Maintain, Don't Gain Holiday Challenge-- Week 4

Here is an abridged version of an article in the Week 4 "Maintain, Don't Gain Holiday Challenge" newsletter.

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Tips for Eating Out

"The Holiday season means more time with family and friends.  Often these gatherings include food... Here are some tips to help you stay on track and eat healthy...

Tips for eating at a restaurant:
- Start your meal with a salad to help control your hunger, ask for the dressing on the side...
- Pick a meal loaded with vegetables...
- Ask for a glass of water right when you sit down...
- Avoid any menu items that say buttery, fried, or breaded.
- If ordering a pasta dish, try one with a tomato sauce instead of a white or cream sauce.
- Don’t be afraid to request that your dish be prepared with less butter, oil, or salt.
- ...ask to have half of your meal boxed up to take home before you even begin eating, or split it with a friend.

Tips for buffet-style parties:
- Use an appetizer size plate...
- Fill at least half of the plate with fresh fruit and vegetables.
- Avoid adding any fried foods to your plate.
- If there is a salad option, load up on healthy toppings...
- Stay away from cheese spreads, creamy dips, and sweet desserts or take just a small amount...

Tips for a healthier drink:
- Limit yourself to one or two alcoholic drinks.
- Stay away from sweet options... which can be loaded with calories...!
- Choose calorie free mixers such as club soda. If you do use juice, use only a splash...
- Choose light beer.
- Ask for a lemon or lime... to add a little bit of flavor.

...overall tips when you know you will be eating out:
- Before leaving, eat a light healthy snack... so you don’t go to the party on an empty stomach.
- Make the gathering more about catching up and spending time together instead of focusing on the food."

Maintain, Don't Gain Holiday Challenge-- Week 3

Here is an excerpt from Week 3's Maintain, Don't Gain Holiday Challenge newsletter. Join the challenge to access the entire article.

Guide to Healthy Gift-Giving

It’s that time of year again when the stress of finding the perfect gift is on everyone’s minds. ...why not give a gift that promotes healthy eating and physical activity all year long. Try out some of these ideas or personalize one for your gift receiver...

* A fun lunch box...
* Reusable water bottle...
* Cooking classes or cookbooks...
* Kitchen gadgets...
* Fruit basket or bowl...
* Salad kit...
* Homemade gift...

Don’t forget to consider gifts that encourage “moving more” too!
* New workout gear...
* Heart rate monitor/activity tracker...
* Sports activities...
* Music...
* ...subscription to a fitness or health magazine...

Maintain, Don't Gain Holiday Challenge-- Week 2

Here's an excerpt from Week 2's Maintain, Don't Gain Holiday Challenge newsletter. Join the challenge to access the whole article. It's still not too late!

I Would Have to Walk How Many Miles?

... Have you ever wondered how far you have to walk to burn off each of those holiday treats? Below are a few examples of traditional holiday items- a few may surprise you!

1 cup of eggnog: 3.43 miles
1 candy cane: 0.6 miles (or 1200 steps)
1/2 cup mashed potatoes with 1/2 cup gravy: 3.0 miles
1 piece pecan pie (1/8 of 9-in pie): 4.8 miles...
1/2 cup green bean casserole: 2.25 miles...
An average holiday meal: 20.3 miles!

For some lighter meal options, try these substitutions.
- Instead of the high calorie pecan pie, try pumpkin pie (1/8 of 9-in pie) (1.8 miles)....
- Hold the gravy on your mashed potatoes (1.5 miles).

Weekly activity challenge:  Complete 10 jumping jacks, 10 sit ups, and 10 squats every other day for the week. To make this workout more challenging, complete the exercises daily.

Maintain, Don't Gain Holiday Challenge-- Week 1

Eat Smart Move More Weigh Less sponsors their annual Maintain, Don't Gain Holiday Challenge (MDGHC) to encourage everyone to maintain their weight during the holiday season. Enrolling gives you free access to a weekly newsletter with tips & recipes, a related blog, & helpful online tools.

Here's an excerpt from Week 1's newsletter. For the whole article, sign up today for the Holiday Challenge.

