Not All Are Ready For New Year’s Resolutions

After an embarrassingly long hiatus, I am reviving the Unlikely Homemaker blog! This is the first post of the new year. Let’s talk about New Year’s resolutions (original, right?).

As we move into a new year, nearly half of Americans will ponder the direction of their lives and resolve to make changes. These New Year’s goals or resolutions are often abandoned or remain unfulfilled at the turn of the next year.

Not all who set New Year’s resolutions are destined to fail. According to one study, about 40% of New Year’s resolvers are successful six months later. Are efforts to make these resolutions worthwhile?  More research says yes—by making a resolution, your chances of success are 10 times higher than those who fail to make resolutions.

The most common resolutions are to change a behavior, such as exercising more, eating healthier, quitting smoking, paying down debt, or being nicer to a family member. Success in reaching your goals actually begins before the New Year. It starts by setting goals that are realistic and attainable. In other words, set a goal that you have confidence in pursuing, even if you slip up occasionally.

Not everyone is ready to make a New Year’s resolution that will stick.  Some people aren’t really ready to make a change, even though may know that they should. Change doesn’t happen overnight—and according to researchers, there are five distinct stages that we go through when making any behavior change.

Tips to Make Exercise More Likely

If you aren’t exercising regularly, you’re not alone. Most Americans get too little exercise, and some don’t exercise at all. Even those with the best of intentions can find it hard to stick with an exercise routine. If you find your fitness motivation faltering, here are five tips that can help you get on track.

1. Know how much exercise is enough.

To reap the health benefits of exercise, adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. Aerobic activity, also called cardiovascular exercise, refers to activities that make your breathing harder and heartbeat faster. If you can talk, but not sing the words to your favorite song while you are exercising, you are working at a moderately intense level. Activities moderate to one person may be light to another. Intensity level depends in part on how fit you are.

If exercising 150 minutes each week seems daunting, keep in mind that this weekly activity goal can be divided into segments as short as ten minutes. This is especially important for those who have been sedentary. If you have been inactive, at first it may be hard to exercise for more than a few minutes. But it’s okay to slowly increase how long you exercise as your fitness improves. Try walking briskly for 10 minutes three times a day. Do this for five days and you will accumulate 150 minutes of exercise.

In addition aerobic activity, adults should strength train at least twice weekly, hitting all major muscle groups. Strength training is also called resistance training or weight lifting. There are many ways to strength train, including free weights or dumbbells, and resistance tubes or bands. You can even use your own body weight to help strengthen your muscles. Strength training is important to help maintain bone density and can help prevent osteoporosis. This type of exercise is especially critical for older adults to maintain independence and functional mobility.

2. Choose activities you enjoy.

The best type of exercise for you is the kind that you will do and stick with. Picking activities that you like and are capable of doing makes it more likely that you will continue to exercise. With warmer weather approaching, walking is an easy and inexpensive way to increase physical activity.

3. Find a fitness friend.

Many people find that the support of another person helps to motivate them. It keeps them accountable, making it more likely that exercise will be continued long-term. Exercising with a friend can help make it more enjoyable, too.

4. Make exercise a priority and schedule it into your day or week.

Without a specific plan for when and where to exercise, it becomes easy to avoid it altogether. Take a look at your calendar at the start of each week. Identify the days and times that you may be able to fit in some exercise. Treat this time like an important appointment.

5. Don’t be discouraged by lapses.

If you find you’ve neglected to stick with exercise goals, don’t be discouraged. Just start back again. Remember, some activity is better than none at all. If you only have ten or fifteen minutes, take advantage of this time and squeeze in a quick walk. You’ll feel better, and be more likely to continue exercising.

Going Meatless One Day Each Week Benefits Budget, Health

If your grocery bill seems to increase with every shopping trip, it’s not your imagination.  A trip to the supermarket costs about 4% more than it has in the past.  This has many looking for ways to save on food costs. A simple way to save 5%—no coupon clipping required—is to go meatless one night a week.

