Originally published in Hideaway Lake New on May 1, 2021
The pandemic has led to an average weight gain of 29 pounds in the past year, with some people gaining more than 50 pounds during that time. There is no quick and easy way to lose the weight that took months to put on. We have to go back to tried and true methods that are slow, steady, healthy and guaranteed to work. Each one of us has to find the plan that works with our bodies, our lifestyle and our likes and dislikes. However, having said that, we can all use the following guiding principle to help us get started and adapt it to our individual needs. The mantra always is eat more whole foods, more plant based and not too much.
The Harvard Healthy Eating Plate is a guide that I have used both with myself and with my patients over the years. It is a system that allows for balanced eating regardless of the type of diet you follow. If followed exactly as shown, it is closest to a Mediterranean diet which has been clinically proven to reduce cardiovascular risk. If you substitute the whole grains with veggies and healthy fats, it will accommodate low carb diets. If you choose only plant based proteins, then it will accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets. But ultimately, it allows you to get a healthy meal regardless of the type of diet you choose.
Notice that the vegetable portion is much larger than fruits. If you are following a very low carb diet, you can completely substitute non-starch vegetables for the fruits as well. Starchy vegetables like potatoes are considered a grain equivalent and should not be counted as veggies on the plate. Berries are low in sugar and a good option for fruits. Try to get at least one plant based protein such as lentils, beans and chickpeas for your healthy protein portion for the day. Drink plenty of water and avoid drinking your calories in the form of juices and soft drinks. Make sure that every plate in front of you has healthy proteins and lots of non starch vegetables.
The above method avoids counting calories, fat grams and carbs and gives you a nice visual guide to what should be on your plate. Take a minute to analyze your plate at your next meal and make some changes to get the right proportion of your nutrients. For more information on this method of eating, go to https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/.
Wishing you all the best for healthy and tasty eating!
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Hideaway COVID-19 Vaccine Database
Hello Hideaway residents!
The City of Hideaway has set up a voluntary database of residents who have been vaccinated in our community. The list will not be shared with anyone for any reason, it is simply to get an idea of vaccination rates. This will also enable us to estimate in the future how close we are to getting to herd immunity.
Please go to the link below if you have been fully vaccinated and would like to be included in the vaccine database. Again, this is completely voluntary and confidential.
Thank you for your help in safely getting us all back to normal!
As of April 20, 630 or about 20% of people in Hideaway reported being fully vaccinated. Of these, 55% were women, 45% were men and 96% were over the age of 60.