"If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health." -Hippocrates

What is your most favorite food?

What is your least favorite exercise?

What if you were told you can never eat your most favorite food again? And, that you must perform your least favorite exercise every day? Would this be the type of program you can adhere to for any length of time? A lifetime? Probably not - yet, most of us try to do exactly this when we launch a weight-loss effort to "improve our health". "Diets don't work" is an adage we hear over and over again, yet 70% of Americans were on a diet in 2006. 95% of all dieters will regain their lost weight in 1-5 years. (Archives of Internal Medicine, 1996).Why? Because "diets deprive and depress". Diets usually involve giving things up, doing things we don't like to do in the area of exercise, reducing calories to starvation levels, and judging our success by a number on the scale. Obesity can also be seen as a guise for malnourishment - the body's cry for "nutrition that nourishes and nurtures". I would like to challenge you to think differently and take an alternative approach to judging your success in the area of weight-loss.Begin by focusing your effort on improving your health and well-being. Weight-loss will happen naturally by a body that is receiving the proper amount of nourishment, activity, and self-care it requires for vibrant health. Ponder the phrase "Nutrition Nourishes and Nutures". Whole foods (fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and some meat and fish that are harvested from healthy sources) provide nourishment in the form of energy (calories), vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and fiber. In the case of whole foods, the total is greater than the sum of its parts - whole foods work in a synergy that scientists have yet to understand by taking them apart and evaluating each element. Your favorite foods, traditional foods you share with family and friends on holidays, and foods that symbolize different religious beliefs nourish you - your heart and soul.Food connects people to each other across generations and cultures. Whole foods are the the staff of life and should be valued as such.

The following articles will explore some specific food topics to help you begin exploring this fascinating approach to vibrant health:

What is a Calorie?

A calorie is a unity of energy. Calories are the fuel your body uses to live. You need to consume the best quality calories, in an appropriate quantity, to meet your individual needs. If you think of a calorie in this way, it will make sense to provide your body with calories that are efficient in producing energy, supporting the many metabolic functions occurring in the body, providing sustenance for the soul, and protecting against life's stresses, diseases, and toxins.

In the area of weight-loss, the bottom line is calories in vs. calories out - it is really that simple. Most "diets" appear to work because they limit the number of calories being consumed. To lose weight you must take in less energy than you expend.

The best way to lose a pound is to reduce calories by 250 calories and increase activity to burn 250 calories each day. Dieting alone results in up to 25% loss of lean muscle which slows the metabolism - resulting in weight cycling - losing and then gaining plus some.

While there are many facets to successful weight-loss, understanding how many calories you are consuming each day is the best place to start. Track every single calorie you consume for the next 5 days and see how it compares to the amount that your body requires based on the above formulas. By becoming aware of how many calories you are actually consuming, you can begin to see where you can make some changes.

Eating Seasonally and Locally

A great way to start including healthier foods into your nutrition plan is to shop seasonally and locally. There are several outlets available to purchase an array of foods within your local community.

CSA's were created to provide small farmers with income prior to the planting season so that they can plan and budget to meet the needs of their members. You purchase a share in the farm and in return receive a weekly box of fruits and vegetables and, in some cases, flowers, meat and eggs. This is often a very inexpensive means of getting the freshest foods. It also connects you directly to the farmer and the community. Each CSA operates differently, so be sure to visit several websites to pick one that is best suited to your needs.

Farmer's markets are emerging in most cities across the country. Usually held outdoors in a public space, this venue is a great way to explore a wide selection of products, meet the farmers and artisans, and become an integral part of your local community and culture.

U-Pick farms open their fields to the public during harvest season. Crops include strawberries, peaches, apples, pumpkins and so on. This is a fun family activity.

Farm stands can be found roadside in farming communities as a means for small growers to sell just picked produce and flowers to the local community.

Co-ops bring large numbers of people together creating buying power to purchase in bulk at wholesale prices. Because there is minimal overhead and no middleman, prices are low as compared to grocery stores. You can often place orders on an "as need" basis, but you have to be willing to take whatever the club chooses to buy in that given week, which is often seasonal and local produce.