The most recent estimates from the USDA put food costs at nearly $1,000 a month for a family of four. However, going meatless one night a week can save a bundle—$50 a month.  Before deciding that your family will never go for even one meatless meal, consider the benefits for your budget and your health.

Going meatless does not mean sacrificing protein. Protein, essential to a healthy diet, comes from both animal and plant sources. In fact, some nonmeat protein sources included in MyPlate, the government’s newest effort to encourage a healthy diet, are beans and peas, soy products, nuts and  seeds.  These foods supply many nutrients, including protein, B vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and B6), vitamin E, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Among the many options for a meatless meal are beans and peas.  Choose from black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, and navy or pinto beans.  You might choose processed soy products such as tofu, or nuts such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, and walnuts.  Peanut butter is also a protein source, as are seeds like pumpkin, sesame and sunflower.

Replace meat one day each week with plant-based protein sources and your family could reap the health benefits of reduced intake of saturated fat, and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. This easy change will also increase the amount of vitamins, minerals and fiber consumed.

One meatless evening meal each week will make your wallet healthier as well.  Meat products are the most costly items in the grocery store. Going meatless just one day per week reduces meat consumption about 15% and grocery bills about 5% per week.  The most recent monthly food cost estimates from the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion put a family of four spending up to $998 per month on a “moderate” cost plan. Going meatless only one night each week can save nearly $600 per year.

Here are some meatless main dish ideas:

Slow Cooker New Orleans Red Beans
Super Stir Fry
Winter Black Bean Soup
Cheesy Pasta with Summer Veggies
Tortellini Tuscan Stew
Strawberry Spinach Salad

Food Pyramid Ditched in Favor of MyPlate

The Food Guide Pyramid is history.  While it has been around for several decades, the Pyramid’s impact on America’s eating habits has been minimal.  The USDA announced recently the demise of the Food Guide Pyramid in favor of a new, easier to understand symbol: MyPlate.  This icon aims to help American’s make healthier food choices.

Problems with MyPyramid

One criticism of the Food Guide Pyramid and MyPyramid, the most recent version released in 2005, was its complexity. Confusing to most consumers, the Pyramid was too complicated to convey much useful information. One aim of MyPlate is to offer an easily understandable, practical icon to guide eating choices. While it offers much less detail than MyPyramid, the MyPlate symbol is more memorable and likely more meaningful for consumers.

MyPlate message

MyPlate is exactly what it sounds like—it’s a picture of a plate divided into sections that symbolize food groups.  The basic principles of MyPlate are straightforward: half your plate should be fruits and vegetables, and the other half divided between grains and protein—one fourth for each. To the side of the plate is a small circle, representing dairy foods.

The MyPlate icon lacks specific guidance on the daily amounts needed from each food group.  Not all foods we eat come neatly organized on an appropriately sized plate. But what MyPlate lacks in detail it makes up for in simplicity—the old pyramid provided this detailed information, but because many did not understand or use it, the symbol itself was largely ineffective.

What MyPlate means for your plate          

So what does the new MyPlate mean for your eating habits? The answer is it depends. Those following previous dietary recommendations likely already have a plate reflective of the new MyPlate image. And in reality, the details behind the graphic remain the same. Despite the new look, the diet specifics provided at ChooseMyPlate.gov are indistinguishable from those of MyPyramid.  The difference is when you sit down to dinner, instead of converting your food to colored stripes on a pyramid, you can compare what’s on your plate to a plate—much more practical.

Size matters

One goal of the government’s dietary recommendations is to reduce obesity rates. The impact of MyPlate on your waistline depends in part on one important variable—the size of your plate. Portion sizes still matter. Even if the foods on your plate look like MyPlate, a plate too large may provide extra calories resulting in weight gain. If watching your weight, one easy approach is to watch the size of your plate. Many dieticians recommend use of a 9-inch plate, a bit smaller than the average American dinner plate.

