Tina Miller, MS RD Meijer Healthy Living Advisor, www.meijerhealthyliving.com
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Seven Steps to a Healthy New Year

Get your new year off to a healthy start with seven simple steps from you Meijer Healthy Living team. Also, stop in and see us at our Healthy New Year event on Saturday, January 22 from 11am to 1pm at all Meijer stores. We’ll have free samples, coupons, information and recipes to help you stick with your new year’s resolutions!

1. Start with A Plan: Make it a point to plan your family meals each week. Planning not only helps you control what and how much you eat, it will also help to manage your family budget.

2. Eat Breakfast: People who eat breakfast tend to eat fewer calories, weigh less and have more energy and focus throughout the day.

3. Get More Whole Grains: Replace refined grains with whole grains such as whole wheat bread, cereal and Meijer Multigrain Extra pasta. Whole grain foods help to maintain a healthy body weight, lower cholesterol, improve digestion and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

4. Fit in Fitness: Schedule time for regular fitness activities that are fun and suitable to your level of fitness. Health experts recommend a brisk walk or other form of activity just 30 minutes a day 4 to 5 days a week.

5. Do the “D”: Vitamin D is essential for bone health, positive mood, and may play a role in preventing certain types of cancer. Sunshine helps your body make vitamin D. Talk to your Meijer Pharmacist about whether you should consider a supplement since sunshine exposure is limited during winter months.

6. Be Mindful of Portions: Learn to recognize standard serving sizes so that you don’t overeat. For instance, a standard serving size of pasta is only a half cup (cooked) or about the size of a tennis ball. A serving of meat is only 3 ounces, or about the size of a deck of cards.

7. Use NuVal for Nutrition: Check the NuVal scores of foods that you eat – higher scoring foods tend to be lower in calories, higher in fiber, and be more nutrient rich.

Turn to your Meijer healthy living advisors for advice, recipes and nutrition tips to help you achieve your 2011 healthy lifestyle goals. Find us at www.meijermealbox.com/healthy-living.