescents 9 to 18 (when most bone mass is developed) require 1,300 mg. Adults ages 19 to 50 should get 1,000 mg while those 51 and older require 1,200 mg.

The Eyes Have It - Leave fruit and cut-up vegetables on a plate in plain sight on the counter for easy snack options. Family members are much more likely to grab what they see instead of digging for an alternative from the pantry.