Only time will tell if MyPlate is successful at improving our nation’s eating habits.  For now, one advantage of MyPlate is its immediate relevance.  Its principles can be applied at your next meal. And maybe even better, MyPlate’s simplicity will make its message easier to convey to kids. Research shows that eating habits established in childhood can last a lifetime—both good and bad. If you live with kids, help them follow MyPlate at meal time by offering plenty of healthy options.

Why you should wear sunscreen

Have you ever known someone who had skin cancer?  I have—most of them family members, and all of them mid-life or older.  That is, until a few weeks ago when a friend in his early thirties was diagnosed with skin cancer—melanoma.  The shocking news of his diagnosis sent some scrambling to a dermatologist to have their own skin checked.  Use of sunscreen was definitely moved to priority status.

 How much sun is too much?

As much as we love the sun, it does not love us.  Our love affair with sunshine offers little in return. While sunshine helps the body to create vitamin D, studies show that you can get all the vitamin D you need from only 10 to 15 minutes of direct sun exposure about three times a week.  The American Academy of Dermatology recommends daily sunscreen use for exposure of more than twenty minutes.  Not just when sun bathing, but when you’re out in the sun gardening, exercising, etc.

 How much sunscreen and when?

So how much sunscreen do you need, and when?  Apply sunscreen 15-30 minutes before going outdoors.  One ounce is enough to cover exposed areas properly.  Be sure to cover all exposed areas completely.  A missed spot can result in a patchy, painful sunburn, so watch out when using spray sunscreens.

Reapply sunscreen after 2 hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or drying off. Even water-resistant sunscreens don’t last forever.

What does SPF mean?

Look for sunscreen with a sun protection factor, known as SPF, of 15 or higher.    If you have skin that burns easily, or a history of skin cancer, an SPF of 30 or higher is advised.

The sunscreen SPF rating is calculated by comparing the amount of time it would take to produce a sunburn on skin with sunscreen to the amount of time needed to cause a sunburn on unprotected skin.  For example, if you are fair-skinned and  would normally burn after 10 minutes of sun exposure, a sunscreen rated SPF 2 would double the amount of time it takes to burn.  You could be out 20 minutes before burning.  An SPF 15 sunscreen would allow you to multiply the initial burning time (10 minutes) by 15, meaning it would take 15 times longer to burn, or 150 minutes.

Eighty percent of a person’s lifetime sun exposure occurs before age 18, so make sure your kids use sunscreen, too.  Sun protection should be as much a part of outside activities as hand-washing before dinner time.  Parents are obligated to be good role models for their kids and protect their own skin as well.

Tanning alternatives

For most, tanning is a matter of vanity.  A deep, dark tan is considered attractive.  The cruel irony is that the sun exposure that causes this desirable tan can be the ruin of skin appearance later.  Sun exposure causes most facial wrinkles and  age spots.  Tanning to look better is ultimately self-defeating.  Despite claims that tanning booths offer “safe” tanning, artificial radiation carries all the risks of natural sunlight.  If a tan is a must, a healthier option is to use the many sunless tanning products that are on the market.

Related articles

• Summer Without Sunburn (webmd.com)

Salad-Eating How-To: The Fork Method

Most of us equate dieting with eating salads of some sort.  You may overhear someone say, “I’ll have a salad—I’m trying to lose some weight” and then confidently go on to order their leafy greens piled high with cheese, croutons, and fatty salad dressing. We set out to eat salads with the best of intentions, and often unknowingly derail our healthy diet efforts.

Salads don’t have to spell dietary demise.  In fact, salads can be very healthy and diet-friendly.  The dietary help or hindrance imposed by salad eating depends on you: what you put on the salad, how much of the tasty toppings you add, and even your method of salad eating. Yes, how you eat a salad can make a difference.

