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Wellness Guide: Nutrition and Fitness

Reclaiming Wellness: What You Can Do

As you begin your personal journey to wellness, here are some goals to keep in mind:

Take care of you first!
There is nothing wrong with taking care of others, as long as you take care of yourself first. If you are exhausted, frustrated, and stressed, you can't help anyone anyway.

Eat great to feel great!
While a bacon cheeseburger may taste good going down they seldom feel good in our bodies. Eating good foods that are good for us makes our bodies feel better. Don’t go crazy about what to eat and not to eat. Try and make wise, informed choices from all food groups.

Fruits & vegetables: Eat 2 ½ cups of fruits and 2 cups of vegetables a day. Variety is important. Add color to your plate by selecting orange (carrots), dark green (collards, kale, mustard greens), yellow (squash), vegetables.

Meat & beans: Reduce your intake of protein (meat) by eating no more than six ounces during the day. You can spread this out during breakfast (an egg), lunch and dinner or save it all for dinner. Beans, nuts, seeds, and tofu also count as a protein.
Grains: You should also eat 6 servings of grains each day. This includes whole grains (whole wheat, whole barley and oats) and other grains (rice, bread, cereal, and pasta).
Dairy: We should also have 3 cups of fat free or low-fat milk per day. If you are lactose intolerant, like most of us are, try yogurt or low-lactose and lactose-free milk or calcium fortified soy milk. Low fat or fat-free natural or processed cheeses are also part of the dairy group.

About deserts and other high fat foods:
Try and only eat desserts when dining out at a restaurant. If you plan to have desert then skip the appetizer or share your desert with a friend. Another tip is don’t keep fattening food in the house where you will be tempted to snack on them.

Eat in a tranquil setting.
In this environment, you will eat more slowly and pace yourself. Eating should be a self-loving event and not used as a way to deal with your feelings.
- Move your body. Just a few minutes of intentional exercise DOES make a difference! Do at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week. Dancing is a good way to exercise so go ahead and shake your shimmy.
- Make small, but lasting, changes over time. Remember this is your journey to better health, don’t try and do it all overnight.
- Drink more water.
  Water should be a part of your everyday life. Women who carry bottles of water are more likely to drink water so always have some on hand. You should drink at least 8 glasses of water per day.
- Connect body, mind, and spirit.
  Keeping a journal of your thoughts and emotions can help you learn your triggers and give you more control. Keeping track of your food in this journal will also allow you to see patterns in your eating. For example, when you are sad or depressed you may be more likely to eat starchy comfort foods. By recognizing and understanding these patterns you can develop alternative strategies to dealing with your emotions.
- Write down your nutrition and exercise goals.
  This will help you visualize and affirm them.
- Don’t try and do it alone.
  We all need help and support from people who are going through similar experiences. You are not alone.
- Work systematically towards your goals each and every day. You are making a lifetime commitment to better health. Make sure that your goals are realistic and attainable.
- Celebrate your successes. Celebrate the changes you’ve made in eating better and moving your body - even the little ones! Reward yourself with non-food items such as a relaxing bubble bath, a movie, or message. Record your accomplishments in your journal.
- Rejoice in the curve of your hips.
  We as black women are born with curves. Most of us are not meant to be rail thin, and that’s ok. We are beautiful no matter what our size. But we need to be healthy too. Eat right, breath and move. Those are the things we need to be healthy – not skinny.