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Page Love consults about nutrition,
wellness and fitness issues with women, men, and children
of all ages. Over the years, she has come up with some
great Top Ten lists that help to answer recurring questions
about many topics. Here are some of the most popular
ones, aimed at providing some concise advice! Watch
for more of Page Love’s Top Ten lists on this
page!
Ten Tips for Dealing with Food, Weight, and
Body Image
- Don’t talk negatively
about your body! Negative talk breeds negative feelings.
Even if you are striving to improve your
body composition, try not to verbalize negative thoughts—remember
the power of positive thinking!
Don’t weigh yourself regularly. Our
body weight fluctuates daily, and you will drive yourself
crazy keeping track of day-to-day changes. Don’t
set your mood or evaluate yourself according to the
scale!
- Don’t deprive your
body. Eat in regular intervals, at least
every 3-5 hours. Your body needs fuel continuously
to function.
- Make sure to use the
performance food pyramid guidelines as a base.
Don’t cheat yourself on the key energy foods,
especially grains and fruit. Eat at least 8 servings/day
or 4 cups from complex carbohydrate foods such as
breads, cereals and grains, and at least 4 servings
or 2 cups of fresh fruits or juices.
- Hydrate with at least
10-12 cups of non-caffeinated fluids per
day, but don’t overhydrate—excess fluid
can actually dilute your body’s electrolytes.
- Eat breakfast every day!
After 10 to 12 hours
without food, your body needs fuel to get the day
started and rev up that metabolism. Especially sources
of complex carbohydrates and dairy to start the day.
- Provide the building
blocks of protein daily to maintain muscle and organ
mass. You need 5-6 ounces per day of complete
protein sources like turkey, chicken, fish, and lean
red meats. Alternative protein options include soy
meat alternatives, tofu, beans, eggs, and peanut butter.
- Take in at least a tablespoon
of vegetable fat daily.
Vegetable fats include olive oil or olives, nuts,
salad dressings, avocado, and mayonnaise. This will
actually help raise you metabolism by lubricating
your digestive system. These fats also help you absorb
important antioxidant vitamins like A and E.
- Make sure you are getting
enough calcium and iron. If you are not consuming
at least two 1-cup servings of dairy per day, take
a calcium supplement, like Viactiv® (targeting
1000 mg calcium per day). Also, if you are not a meat
eater, your iron may be low, so take a multivitamin
with the minimum daily dose of iron (females 18 mg/day,
males and children 10mg/day).
- Surround yourself with
healthy food and optimal weight examples. Be
a critical viewer of the media. Avoid or limit exposure
to unhealthy images and messages, such as typical
fashion magazines. If a fast food commercial makes
you crave a burger and fries, grab some carrots instead!
Spend less time focusing on food and weight—focus
instead on your true passions in life!
Top Ten Ways to Increase Your
Fluid Intake
- Drink 8 - 10 cups of water-based
beverages (such as water, juice, or milk) with every
meal and snack.
-
 If
you drink coffee, regular tea, or caffeinated soda,
alternate non-caffeinated beverages between your intake
of caffeinated beverages throughout the day.
- Limit caffeinated beverage intake
after a certain time of day (for example, 1:00 pm).
- Set a reasonable limit for coffee
intake (for example, 1-2 cups per day).
- Substitute decaffeinated coffee,
herbal tea, or caffeine-free soda for some of your
caffeinated drinks.
- Increase your vegetable juice
and milk consumption (2 cups vegetable juice equals
the minimum 4 vegetable servings per day; 2 cups milk
is the minimum dairy intake per day). As well yogurt
and fresh fruit and vegetables provide fluids to your
diet.
- Try carbonated, calorie-free,
fruit flavored waters (Perrier®, Schweppes®,
Canada Dry®) as an alternative beverage choice.
- Dilute juices with water to lower
the sugar intake.
- Alternate club soda with alcoholic
beverages.
- Keep a water bottle with you
at all times. In the summer, freeze it overnight to
keep it cool longer during the day.
(Keep in mind, if
you are active you need additional fluid intake for activity
– generally 1 cup per 20 minute period during activity.
Also, replace water weight lost by a 3 cup /lb. ratio)
Top Ten Ways to Increase Iron
in Your Diet
(RDA: children = 10 mg; men = 10 mg; women = 15 mg;
pregnant and lactating women = 15 - 30 mg)
RDA = recommended daily allowance
- Add red meat to your diet –
lean beef/pork/buffalo once a week.
• 3.5 oz. beef = 2.5 mg
• 3.5 oz. pork = 1.5 mg
• 3.5 oz. buffalo = 3.4 mg
- Include a source of vitamin C
with your iron-rich foods to help increase iron absorption
(i.e., orange juice, tomato juice, spaghetti sauce).
-
 Do
not eat or drink foods/beverages rich in tannins (such
as tea) while eating your iron-rich foods –
they interfere with iron absorption.
- Choose iron fortified foods (enriched
foods).
- Choose dried fruit as a snack.
• 3 apricots = 1.28 mg
• 1 oz. (2 tbsp) raisins = 0.57 mg
• 3 prunes = 0.71 mg
- Choose a multivitamin with iron
(for example, Centrum®, One-a-Day®).
Choose dark green vegetables.
• 1 cup raw broccoli = 0.78 mg
• 1 cup raw spinach = 0.814 mg
- Choose animal proteins as often
as possible.
• 3 oz. chicken = 0.88 mg
• 3 oz. shrimp = 2.63 mg
• 3 oz. haddock = 1.2 mg
• 3 oz. raw oysters = 8.1 mg
• 3 oz. lamb = 1.5 mg
• 3 oz. raw clams = 11.9 mg
- Choose beans and peas more often.
• ½ cup navy beans = 2.23 mg
• ½ cup pinto beans = 2.23 mg
• ½ cup steamed peas = 1.44 mg
- Add wheat germ to your yogurt,
cereal, casseroles.
• 2 tbsp. = 1.1 mg
What does a sample day with 15 mg of iron look
like?
Keep in mind that this is a menu that highlight common
iron-rich foods that would meet the typical adult iron
needs for a day; it is not meant to be a complete dietary
recommendation for all food groups.
| Breakfast: |
1.5 cups raisin bran (10 mg)
1 cup orange juice (increases absorption)
banana |
| Lunch: |
3 oz. turkey (1.2 mg)
2 slices whole wheat bread (2.9 mg)
apple
low-fat chips |
| Snack: |
½ cup trail mix (includes raisins and peanuts)
(2.3 mg)
cheese and crackers |
| Dinner: |
3 oz. shrimp (2.63 mg)
1 cup rice (1 mg)
butter
steamed vegetables
milk |
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Love has appeared on:
· Headline News
· Tennis Magaizine
· CNN's
On the Menu
· Peachtree Morning
· Good Day Atlanta
· WGNX |
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