Weight Wise Tips - Sept/Oct 2008

Tips for the week of October 27...

More Veggies Please!
Make it a habit to add extra vegetables, fresh or frozen, to spaghetti sauce, soups, stews, chili, casseroles or frozen meals. more...

Weight Wise Exercise Solutions:  "I have no time for exercise"
Practice decreasing, delegating, or eliminating some tasks and activities from your day. Learn to say no if something conflicts with your scheduled activity. Enlist the support of your family when it comes to household chores so you can free up some time to exercise. In our society physical activity is necessary for health, it is not a luxury. Make it a priority.

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Tips for the week of October 20...

A Weight Wise Tip: Limit 'Bad' Fats
Limit the 'bad' fats in your food by cooking with unsaturated oils such as canola, olive, peanut and soybean.

Did You Know?
The lower your fitness level is, the faster you will see results when starting an exercise program. Athletes have to work long and hard to see small improvements in performance. People with low fitness levels can see improvements after three or four sessions. So get started.

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Tips for the week of October 6...

A Weight Wise Tip: Eat More Fibre!
Did you know most Canadians only eat about half the daily recommended amount of fibre? Boost your fibre intake with these tips:

• Eat a high fibre cereal every day. Eat it on its own or add it to another favourite cereal.
• Eat whole grain breads, cereals, legumes (beans, peas and lentils), vegetables and fruits at each meal and for snacks.
• Use bran or wheat germ in hamburger patties, coating mixes and baking.
• Add raisins, bananas or strawberries to your cereal.
• Try a new whole grain. Try whole wheat pasta, couscous, bulgur or brown rice for a unique taste and texture variety.
• For an easy fibre, boost use whole wheat flour in your favourite recipes. Replace up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat in recipes for muffins, loaves and cookies. You can do this without making adjustments to other ingredients in the recipe.

Weight Wise Myth Busting: "No pain, no gain"
Exercise doesn't have to hurt to reap benefits. In fact, if exercise is painful, something is wrong. More often than not, pain and discomfort result from doing too much, too fast, too soon. By gradually increasing the frequency and time spent being active before you increase the intensity (how hard we work), you can eliminate the pain. Slow but steady progression will help ensure that you do not injure yourself or make yourself so tired and sore you get discouraged and quit.

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Tips for the week of September 29...

Did You Know?
Common household objects can help you remember portion sizes recommended in Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating. For example, one portion of meat is roughly the same size as a deck of cards. more...

Weight Wise Exercise Solutions:
"I can't exercise because the weather is bad"
Always have a back-up plan to keep up the habit of exercise. Eliminate the 'all-or-nothing' attitude towards activity. The habit of exercise is more important than the type and intensity. It's okay to miss your regular activity from time to time due to weather constraints. Maintaining the frequency and the time will ensure you keep up the habit, which is ultimately the most important thing. So make sure you have a list of alternative exercises in place for the bad weather days. It doesn't matter if you go for a walk outside, follow an exercise video or simply stretch in front of the TV. Do the time!

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A Weight Wise Tip: Lower Your Salt Intake – PART 1
Canadians eat far more sodium than is recommended. Cutting back on sodium can help you if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney problems or are retaining fluid. Here are some tips to lower the amount of sodium you eat:

• Do not use salt at the table.
• Cook with very little or no salt. Use herbs, spices and lemon juice to flavour foods instead.
• Eat less processed and packaged foods (i.e. pickles, canned soups, sandwich meats, frozen dinners and condiments like relish, ketchup, mustard).
• Rinse canned foods like tuna and chickpeas.
• Eat less fast food.
• Use fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned as canned vegetables usually have salt added.

A Weight Wise 411: Physical Activity/Exercise Programs
Did you know that a daily physical activity or exercise program is most likely to establish a behavioral habit and promote adherence? It doesn't have to be the same activity every day; it just has to be some form of physical activity. Find fitness groups/programs and more in the Weight Wise Community Network

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Tips for the week of September 8...

A Weight Wise Money-Saver: Seasonal Produce
Buy lots of in-season fruits when they are most affordable. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and rhubarb are all grown in the summer months and freeze well.

A Weight Wise 411: Unseen Benefits of Being Active
Most of the benefits of being physically active are unseen. Often when we do not see immediate weight loss with increased physical activity we use it as an excuse to quit. Try to remember you are aiming for better health. Exercise should not be just about burning calories. Weight management is only one of many health benefits of regular physical activity, so keep moving.

Tips for the week of September 1...

Great Snack Ideas – Fruits & Veggies
Fruits and veggies can be great take-along snacks. Try snacking on canned fruit packed in its own juice or pear juice, a handful of dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, apricots or fruit leather, raw vegetables like baby carrots, pea pods, cherry tomatoes, red pepper strips, cucumber slices or fresh fruit.

A Weight Wise Challenge: Create a Walking School Bus
Create a walking school bus this fall - get together with neighbours and walk the kids to school. You can all walk together or take turns. Everyone benefits.