Be a Healthy Host

"If you’re hosting this year’s holiday gathering, you have an advantage. You have the opportunity to serve great tasting healthful foods. Follow these tips for a happy (and healthy) holiday party:

* Use healthier substitutions when cooking and baking to save on fat and calories.
* Serve a healthy version of a favorite holiday dish.
* Offer whole grains.
* Think fruits and vegetables.
* Add some fiber.
* Cook up lean meats and fish.
* Make mini-desserts.
* Have low-calorie beverages on hand.
* Move around."

Weekly activity challenge:  Take a 30 minute walk around the neighborhood three times this week. These 30 minutes can be broken up over the day; 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening.

Happy Thanksgiving from 

Granville-Vance Public Health!

2014 WLC Weigh Outs

2014 Maintenance Weigh-Outs start Monday, 11/10 at the health department in both counties. Here's the weigh out schedule (click on it to enlarge).

*Please note that there are no weigh out hours on Tuesday, 11/11 in observance of Veteran's Day. *

Maria Parham Medical Center employees will be able to weigh-out at on-site at MPMC; information about days and times will be sent out directly to employees by David Ruggles.

This is your opportunity to check on your weight one last time before the holidays and to see if you are eligible for the gift card award drawing!

Guidelines to be eligible for the drawing:
1)      You need to weigh out at the same location where you weighed in.
2)      If you did weigh-out in May and lost 10 pounds or more, you need to maintain your weight loss.
3)      If you did weigh-out in May, and did not lose 10 pounds or more, you need to meet the original 10 pound weight loss goal.
4)      If you did NOT weigh-out in May, so have no record, you need to meet the original 10 pound weight loss goal.

All those meeting one of the guidelines above will be entered into a drawing for 6 more $50 gift cards.  We hope you have been keeping your eye on your healthy weight goals and are planning to come check whether you are where you want to be as we approach the holiday season!

Let us know what you thought! Take our 2014 WLC Survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2014_WLC_Eval.

Cold vs. Flu... Whatever Should You Do?

You're feeling beaten down... like you went several rounds in a boxing ring. So, what was causing that sick feeling? A stiff right from The Cold Calamity or an overwhelming undercut by The Fearsome Flu?

In some ways, a cold & flu are similar. Both:
- are caused by viruses that enter through mucous membranes.
- can be prevented through healthy behaviors.
- can make you feel lousy for up to a week (although coughs or fatigue could last longer).

But, they are also very different.
- Flu symptoms are usually more severe & last longer. (However, an annual flu shot can help prevent the flu &/or minimize symptoms.)
- The flu hospitalizes & kills people every year. Children, pregnant women, the elderly, & people with chronic health issues are often at more risk of complications.
- If appropriate, your healthcare provider may prescribe antiviral medication for the flu.

Prevention
- Although not immediate, it still isn't too late to get your flu shot... (See our 10/18/14 blog post.)
- Wash your hands regularly with soap & water for 20 seconds (sing the alphabet twice or "Happy Birthday").
- If no sink is available, use hand sanitizer. Wash whenever possible.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, & mouth.
- Practice & teach others to:
   * use a tissue & dispose of it promptly.
   * cough or sneeze into the inside of the elbow (aka "Count Dracula") to avoid germy hands.
- Enough sleep, healthy foods, less stress, & light to moderate physical activity helps keep your immune system stronger.

Treatment
- Stay home from daycare, school, or work!
- Get plenty of rest.
- You may need to drink more liquids than usual. (Hot tea, chicken soup, & fruits & veggies all help.)
- To avoid interactions or overdosing, talk to your pharmacist or healthcare provider before combining prescription &/or over-the-counter medications.
- Learn serious signs & symptoms. Or, call your healthcare provider to ask if you should be seen.

For more info, check out:
- WebMD's Flu or Colds?
- Dept of Veteran Affairs' Cold vs. Flu: Know the Difference
- Kaiser Permanente's Self-Care for Adults
- American Academy of Family Physicians' Colds & The Flu-- Treatments (includes advice for kids)
- our related blog posts-- 10/24/13 & 10/18/14.

