When thinking of nutrition our first thought might be salads, vegetables, and the idea that we are depriving ourselves of tasty foods we have come to love. Some may loathe exercise and attempt to avoid it by opting for a healthier way of eating. On the other hand, some may exercise in order to enjoy the foods they have come to crave. However, there is a way of incorporating both nutrition and exercise into your lifestyle. With a few simple modifications in your eating habits you can successfully change your ailing diet into something substantially healthier. By incorporating thirty to sixty minutes a day of movement you can enjoy the mind clearing euphoria and look fabulous in your new spring clothes that only exercise can bring!

Nutritional benefits affect more than just your weight; they also play a crucial role in hair, nail and skin texture. Your weight does not necessarily signify if your body is nutritionally sound. You can be overweight with a solid nutritional foundation or very thin and a terrible eater. Linda Bacon, a nutrition professor at the City College of San Francisco says, “It’s not weight loss by itself that one should focus on but the lifestyle that leads to it.” Dr. Arya Sharma, chair in obesity research and management at the University of Alberta and Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, medical director for the Bariatric Medical Institute in Ottawa, “agree that skinny people can have every health problem there is, and that just because you’re fat doesn’t automatically mean you’re unhealthy. There are plenty of healthy obese people.” However, both doctors agree that “excess of body fat is inevitably harmful.”

Below are some ways to maintain a healthy balance between nutrition and exercise with just a few tweaks in your daily routine. Focus on simple changes that will eventually affect your long-term goal of thinking nutritionally on a daily basis.

1. Concern yourself with fresh foods. Choose foods rich in color from the seasonal variety available to you. Eating fresh rather than processed foods will give you more energy and is beneficial to your overall health. Limit your intake of salt and sugar, in all forms, whenever possible while increasing your fiber intake. Think about incorporating fresh foods at every meal and eventually this will become second nature and instinctive.
2. Keep yourself hydrated. Dehydration can mask itself as hunger leading us to make unwise food choices. Water flushes toxins and waste from your system while keeping your energy up, preventing headaches, hunger and allowing blood to reach your organs. Here is the equation, according to the Mayo Clinic, to follow in order to achieve daily hydration. Divide your weight by 2 for total fluid ounces daily now take this total and divide by 8 (8oz equals one glass of water) this will be your daily intake. For example if you are 160 pounds divided by 2 equals 80 divided by 8 equals 10 glasses daily to stay hydrated. Remember to adjust your water level, before, during and after, if you exercise.
3. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast kick starts your metabolism and prepares you for your day. Find a healthy breakfast that works for you and is satisfying whether it be grains or protein. Your breakfast should give you energy, not drag you down.
4. Don’t try to change your old routine overnight. Gradual, slow and steady, is what will get and keep you healthy. If you attempt to change too much too quickly you may lose your focus. Try to keep your goals realistic. Add small changes that will impact your health gradually and eventually become habits you can maintain in the long run.
5. Eat what appeals to you in moderation. If you eat healthier foods as often as possible the smaller indiscretions will be less detrimental. It’s about balance and moderation when making food choices not about omitting a food group completely.
6. Incorporate exercise into your daily routine when possible. According to kidshealth.org “It’s recommended that teens get at least 1 hour of physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.” Simple chores around the house, both inside and out, can contribute to your daily exercise tally. You can also break up your workout into 10, 20 or 30-minute intervals equaling your 60 minutes daily.

With a little creativity and moderation you can achieve your nutritional goals, gain energy for those late nights filled with homework, feel better in your new spring clothes and experience a more energized you. Think of nutrition and exercise, not as a diet but with the idea that healthy habits instilled in your teens will continue throughout your life creating a more energetic and fabulous you!

Quote of the day:

“The greatest wealth is health.”

-Virgil, an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period.

Awesome Healthy White Pita Pizza Snack

(We are eliminating tomato sauce, which has sugar and using sliced tomatoes, a healthier alternative!)

Ingredients

1 Joseph’s Flax, Oat Bran and Whole Wheat Large Pita Pocket

½ cup Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese

Feta Cheese if you choose

Olive Oil

Sliced Veggies of Choice

(Tomato, Onion, Spinach,

Mushroom, Broccoli, Olives etc.)

Directions

* Preheat oven, or toaster broiler, to 400 degrees.

* Place your pita pocket (DO NOT slice open) on a non-stick cookie sheet. Add parchment (not wax paper) or foil with a little cooking spray if you have it for easy clean up!

* Put a tablespoon or so of healthy omega 3 olive oil on the pocket and spread to cover pocket top completely.

* Season if you wish with pepper, garlic and a little salt.

* Add cheese then top with your veggies of choice.

* Cook for 8 minutes or so, checking often, until browned.

* Remove from oven, let it cool, and enjoy!