The following resources can help you locate farms, CSAs, Farmer's Markets, Food Cooperatives and other information about farming and food sources in your local community:

Ingredients to Eliminate

Many of us focus on calories and fat when reading food labels - it is more important to start with the ingredients list. Be sure that the first several ingredients are whole foods, foods you can recognize, and that the following ingredients are not present in the ingredients list or, at the very least, are among the last listed. Ingredients are listed from most to least. To create an awareness of what is in your pantry take a highlighter pen and highlight the following ingredients as they appear in the ingredients list of the food currently in your pantry.

Learn more about our Pathway to Creating a Healthy Kitchen and how to hire a coach to guide you in creating a healthy and organized pantry that will transform all of your meals.

Nutrition Tips for Vibrant Health

Reading Recommendations

Adeline Driscoll is the founder of Pathways to Vibrant Health and is committed to empowering individuals to live their unique life with intention, by embracing the cornerstone of vibrant health and balanced wellness...live your life!

Vibrant Health & Balanced Wellness News

Diets Deprive and Depress. Nutrition Nourishes and Nurtures. ©2007, Pathways to Vibrant Health

What is your most favorite food?

What is your least favorite exercise?

The following articles will explore some specific food topics to help you begin exploring this fascinating approach to vibrant health:

What is a Calorie?

