Week 4 Update

Week 4: 5/9- 5/15—HEALTHY EATING

Points earned for drinking water, eating fruits & vegetables, trying new recipes, getting exercise and practicing portion control.

PRIZE: Meadow Farm Foods Gift Card $25 - Winner is Amber Kuhn!

Healthy Eating

Not only does healthy eating help you feel better each day both mentally and physically, but it can also help reduce long term chronic disease risk. Moderation is a great way to find balance and variety in your meals. Often this can feel easier said than done, so what are the guidelines to achieve healthy eating?

Follow a healthy dietary pattern at every life stage.
Customize and enjoy nutrient-dense food and beverage choices to reflect personal preferences, cultural traditions, and budgetary considerations.
Focus on meeting food group needs with nutrient-dense foods and beverages, and stay within calorie limits.
Limit foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, and limit alcoholic beverages.

Quick Facts:

Almost 39 million workdays are lost to obesity-related illnesses each year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 21 percent of adults consumed the recommended amount of fruits a day.
Similarly, only 33 percent of American adults ate the recommended amounts of vegetables a day.

Healthy Eating PRO Tips from Jessica Drake

#1: SPICE IT UP!! Adding in different spices can really add loads of flavor to your vegetables and meals.

#2: VARY IT UP!! Variety helps us to get in different vitamins and minerals as well as keeping foods interesting.

#3: PLAN IT UP!! Meal planning even if it is just a day at a time can help steer you away from convenience foods and towards more nutritious options.

#4: Moderation is key!! Moderation helps us to enjoy a balanced life where we can have foods we enjoy as well as the foods that are better for us.

#5: Learn your hunger cues!! Are you eating when you're hungry or because you're bored/stressed/sad/etc? This can be a HUGE game changer.

#6: COOK IT UP!! Changing cooking methods like grilling, baking, steaming, etc. may help you enjoy various fruits or vegetables more than you normally would.

#7: FRESH VS FROZEN!! Frozen is a great option if you find that your fresh produce goes bad too quickly. It is just as nutritious and often is cheaper!

Meet the PRO: Jessica Drake

As I have grown up sports have always been a constant in my life, from playing backyard sports with my family, to elementary school leagues, high school athletics, and eventually college intramurals. I first started at The HUB as a high school athlete going through summer training and absolutely loved my experience here! That was the first time I started to think about personal training as a career path. At Colorado State University I majored in Food Science and Human Nutrition. I knew I still wanted the exercise component in my career, as this is a passion of mine, but wasn't sure how it would fit in. Concentrating in Nutrition & Fitness is the best of both worlds! I interned here at the Health & Wellness Hub during the summer of 2020 and then started as a Wellness Trainer in March of 2021! Now I strive each day to help people reach their goals through fueling and performing to reach that next level – whatever that may be!