The Fork Method   

I’ve been using the fork method of salad eating for years. I’ve gotten many questions from curious observers. And I’ve even had a waitress, in noticing my odd eating behavior ask, “Is that really the best way to eat a salad?”

 The fork method involves two steps: 1) Order your salad dressing on the side—low fat, nonfat, or even full-fat if that’s what you prefer.  2) Before you stick your fork into the salad greens and accompanying toppings, dip your fork in the dressing.  Tap excess dressing off the fork tines and go for the green.  It’s very simple. With each bite you get the flavor of the salad dressing but use far less of it.  

Avoid drowning salad in dressing

 The purpose of eating a salad isn’t to cover the taste of the lettuce. But when we drown salad greens in dressing—anywhere from ¼ to ½ cup for many people, we are piling on calories and fat. Most bottles of salad dressing list as a serving just 1 or 2 tablespoons. That doesn’t go very far when poured over the top. And even 2 tablespoons can add 150 calories and nearly 16 grams of fat to your otherwise healthy bowl of veggie goodness.  When you add ½ cup, you’re piling on a whopping 600 calories and 60 grams of fat. Your “healthy” salad has reached the calorie level of a burger.

The fork method has some definite positives. You may find that you like the taste of the salad itself when you free yourself and your salad of all those heavy dressings.  When you take those first few bites, it may seem odd to hear the sound of crunchy lettuce. Lettuce that isn’t drowned in dressing doesn’t get soggy. 

Other options

If using the fork method is still hard to fathom, there are some other ways you can reduce your dressing use and make your salad healthier. The use of low-fat or nonfat dressing is certainly an option. Just be aware of portion sizes—2 tablespoons of reduced fat dressing can have 66 calories and 5 grams of fat.  Fat-free dressing can have 33 calories.  Adding an excess ½ cup of fat-free dressing to a salad still significantly increases the calories consumed.  

If you must add dressing to your salad instead of putting your fork in charge, make sure that your salad greens are as dry as possible. Wet greens make a slippery surface for dressing; instead of sticking to the leaves, dressing will drip down, forming a puddle underneath, making you inclined to add even more dressing.  Consider using reduced fat versions of dressing. And keep a close eye on the other toppings added, like cheese and croutons.

The next time you order a salad or enjoy one at home, have your dressing on the side and try the fork method. You’ll use less dressing, save calories and fat, and just might rediscover the taste of vegetables again.

Too Much Meat Can Derail Diet

I am usually amazed at how little many people know about nutrition. We all eat, and we do so several times a day. And much of the time we are not eating we spend thinking about what we’ll eat next. For something that we do so often it would seem that we would be better informed. But many people are more knowledgeable about the plot line of their favorite TV show than about the foods they put in their mouths.  

According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the majority of Americans are overweight—about 2/3 of adults are overweight, and almost 1/3 of those have a weight that puts them in the obese range.

While many people say they want to lose weight, they often fail to make a plan for how to go about doing that. Have you heard the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail?” That’s true when it comes to weight loss.  But sometimes, planning is not enough if you do not have the right information.

 The diet misperception I most frequently encounter relates to the amount of meat needed according to the food pyramid, which is now called MyPyramid.  It’s less than you might think. 

For a 2,000 calorie diet, which is the reference level set by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 5.5 ounces of meat and beans is allotted per day.  This amount varies depending on calorie needs. Generally, the daily meat portion ranges from four ounces for a 1,200 calorie diet up to seven ounces for a 3,200 calorie diet, which is the highest calorie level for which portions are defined by MyPyramid. This means that even for those requiring a many calories, seven ounces is the maximum recommended for an entire day. 

The fact of the matter is that most people eat more meat than they need. Meat (pork, poultry, beef, etc) is higher in fat than other foods that we should be eating more of, such as fruits and vegetables. At nine calories per gram, fat has more calories than other nutrients; protein and carbohydrate both have four calories per gram. Eating too much meat is an easy way to derail your diet if you are trying to lose weight.

