Congratulations!!
To everyone who began their new eating lifestyle today, you are to be CONGRATULATED! If you are indeed serious about healthy eating, you will lose weight. It is inevitable.
First Assignment:
Here you go, are you READY for this?? (Kara, you did this yesterday, and I am so pleased for you!)
Today we are looking at Fat and Sodium in your refrigerator and cupboard.
Go to your cupboards and your refrigerator and read the labels on everything there. If you see labels that say there is a high fat content per serving, check what kind of fats there are. Don't know what high fat content means? Let's take a look.
On all your labels you will see a total fat content. There will be some breakdowns in that total.
Trans fat is the WORST. In the interest of good health, DO NOT eat trans fats in anything. There is scientific evidence that transfat causes cellular damage.
Saturated fat is the next "bad" fat. There are many items that are healthy foods that will contain saturated fat, but the point is to keep it to as small an amount as possible. Saturated fats wreck havoc on your arteries, and end up stored in those places like your tummy, thighs, and buttocks.
Borrowed from "The Fat Dictionary"
"The fat we eat is saturated and unsaturated. These terms refer to the chemical structure of the fat molecules. A low total fat intake, with the majority of fat from unsaturated sources, appears to lower blood cholesterol levels. Too much of any of these fats will increase dietary fat intake, and excess body fat may increase cholesterol levels and the potential to increase body fat."
"Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in the bloodstream. It comes from two sources- your body and food. It is made by the liver and is used by the body to make hormones and other materials. Cholesterol is an essential part of the human body. It must be present for the body to function normally. However, the average high-fat/high-cholesterol diet tends to add too much cholesterol to the bloodstream. The excess cholesterol accumulates, along with other substances, in the walls of the blood vessels. Over time, this causes the arteries to become narrow and eventually cuts off the blood flow to the heart leading to a heart attack, or cuts off the blood flow to the brain leading to a stroke."
SO! If there are transfats in your food, throw it away! If you have food in your cupboard that have high saturated fat per serving, you may want to throw them away. Check what the label says is the serving SIZE. That also may surprise you!
At the same time as you are looking at the fat content, look at the sodium content. You will be shocked at the high amounts of sodium in canned food. Try to keep your sodium low for good health. Eat more fresh foods, and if you must choose canned, choose the low sodium products.
When you go to the grocery store, READ the labels. Make your choices based on the nutritional content of the food you intend to put into your body.
Questions? Ask away!
