UNews - energy levels

Monthly food for thought

trevor.kenney — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:55:22 +0000

Eat more, weigh less!

Does it sound too good to be true? You can eat more AND lose weight if you are dense – nutritionally dense that is.

Dense is good

Nutrient dense foods are less processed and include more natural foods such as vegetables, fruit, whole grains, low fat milk and milk alternatives, and lean meat and meat alternatives. In fact, the less processed, the more nutrient dense a food is.

Fewer calories

Research shows that people who choose foods that are nutritionally dense often take in fewer calories because they are filling up on fibre, water and protein. These three components are secret weapons when it comes to weight management. They are also getting extra nutrients to fight disease and boost their immune system.

Snacking well

Since 60 per cent of our energy intake now comes from snacks instead of sit-down meals, one step towards successful weight management is to change what you snack on. Reach for nutrient dense snacks such as carrot sticks, sliced up red, green, orange or yellow peppers, snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower or celery (yes, a little bit of dip is OK – for a boost of calcium, probiotics and protein, try plain yogurt mixed with dill and a bit of salt).

Nature's food

Grab nature's fast food – fruit: an orange, apple, pear, grapefruit, grapes, banana or blueberries. These will fill you up fast, piling on the nutrition but not the pounds. If you find you are extra hungry by mealtime, try a soy drink box, white or chocolate milk, or yogurt as a snack. You'll find your energy levels soaring while your waistline is shrinking.

For individual nutrition appointments call the Health Centre (SU 020) at 403-329-2484. All sessions are $20 for students and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ employees.

Diane Britton is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's On-Campus Registered Dietitian

Changing habits can start before New Year's

trevor.kenney — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:25:22 +0000

By SUZANNE MCINTOSH

Did 2009 fly by for you? As we all know this has been an extremely busy and, at times, stressful year. It's at this time when many people begin to think about what they have and have not accomplished in the past year and turn to making resolutions for the New Year. This can be stressful in itself, after all who likes to make resolutions that you may never get around to or are difficult to keep?

You don't have to wait until New Year's to make some changes to your own health and wellness, and as Everett Mámor states, "Without health, there is no point. To anything."

So how to do this without adding to both your stress and to that list of things that never get done?

First step – start small! Everyone remembers the SMART acronym – Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic and Timely. As far as taking stock of your health and wellness and making some positive changes, the most important part of this acronym is "Achievable". Making sure your goals are achievable is a huge factor in determining how successful you will be.

Throughout my year here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, I have met a number of people who have made small (and some not so small) changes to their own health and wellness by taking achievable steps. Here is a story, may it inspire you – not make you feel guilty or overwhelmed with one more thing you need to do – but prompt you to take a look at your own health and wellness and bring you one step closer to feeling less tired, having more energy, or just having some fun.

Venkat Mahadevan works as a Technical Specialist in Fine Arts, New Media. Venkat told me that a year ago he weighed 195 lbs and realized this was not an ideal weight for him. He felt drained of energy and thought it might have something to do with his diet. So he decided to cut out the "unholy trinity" (his words) of junk foods – pop, chips and sugar (especially chocolate).

Venkat started out making small changes first by cutting out a few candy bars a week, and soon started replacing these types of foods with fruit. He noticed that he was starting to lose weight. Then he did some research on what types of food he should eat and started including more vegetables, fruits and whole grains in his diet. He then cut out fried foods and white breads. Venkat says that he now avoids buying any of the unholy trinity foods at the grocery store. By summer he had lost between 46 and 50 lbs and this has stabilized over the past few months. He has noticed a positive change in his energy levels and just "feels better". In fact, when he does slip and eat some of the junk foods, he notices a definite change in how he feels after eating – and not for the better.

Recently, Venkat took one more small step; he made an appointment to see Diane Britton, Health Centre dietitian. Diane was able to add a few healthy eating tips but mostly encouraged his habits and reinforced that he was doing the right thing. He suggested it might have been more helpful to see her earlier on in his journey to healthy eating.

Suzanne McIntosh is the Health and Wellness co-ordinator at the U of L

Changing habits can be done one step at a time

trevor.kenney — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:24:32 +0000

Did 2009 fly by for you? As we all know this has been an extremely busy and, at times, stressful year. It's at this time when many people begin to think about what they have and have not accomplished in the past year and turn to making resolutions for the New Year. This can be stressful in itself, after all who likes to make resolutions that you may never get around to or are difficult to keep?

You don't have to wait until New Year's to make some changes to your own health and wellness, and as Everett Mámor states, "Without health, there is no point. To anything."

So how to do this without adding to both your stress and to that list of things that never get done?

