SIL - Jan/Feb 2019

Food is Fuel
A New Year’s resolution worth trying
Real Life Nutrition
My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving.
I love the food, cooking
and time spent with family
and friends. For me, the
holidays are a time to indulge and enjoy
rich and flavorful dishes. With that said,
I make it a point to maintain my active
and healthy lifestyle throughout the entire
holiday season. Doing so keeps my energy
up, my stress level low and prevents any
unwanted weight gain.
“Does the Keto Diet work?” “Is
it better than Whole 30, or what about
counting macros?” “Should I limit myself
to 1,200 calories per day?” “Bread is
bad — right?” And my personal favorite:
“Fruit has sugar, so I shouldn’t eat it.”
These are things I hear from patients and
the general public all too often. Our society
is so diet-focused, we forget to eat food
for fuel, not solely for weight loss.
The complex biochemical processes
the body undergoes requires balanced
nutrition in order to work optimally. Consuming
foods from all food groups and
plenty of calories will allow this to happen.
Unfortunately, fad diets typically
entail eliminating several foods or entire
food groups, demonizing them and causing
many of us to have food fears. This can
lead to under-eating calories and vital nutrients
the body needs to thrive.
In this new year, rather than focusing
on a strict diet to achieve weight loss,
shift your focus to eating a nutrient-rich
diet that fuels your body. Doing so will
give you energy, improve your health,
make you feel better than ever and, if necessary,
will promote healthy weight loss.
To help you figure out how to get
started, here’s a brief nutrition lesson.
There are five food groups: whole grains,
protein, fruits, vegetables, and dairy/
dairy alternatives. They each provide essential
nutrients for the human body.
A balanced diet includes whole
grains and starch — yes, you read that
read right. I’m talking about carbohydrates.
Whole grains as well as starchy
vegetables are the most accessible form
of energy for the body and, most importantly,
the brain. The brain needs at least
130 grams of carbohydrates per day to
function. That number is only the minimum;
the total amount of carbohydrates
a person should consume depends on activities
of daily living and exercise. Along
with providing energy and brain function,
whole-grains are jam-packed with
fiber that is essential for bowel function
and keeping cholesterol at bay, as well as
energy-boosting B-vitamins.
Protein comes from a variety of
sources, including poultry, eggs, seafood,
meat, beans, dairy, tofu, nuts, seeds, tempeh
and seitan. Notice that I listed far
more than meat in this category. More
and more people are incorporating vegetarian
dishes into their diets these days
because there are numerous benefits to
reducing total meat consumption and increasing
plant-based options. Both meat
and plant-based proteins provide energy,
but more importantly, they accelerate
chemical reactions in the body, help fight
illnesses, transport oxygen, regulate body
functions, and promote growth and repair
of body tissues. Protein can also increase
satiety due to the amount of time needed
for digestion.
There are many reasons to eat a variety
of fruits and vegetables, including
reducing your risk for heart disease, obesity,
type 2 diabetes and certain types of
cancers. If you already have one or more
of these conditions, incorporating vegetables
and fruits into your diet can help
improve them. Their filling fiber content
promotes weight loss while also reducing
constipation and preventing diverticulosis
later down the road. They are also rich
in Vitamin C, which helps the growth and
repair of body tissues, healing, and promotes
healthy teeth and gums. So load up
— half of your plate should be filled with
fruits and vegetables.
Dairy or dairy alternatives are important
for maintaining bone health, promoting
a healthy immune system and
providing vitamins for energy. Fairlife
milk is one of my favorite. It’s an ultrafiltered
milk that has 50 percent more
protein and 30 percent more calcium than
regular milk. It’s also lactose-free, helping
prevent any stomach discomfort. If dairy
isn’t your thing, soy milk and other alternatives
also fit the bill. Silk soy milk is a
staple in my house. Silk has a variety of
dairy alternatives made from soy, almond
Our society is so diet-focused, we forget to eat
food for fuel, not solely for weight loss.
and coconut. Of course, there are numerous
quality brands to choose from aside
from Fairlife and Silk. Next time you are
grocery shopping, take a minute to explore
your options and try something new.
Finally, fat, although it is not considered
a food group, it is an essential part
of the diet. Fats can be confusing because
there are “good” fats and “bad” fats. Good
fats are mono- and poly-unsaturated fats
that are found in fatty fish, nuts, seeds
and vegetable oils. They help reduce LDL
“bad” cholesterol, maintain your body’s
cell and hormone health, and they store
fat-soluble vitamins such as the antioxidant
Vitamin E. Polyunsaturated fats
also provide the essential omega-6 and
omega-3 fatty acids that your body cannot
make on its own.
“Bad” fats are saturated fats that include
butter, whole dairy products, bacon
and red meat. If consumed too often, these
fats can raise your LDL “bad” cholesterol,
lower HDL “good” cholesterol, increase
triglycerides and put you at greater risk
for heart disease.
So for your New Year’s resolution,
put yourself first. Make it a priority to fuel
your body with all of the good stuff. Fuel
up with all of the food groups and allow
yourself to eat when you’re hungry and
stop when you’re full. You will be amazed
at how much energy you have and how
much better you will feel. •
About the Author
Maji Koetter, Ali, MS,
RD, LD, CD, is a
licensed registered
dietitian at Baptist
Health Floyd specializing
in diabetes and
weight management.
She uses a real-life
approach to nutrition
when counseling her
clients, and encourages
them to strive
for progress not perfection. She is passionate
about helping everyone find their own way to
living their happiest and healthiest lives
Jan/Feb 2019 • 45