An excuse to nibble

“Snack often.”
That was my favorite diet advice from Joe Shetler at last week's Women's Information Network luncheon.
Shetler said small, healthy snacks every three hours of so will help keep metabolism rate up. If you starve yourself, the body shuts down metabolism, storing energy as fat, he explained.
“People who don't eat regularly train their bodies to be fat-absorbing machines,” Shetler said. “People who eat and exercise train their body to be fat burning machines. It makes weight loss much more effective.”
So what should you snack on? Shetler said fruit is a good choice, but suggested a little peanut butter or cheese should be included for protein. Even the natural carbohydrates in fruit get absorbed quickly into the blood.
“Protein takes 25 percent more energy to digest than carbs,” Shetler said. “It jump-starts metabolism.”
For me, it's usually a dried-fruit-and-nut trail mix, with extra protein from added almonds and soybeans in the form of edemame, some with wasabi.
Those two snacking suggestions are among six points Shetler stressed during the talk at the Holiday Inn-Downtown. 

In a nutshell, here they are:
1.Snack often.
2.Include protein.
3.Strength train to build muscle. Muscle creates a better metabolism, pound-for-pound burning three times as many calories as fat just as maintenance.
4.Include cadiovascular exercise.
5.Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. It helps burn fat more efficiently. Shetler adds that you shouldn't drink your calories because your body doesn't recognize soda or juice as nutrition immediately. Drinking 300 calories will still leave you hungry, so you will probably eat more.
6.Eat a healthy breakfast, including complex carbohydrates, protein and a little fat. The body is starving in the morning and needs food to crank up metabolic rates.
Here is what the American Heart Association recommends for a heart healthy diet:
 Fruits and vegetables: At least 4.5 cups a day
Fish (preferably oily fish): At least two 3.5-ounce servings a week
Fiber-rich whole grains: At least three 1-ounce-equivalent servings a day
Sodium: Less than 1,500 mg a day
Sugar-sweetened beverages: No more than 450 calories (36 ounces) a week

Other Dietary Measures:
Nuts, legumes and seeds: At least 4 servings a week
Processed meats: No more than 2 servings a week

Everybody I've been trying to talk to all week got into contact with me today. In fact, I have so much information, I am again contemplating an extra story, which will necessitate an extra picture. I did have some fun and got a cool shot today at Portage Junior Senior High School. A tobacco-prevention program by Mike Messina of Community Action Partnership of Cambria County was getting an encouraging amount of attention.

I actually got onto the track at Windber HealthStyles again last night with my Lovely Bride for a good half-hour walk before heading back home for a late supper of chicken-something pasta.