So how do you know how much meat is enough for you?  It depends on how many calories you need each day to maintain your weight. You can find this out at www.mypyramid.gov.

You can gauge how much meat you are eating by looking at your palm. The size of your palm (not counting your fingers) is approximately the size of two to three ounces of meat.  And thickness matters. A deck of cards is a useful tool—two to three ounces of meat is about the size and thickness of a deck of cards. One egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, 1/4 cup cooked dry beans, and 1/2 ounce of nuts or seeds are all equal to one ounce from the meat and beans group.

Most people underestimate the number of calories they consume. Getting your protein consumption in line with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is a good step to controlling calories. Controlling your calories can help you to lose weight.

More Reasons to Go Green

Still waiting to join the “going green” movement? If you’ve not yet jumped onboard, here are five easy ways to adopt eco-friendly habits that are good for you and the environment.

Use reusable shopping bags

Widely promoted, there are lots of good environmental reasons for using reusable shopping bags instead of the usual plastic bags. Some stores even offer a discount if you use your own bag. Another plus: bringing your own bag reduces the number of plastic bags you bring into your home, lessening the opportunity for the pesky bags to magically multiply and overrun their storage area. A reusable cloth bag solves this problem. Need to get rid of stockpiled plastic bags? Look for recycling boxes at local retailers.

Lose weight if you are overweight

A healthy weight helps to reduce risk for a host of chronic diseases. Researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine suggest in an article published in the International Journal of Epidemiology that the global prevalence of obesity may have a negative environmental impact. Here’s why: heavier people require more food to maintain their weight. This increased food consumption means increased food production, requiring additional energy.

While individual weight loss won’t have a large impact on the global environment, it will impact your personal health.  And in the long run, the chronic diseases avoided will result in fewer healthcare expenses, not to mention savings at the gas pump for trips you won’t have to make to the doctor’s office.       

Drink tap water

Not only does drinking tap water instead of bottled water reduce use of plastic bottles, it also saves money. If you don’t like the taste of tap water, invest in a water filtration pitcher. You can enjoy filtered water at a fraction of the cost of bottled.

Conserve energy

Reduced energy bills are the most obvious benefit of saving energy. Decrease energy use by unplugging phone and device chargers, small kitchen appliances, and other little-used electronics, like the TV in your guest room.  This will reduce the “standby power” used by these devices. They act as energy “vampires,” sucking energy even when not in active use. A power strip is a convenient way to cut power to a cluster of electronics (and later turn them back on when needed).

Use the microwave to cook small meals—they use less power than ovens.  If considering a major appliance purchase, look for the Energy Star symbol indicating an energy-efficient product.  And of course, turn off lights when you leave a room.

Reduce annoying junk mail

Reducing the amount of junk mail you receive is good for the environment and good for your sanity. Opt-out of receiving pre-approved credit card offers by calling 1-888-5-OPTOUT.  Stop unsolicited commercial mail by visiting www.dmachoice.org and sign up for the Direct Mail Association’s mail preference service. 

Check into receiving your bills via email instead of through the mail. Many companies offer electronic billing.  In addition to saving paper, e-bills are easier to keep up with than paper and easier to dispose of.

Benefits of Fiber Go Beyond Digestion

If you’re like most Americans, you aren’t getting enough fiber in your diet. Fiber, a type of carbohydrate, is important for heart and digestive health.  Reasons to fill up on fiber range from reducing calorie intake to reducing cholesterol.

Basically, fiber is a type of carbohydrate that our body cannot digest.  Fiber is found in all plants that are eaten for food, including fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes. Animal foods do not have fiber, so you can only get fiber in your diet by eating foods that come from plants.   

Not all fiber is the same. It is commonly divided into two classes: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water; insoluble fiber does not.

Soluble fiber is heralded as heart helper, acting to lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol. Oats have the highest proportion of soluble fiber of any grain. In addition to oats, good sources of soluble fiber are nuts, seeds, beans, citrus fruits, apples, strawberries, and carrots. Recent research has also found soluble fiber to be an immune booster. 

