There are different types of fats, solid, and liquid.  It is recommended that you get the majority of your fat intake from liquid fats (more commonly referred to as oils).  These fats come from plant sources and contain no cholesterol.  Most oils are high in monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated fats, and low in saturated fats.  You can find these liquid fats, or oils in foods such as nuts, olives, avocados, and some fish.  These are the oils that are usually used for flavorings in our food, and are healthy in moderation.  The types of fats we want to consume very sparingly are solid fats, and include beef fat, chicken fat, pork fat, butter, and shortening.

Fats do have purpose in our diets, and should be consumed in our daily diets since some essential fatty acids are not produced by our bodies; just be sure to eat the oils (liquid fats) over the solid fats.  Fat plays quite a few roles in our bodies such as, protecting our vital organs by helping to cushion them and absorb shock, promoting healthy cell function, protecting our bodies against disease, and promoting healthy skin and hair. 

Be sure to check back soon for more fitness and nutrition fun!

You can get carbohydrates from many different sources; but there are some choices which are healthier than others.  There are also a couple different types of carbohydrates; simple, and complex.  You should be getting some of each in your daily diet.  Simple carbohydrates tend to be digested fairly quickly by the body and include the sugars.  Complex carbohydrates on the other hand, take longer for the body to digest, and give you more of a sustained energy, and include things such as pasta, cereal, and breads.  When fitting both of these into your daily diet consider eating fruits, and vegetables for your simple carbohydrates; and Whole grain, whole wheat products such as pasta, cereal, and breads for your complex carbohydrates.  Candy, and over processed foods, such as white breads and pastas, and sugary cereals offer little to no nutritional value, and can leave you feeling sluggish.

Join us again next week for some information on Fats!

Protein is needed by our bodies for many different things such as muscles, skin, hair, and internal organs.  Proteins are made up of chains of 22 different amino acids, most of which our bodies can make on their own, however there are 8 (known as essential amino acids) that our bodies cannot make on their own and we must obtain in our diets in order to sustain health.

So what does protein do anyways?!? As you can see above, protein plays roles in many different things within our body, but you can find a more detailed list of their actual functions below:

*Anti bodies that consist of protein are essential in helping our bodies fight and resist diseases.

* You use protein in everyday living just to keep your body running smoothly.
* Protein is supplied to the body to help heal and repair injuries.

* For growing children protein is needed for growth of the entire body.

What are some good choices for protein in your diet?

*Tuna Fish

*Salmon

*Milk

*Chicken Breat

*Turkey

*Yogurt

*Cottage Cheese

Check back next week for some information on Carbohydrates!

The typical recomendation of 64 ounces of water a day, is not enough for most people, especially active people. It is recommended that women consume atleast 91 ounces of water daily, and men consume atleast 125 ounces; this number needs to be even higher on days when you exercise. If you are thirsty, you are already slightly dehydrated, try keeping a bottle of water with you and drink it all day long. Water is always the best choice when chosing a drink; whether it be pre, during, or post exercise. You will gain the necessary electrolytes back through your food. Sports drinks tend to be high in sugar and add unnecessary calories to your diet.

Tips for staying hydrated:

 *Keep a bottle of water with you at all times, and drink it throughout the day

*Minimize caffeine, as it dehydrates

*When re-hydrating after exercise, try drinking water that is room temperature, your body will absorb this more quickly than ice cold water

When setting goals, it is important to have small goals, along the way to the big goal.  Set up a rewards system for yourself;  when you achieve one of the small goals on your list, treat yourself to something you’ve wanted.  This treat should not be destructive of all the hard work you have done.  For example if your long term goal is to be active for an hour everyday and you’ve reached a short term goal of 30 minutes of constant activity, don’t reward yourself by skipping the active time the next day; instead go buy yourself something that you’ve wanted, and will even help you to achieve your long term goal!

Another way to help yourself stay on track to achieving your goals is to have a daily journal.  At the end of the day take out your journal and write down what you did that day that is going to help you to achieve your goals, and what you plan on doing the following day.  Be brutally honest with yourself, if you did not do anything that will help you to achieve your goals, write down why, and what you’re going to do in the future so this doesn’t happen again.  It feels good to write that you’ve done something towards achieving that big goal!

Looking for helpful fitness tips? for yourself? for your children?  This is the place to find all of that and much more!  All of the fitness tips I post on here will be fitness subjects I will be teaching in my children’s fitness classes here at STRIDES.  I encourage you to check back regularly to see what your children are learning about in the educational component of our fitness classes!  The tips provided will all be something that can be applied to both children, as well as adults.  In addition, the facts, and tips that your children are receiving in our classes are all things that they can carry with them and adapt to their needs throughout their lives!

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check back soon!