Getting Fit

Lesson 1: Healthy Nutrition: Eating To Get Fit

A Lesson in Low-Fat Eating

Most Americans eat around 100 grams of fat every day. That is the same amount found in a quarter pound of lard. In order to lose weight and keep the fat off, we need to be consuming no more than 60 grams of fat daily.

There are several ways to cut the fat from our diets. The first step that we can take is to eliminate the following seven fats and oils completely: coconut oil, butter, palm oil, chicken fat, lard, vegetable shortening, and cottonseed oil. All seven of these have incredibly high percentages of saturated fat which is linked to higher cholesterol levels and a greater risk of heart disease.

I tend to cook only with canola oil or olive oil and have cut butter and margarine completely from my diet. Instead of using either of these ingredients on potatoes or toast, I now substitute fat free salad dressing on my baked potatoes and jelly on my toast. It took a while for me to become accustomed to eating without butter or margarine, but once I committed to eating a healthier, low-fat diet, it became much easier to cut certain things. Now, when I've been eating healthy on a regular basis, I might sometimes reward myself by using margarine on a dinner roll when I'm eating at a restaurant.

The next step is to decrease the amount of obvious fats that you eat such as cheese, pastries, full fat dairy foods, beef, pork, and lunch meats. In the cases of many of these foods, there are acceptable fat free or low fat substitutes. Experiment. I've found several brands of fat free foods that are quite good. Remember, though, you still can't eat as much as you want just because a food is fat free. Too many calories going in and too little exercise will still hinder your fitness plan.

Many of us have spent years looking at food labels to determine the number of calories in them. Now, its time to start reading the amount of fat grams in a food. To achieve greater fitness, we need to limit our fat intake to only 25 percent of the calories we eat daily. That means eating only two 3-oz. servings of meat daily, nonfat dairy products, and at least five servings of fruit and vegetables.

We also need to look at how we prepare our foods. In order to maintain our low-fat nutrition plan, we need to eliminate cooking with butter and frying our foods. Using olive oil or canola oil are good substitutes as both are low in saturated fat and high in the heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Use them both sparingly, however.

Stir-frying, broiling, and grilling are all excellent ways to prepare foods. Steaming vegetables with a touch of garlic for flavor makes a good side dish. Combine that with some brown rice and you have a nice main course. When making desserts, substitute applesauce for oil, cut the amount of sugar called for in half, and use egg whites instead of eggs.

Cutting sugar intake is the next step. Reach for either dried fruit or fresh fruit instead of a candy bar. Eliminate sodas and increase your water intake instead. When buying juice, read the label. If it contains juice made from concentrate or lists sugar as an ingredient then know that it contains more sugar than juice. Aim for buying the ones that list only the fruit and water or that state it is not from concentrate. Use less sugar when making cookies or dessert.

One of the simplest ways to increase the nutrient-dense foods in your diet is to eat as much fruit and vegetables, preferably raw, as you'd like. Carrots, bananas, and apples are very portable and provide you with energy, vitamins, and minerals. Studies show that people who eat several servings of fruits and veggies daily benefit in numerous ways. Also, due to their high fiber content, many fruits and vegetables are more satisfying to our bodies, meaning we tend to need less of them in order to feel full.

When trying to determine which foods are more satisfying than others, experts look at the energy density of a food. In other words, they determine how many calories a food has in comparison to its weight. For example, a baked potato will be more satisfying with more calories and weight than a piece of cake. If you're looking to fill up without eating too many calories, try these foods:

• Baked potatoes
• Fish
• Oatmeal (with no butter or cream)
• Oranges
• Apples
• Whole-wheat pasta
• Grapes
• Bran cereal
• Bananas
• Popcorn

Changing our high-fat, high calorie diets for a low-fat one isn't about depriving ourselves. Instead, when you crave a certain food, eat it in moderation. I would never recommend that a person eliminate chocolate from their diet. I would, however, suggest eating a piece of fruit or half of a low-fat bagel before eating some chocolate. That way, you won't feel the need to stuff yourself with a higher fat food if you've already filled your stomach with something low-fat.

This also doesn't mean that you need to avoid eating at restaurants. Just remember, when you eat one high fat meal, you need to follow that with three low-fat meals. You can also decrease the amount of fat and calories you eat when you are at a restaurant. Ask for the salad dressing and potato fixings on the side so you can put a little on instead of too much. Look for broiled, grilled, or stir-fried selections. Ask if you can substitute egg whites for the whole egg in omelets and other egg selections. Choose a salad without bacon, eggs, meat, and cheese. Finally, eating pasta with a tomato-based sauce versus a cream-based sauce is always a lower-fat choice.

These changes aren't about deprivation or misery in eating. Instead, they involve a change in your attitude and perceptions about what tastes good and is good for you. If, after reading this, you are saying that you couldn't possibly cut out butter or eat more fruits and vegetables, then your fitness plan isn't going to be as successful as it could be. The bottom line is: this plan is a lifestyle change for the better. Not only will you become fit, but you will feel better as well.

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