Insoluble fiber, also known as “roughage,” is most commonly known for its role in moving food through the digestive system. It has also been associated with decreased risk for cardiovascular disease. Insoluble fiber also helps you to fill full when eating, so it may help you to eat fewer calories. Sources of insoluble fiber are whole wheat and whole grain products and vegetables.

The difference between soluble and insoluble fiber can be important when it comes to fiber’s effect on your risk of developing certain diseases. Fiber can help lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, diverticulitis and constipation. 

How much fiber does a body need? According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adults need 20 to 35 grams of dietary fiber per day, but most get only 10 to 15 grams. Children over age 2 should consume an amount equal to or greater than their age plus 5 grams per day. If your fiber intake falls short, a gradual increase in the amount of dietary fiber consumed will be easier on your digestive system than a sudden surge of fiber-rich foods.  

Here are a few quick tips for selecting high-fiber foods that can help increase fiber intake:

• Choose whole fruit instead of juice.  Whole fruit is packed with lots more fiber than juice.  Add fruit to your breakfast, or snack on fruits or veggies instead of chips or crackers.
• Check the food label for fiber-filled whole grain.  Choose foods that list whole grain as a first ingredient for cereal and breads.
• Eat more beans.  They’re a great-tasting, cheap source of fiber.
• Keep the seeds, peels or hulls of fruits and vegetables when appropriate. This is where most of the insoluble fiber is located.

New Dietary Guidelines Say Eat Less, Move More

Image via Wikipedia

The newly updated set of Dietary Guidelines recently released by the USDA addresses the health-related state of our society: we are too heavy and too sedentary.  Including 23 key recommendations, the Dietary Guidelines are intended to help Americans choose an overall healthy diet.  Aside from healthy diet advice, the updated Guidelines focus on weight and physical activity.   

While there aren’t any real surprises in the updated recommendations, here are a couple of points worth noting.

First, more than one-third of children and two-thirds of adults in the US are overweight or obese. Said another way, those with a healthy weight are outnumbered by those who carry around extra pounds. The updated Dietary Guidelines place a stronger emphasis on reducing calorie consumption and increasing physical activity.  Government officials say most Americans need to lose weight, and that improved eating habits are good not just for individuals and families, but also for the country.  If you’re wondering what you can do for your country, one way to help is to keep yourself healthy.

Second, the biggest factors contributing to the obesity epidemic are poor diet and physical inactivity. But even for those who are not overweight, eating poorly and moving too little can negatively affect health.  There are many reasons aside from weight loss to eat better and exercise more. Even if your weight happens to fall in the “healthy range” there are no “free passes” or exemptions from exercising regularly and eating well.   

The Dietary Guidelines emphasize two main points. First, maintain calorie balance over time to achieve and sustain a healthy weight. This includes a recommendation to enjoy your food, but eat less and avoid oversized portions.  The “over time” phrase is used because paying attention to our eating and exercise habits is not something we can finish and be done with, like finishing a crossword puzzle or a good book. It requires continued attention over a lifetime.

The second main point is to focus on consuming nutrient-rich foods and beverages. It should come as no surprise that Americans consume too much sodium and too many calories from solid fats, added sugars, and refined grains.  Nutrition experts are using a new acronym, SoFAS, which stands for Solid Fats and Added Sugars.  SoFAS are in many of the products we should eat less of, like cakes and cookies, soda, and pizza. Choosing more nutrient-rich foods, like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, will help cut the SoFAS in your diet.

You can improve your health by getting off the SoFAS—both those described by the new acronym and the sofas we love to sit on—and by incorporating the new dietary recommendations into your lifestyle.

The updated Dietary Guidelines offer six broad recommendations.  By choosing a few to work on now, you’ll be on your way to healthier habits.  

• Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals – and choose the foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.