Initiated in March 1973 as a week-long event, "National Nutrition Week" became a month-long observance in 1980 in response to growing public interest in nutrition. The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits, and I have compiled a few pointers that have helped me keep this focus and, ultimately, enabled me to lose 60+ pounds.
Before and After: In June '08, I weighed 210 lbs. By September '09, I dropped down to 145 lbs.
- "Fad diets" and so-called "super foods" are, for the most part, too good to be true. While you may see short-term change, the likelihood of going back to old habits is much higher.
- Keep your diet as simple as possible. For me, it boiled down to these factors: making sure I eat breakfast every morning, eating manageable portions of food every 3-4 hours, and eating clean food (i.e., fresh fruits, vegetables, anything not fried).
- A combination of diet and exercise is essential in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and recognizing that it is a lifestyle that will most likely require a change of what you may be comfortable with is the first step towards your goals.
- Lastly, make sure that eating right and living a healthy lifestyle is something that you want to do.
Resources
National Nutrition Month (eatright.org)
