Nutrition Fuels Fitness
Fitness comes from a lifestyle that includes good nutrition and regular physical activity. An eating pattern that includes balance, variety, and moderation is recommended for everyone at every age.  But what does that mean?
 First, balance:  find your balance between food and physical activity, as most of us take in more calories than we spend.  This leads to weight gain.  A minimum of physical activity for good health is 30 min./day.  If your goal is weight loss, you will likely need to increase that to 60 min./day.  Next, variety:  make smart choices from every food group every day to maximize your nutrient intake.  Emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.  Include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.  Finally, moderation:  decrease portion sizes, and cut down on empty calories.  Specifically, decrease intake of saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars.  Total elimination is not necessary, just moderation.
 Weight control is only one reason to strive for a nutritious and physically active lifestyle. Disease prevention, stronger bones and muscles, stress relief and better sleep are all added benefits that are certainly worth the effort.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Fitness Design for Women, Jennifer Zweigle, RD, LDN