Throughout my year here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, I have met a number of people who have made small (and some not so small) changes to their own health and wellness by taking achievable steps. Here is a story, may it inspire you – not make you feel guilty or overwhelmed with one more thing you need to do – but prompt you to take a look at your own health and wellness and bring you one step closer to feeling less tired, having more energy, or just having some fun.
Venkat Mahadevan works as a Technical Specialist in Fine Arts, New Media. Venkat told me that a year ago he weighed 195 lbs and realized this was not an ideal weight for him. He felt drained of energy and thought it might have something to do with his diet. So he decided to cut out the "unholy trinity" (his words) of junk foods – pop, chips and sugar (especially chocolate).

Students' Union has busy summer

trevor.kenney — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:06:58 +0000

By BRIANNE ROHOVIE

With all four ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU) Executive Council members having hit the ground running upon taking office May 1, several initiatives set for completion this summer are already well underway.

"We've had opportunities to meet with many people we will be working with this year in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community, municipally, provincially and even federally," says ULSU president Jeremy Girard, adding that he plans to keep a strong focus on maintaining the value of the ULSU to these external stakeholders throughout his term.

An equally important task, planning main elements of ULSU events and initiatives for 2009-2010, is also slated for completion this summer. With this being a central responsibility of the VP Internal, the next few months will prove crucial for Cole Lehto.

"By the end of summer we intend on having concrete arrangements with the artists who will perform at the Zoo this year, as well as plans for what will be involved in other ULSU events," Lehto says.

Among additional tasks on Executive Council member's to-do lists are: complete a detailed plan for Fresh Fest 2009, take steps to have a used text book exchange program in place for this school year and make arrangements to host academic speakers and ensure the ULSU food bank is prepared to continue serving students at a high level of functionality.

"I want to see the food bank running efficiently and effectively all year," Lehto says. "With the addition of a food-planning guide, which will act like an in-hand counsellor, we can provide an even greater service to food bank users."

From September's Fresh Fest to April's Last Class Bash, with awareness weeks, concerts, charity drives and club events in between, Girard promises 2009-2010 will be a great year at the U of L.

"I think this year we have the potential, through our many initiatives, to reach more students than we ever have before," says Girard, adding that the Executive Council is prepared to work as hard as is necessary to do so.

"Although we've begun our terms very strongly, I'm sure that over the year our energy levels will fluctuate," Lehto says. "We plan on keeping pace in a way that allows us to cross the finish line still running."

Planning well underway for fall semester

trevor.kenney — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:54:22 +0000

With all four ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU) Executive Council members having hit the ground running upon taking office May 1, several initiatives set for completion this summer are already well underway.

"By the end of summer we intend on having concrete arrangements with the artists who will perform at the Zoo this year, as well as plans for what will be involved in other ULSU events," Lehto says.

From September's Fresh Fest to April's Last Class Bash, with awareness weeks, concerts, charity drives and club events in between, Girard promises 2009-2010 will be a great year at the U of L.

Managing your holiday eating

trevor.kenney — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:16:52 +0000

Holidays are a time to relax and rejuvenate energy levels. All too often, however, the holidays also become a time for weight gain. Here are some tips to help prevent 'waisted' calories this holiday season.

Portion Control
• Take small portions of your favorite foods, then savour and enjoy them.
• Be choosy! If you don't love it, leave it. Most people will eat all the food in front of them, so try and avoid over-filling your plate.
• A good trick for portion control is to not let any foods touch each other on your plate.

Eat Before the Party

Not eating all day to save up for the feast is a sure way to overeat. Eat a nutritious breakfast and lunch. Snack in the morning and afternoon on vegetables and fruit such as carrot sticks with dip and mandarin oranges. This way you'll arrive at the party, or the dinner table, pleasantly hungry but not starving.

Limit Alcohol

Packing a whopping seven calories per gram, alcohol is an easy way to increase calorie intake without even feeling full. Also, try alternating alcoholic drinks with a glass of water. Drink lower calorie festive beverages like wine spritzers and Bloody Marys, or mix spirits with water or diet pop.

Drink Up

Staying hydrated helps you to not overeat. Health Canada recommends nine cups (2.25 L) of fluid daily for women and 13 cups (3.25 L) of fluid per day for men. Focus on water for best weight management.

Get Active

Enjoy winter activities like skating, tobogganing and skiing. Go for a walk with family and friends. Enjoy some indoor activities such as swimming, badminton, racquetball or shooting hoops at a community gym. Make the holidays an active time to visit and have fun with loved ones.

Diane Britton is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's on-campus registered dietitian

UNews - energy levels

Monthly food for thought

Related Topics

Changing habits can start before New Year's

Related Topics

Changing habits can be done one step at a time

Related Topics

Students' Union has busy summer

Related Topics

Planning well underway for fall semester

Related Topics

Managing your holiday eating

Related Topics