Eating Seasonally and Locally

Ingredients to Eliminate

Nutrition Tips for Vibrant Health

Reading Recommendations

August 2008 Subscribe to this Newsletter. "What is a Calorie? Eating Seasonally and Locally Ingredients to Eliminate Nutrition Tips Reading Recommendations Brochure (download PDF) For more information regarding our Nutrition Coaching Pathways visit our website: Pathways to Vibrant Health. "There is no sanctuary more qualified to restore one's sense of humanity...than time spent around a dinner table with one's family and friends." -Terrance Brennan	Vibrant Health & Balanced Wellness News "If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health." -Hippocrates Diets Deprive and Depress. Nutrition Nourishes and Nurtures. ©2007, Pathways to Vibrant Health What is your most favorite food? What is your least favorite exercise? What if you were told you can never eat your most favorite food again? And, that you must perform your least favorite exercise every day? Would this be the type of program you can adhere to for any length of time? A lifetime? Probably not - yet, most of us try to do exactly this when we launch a weight-loss effort to "improve our health". "Diets don't work" is an adage we hear over and over again, yet 70% of Americans were on a diet in 2006. 95% of all dieters will regain their lost weight in 1-5 years. (Archives of Internal Medicine, 1996).Why? Because "diets deprive and depress". Diets usually involve giving things up, doing things we don't like to do in the area of exercise, reducing calories to starvation levels, and judging our success by a number on the scale. Obesity can also be seen as a guise for malnourishment - the body's cry for "nutrition that nourishes and nurtures". I would like to challenge you to think differently and take an alternative approach to judging your success in the area of weight-loss.Begin by focusing your effort on improving your health and well-being. Weight-loss will happen naturally by a body that is receiving the proper amount of nourishment, activity, and self-care it requires for vibrant health. Ponder the phrase "Nutrition Nourishes and Nutures". Whole foods (fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and some meat and fish that are harvested from healthy sources) provide nourishment in the form of energy (calories), vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and fiber. In the case of whole foods, the total is greater than the sum of its parts - whole foods work in a synergy that scientists have yet to understand by taking them apart and evaluating each element. Your favorite foods, traditional foods you share with family and friends on holidays, and foods that symbolize different religious beliefs nourish you - your heart and soul.Food connects people to each other across generations and cultures. Whole foods are the the staff of life and should be valued as such. The following articles will explore some specific food topics to help you begin exploring this fascinating approach to vibrant health: What is a Calorie? A calorie is a unity of energy. Calories are the fuel your body uses to live. You need to consume the best quality calories, in an appropriate quantity, to meet your individual needs. If you think of a calorie in this way, it will make sense to provide your body with calories that are efficient in producing energy, supporting the many metabolic functions occurring in the body, providing sustenance for the soul, and protecting against life's stresses, diseases, and toxins. In the area of weight-loss, the bottom line is calories in vs. calories out - it is really that simple. Most "diets" appear to work because they limit the number of calories being consumed. To lose weight you must take in less energy than you expend. What does it take to lose a pound? One pound = 3,500 calories 3,500 calories divided by 7 days = 500 calories per day The best way to lose a pound is to reduce calories by 250 calories and increase activity to burn 250 calories each day. Dieting alone results in up to 25% loss of lean muscle which slows the metabolism - resulting in weight cycling - losing and then gaining plus some. Safe, effective weight loss is 1.5 - 2 pounds per week. How many calories to you need? Your Weight X 10 = Basic Calorie Needs at Rest Your Weight X 15 = Basic Calorie Needs and Moderate Exercise While there are many facets to successful weight-loss, understanding how many calories you are consuming each day is the best place to start. Track every single calorie you consume for the next 5 days and see how it compares to the amount that your body requires based on the above formulas. By becoming aware of how many calories you are actually consuming, you can begin to see where you can make some changes. Download Food Diary and a guide to Using the Food Diary. Need help evaluating your food diary? - contact us for a free 15 minute phone consultation. Please include your name and phone number in your email. Eating Seasonally and Locally A great way to start including healthier foods into your nutrition plan is to shop seasonally and locally. There are several outlets available to purchase an array of foods within your local community. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) CSA's were created to provide small farmers with income prior to the planting season so that they can plan and budget to meet the needs of their members. You purchase a share in the farm and in return receive a weekly box of fruits and vegetables and, in some cases, flowers, meat and eggs. This is often a very inexpensive means of getting the freshest foods. It also connects you directly to the farmer and the community. Each CSA operates differently, so be sure to visit several websites to pick one that is best suited to your needs. Farmer's Markets Farmer's markets are emerging in most cities across the country. Usually held outdoors in a public space, this venue is a great way to explore a wide selection of products, meet the farmers and artisans, and become an integral part of your local community and culture. U-Pick Farms U-Pick farms open their fields to the public during harvest season. Crops include strawberries, peaches, apples, pumpkins and so on. This is a fun family activity. Farm Stands Farm stands can be found roadside in farming communities as a means for small growers to sell just picked produce and flowers to the local community. Food Cooperative (Co-op) Co-ops bring large numbers of people together creating buying power to purchase in bulk at wholesale prices. Because there is minimal overhead and no middleman, prices are low as compared to grocery stores. You can often place orders on an "as need" basis, but you have to be willing to take whatever the club chooses to buy in that given week, which is often seasonal and local produce. The following resources can help you locate farms, CSAs, Farmer's Markets, Food Cooperatives and other information about farming and food sources in your local community: Local Harvest http://www.localharvest.org Slow Food USA http://www.slowfoodusa.org Ingredients to Eliminate Many of us focus on calories and fat when reading food labels - it is more important to start with the ingredients list. Be sure that the first several ingredients are whole foods, foods you can recognize, and that the following ingredients are not present in the ingredients list or, at the very least, are among the last listed. Ingredients are listed from most to least. To create an awareness of what is in your pantry take a highlighter pen and highlight the following ingredients as they appear in the ingredients list of the food currently in your pantry. Ingredients to Eliminate: 1. Partially-Hydrogenated Oils 2. High Fructose Corn Syrup 3. Artificial Colors and Food Dyes 4. Artificial Sweeteners (Aspartame, Splenda, Sweet & Low, etc.) 5. Nitrites and Nitrates 6. MSG (monosodium glutamate)(autolyzed yeast extract) 7. Sulfites (added) 8. Preservatives - BHA, BHT and TBHQ 9. Potassium Bromate 10. Aluminum 11. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs - not currently labeled) 12. Growth Hormones (rBGH or rBST) - not in the ingredients list 13. Antibiotics - not in the ingredients list Learn more about our Pathway to Creating a Healthy Kitchen and how to hire a coach to guide you in creating a healthy and organized pantry that will transform all of your meals. Nutrition Tips for Vibrant Health Read the Ingredients on a Food Label before the Nutrition Facts Using a Food Diary Increases Success Enjoy a Meal with Family and Friends Reading Recommendations Eating Well for Optimum Health, Andrew Weil, M.D. Your Organic Kitchen, Jesse Ziff Cool Experience Life, Magazine Share your comments, ask questions, and suggest topics for this newsletter by emailing adeline@pathwaystovibranthealth.com . Adeline Driscoll is the founder of Pathways to Vibrant Health and is committed to empowering individuals to live their unique life with intention, by embracing the cornerstone of vibrant health and balanced wellness...live your life!
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