Putting the "I" in Intensity

If someone asked you to squeeze one more thing into your over-scheduled day, would you feel like screaming??? (Well, you would... if you only had the time or energy to scream.)

Although physical activity can't manufacture time, it tends to make you feel more energized, better focused, & happier. (These benefits could theoretically free up some time.  Use our search box to review more benefits of regular activity.)

Three things can influence your physical activity:  frequency (number of times), duration (length of time), & intensity (effort). Since we've already established that adding more or longer workout sessions seems unlikely, let's talk about intensity.

- The current recommendation for adults is 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week. (See, intensity can free up time!) For more info, check out ChooseMyPlate's Physical Activity.

- However, many adults think they're working harder than they really are. For a recent study, check out the NY Times' Overestimating how Hard we Exercise. Learn to judge your intensity more accurately with:
* Mayo Clinic's Exercise Intensity: How to Measure it (covers how to use heart rate)
* Centers for Disease Control's Intensity (geared towards strength training)
* American Council of Exercise's Monitoring Exercise Intensity... (discusses perceived exertion).

For readers who have already established a fitness baseline, the American Council of Exercise has many articles about High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). These short bursts of effort have been popular for further improving your fitness level &/or shortening workouts.

Please check with your healthcare provider before starting new or strenuous physical activity-- especially if you have health concerns or take certain medications.

WLC Maintenance Weigh-Out Schedule

The Halloween Scream

What's scary about Halloween? It's so easy to walk by the bowl at the door, your child's loot, or a co-worker's desk & pick up a piece (or two). "Does this one little snack sized bar or bag REALLY matter?," you rationalize. However, many Halloween treats are full of empty calories & loaded with sugar. When extra snacking happens repeatedly, you could start to notice gradual weight gain.

Tips
- Wait until late to buy & get something you don't like.
- Have other healthy snacks closer (e.g., cut-up fruit or veggies, low-fat popcorn, nuts, etc.).
- When you do "indulge", choose something you really enjoy & savor a small portion.
- Help balance out extra calories by adding extra physical activity & eating healthy, filling meals. It's ok to leave a couple bites behind but skipping meals can backfire.

For more tips & websites, check out:
- Better Homes & Gardens' Tips to Avoid Tempting Halloween Sweets
- KidsHealth's Healthy Halloween Habits: Tips for Parents
- Woman'sDay's Joy Bauer's 100 Calorie Halloween Candy
- Greatist's 20 Healthier Halloween Candy Choices
or our 2011 & 2012 Halloween blog posts (can be found via the left sidebar).

It's Back... Fight the Flu part 1

Although flu season doesn't typically peak until January or February, NC has shown sporadic activity & already experienced our first flu death of the season. To track the spread, monitor the CDC's Weekly US Map: Influenza.

Getting vaccinated is an easy way to limit the flu's impact. The recommendation is to vaccinate everyone over 6 months old. Certain groups tend to have more risk of flu complications. This includes:  infants & young children; pregnant women; the elderly; & people with chronic health conditions. People who live &/or work with the above groups & travelers should also strongly consider getting their flu vaccine.

Keep in mind:
- Protection is not immediate. It may take up to 2 weeks for full protection. This is why early vaccination is stressed.
- Even if vaccinated, it is still possible to get the flu. However, you tend to have less intense symptoms & it ends faster.
- Flu vaccines CAN'T give you the flu. The shot contains dead viruses. The nasal spray has weakened viruses that can't leave the nose. Some people may notice brief, mild symptoms that may be mistaken for the flu.

Learn about symptoms, vaccines, etc., at the NC Public Health Flu & Flu.gov websites. To find out how flu vaccines are made, hear personal stories, & get printable handouts, check out the Immunization Action Coalition's Vaccine-Preventable Diseases- Influenza.

Flu & pneumonia vaccinations are available at many doctors' offices, pharmacies, & at the Health Department (HD). HD flu vaccination walk-in hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30am - 5:00pm. Appointments are also available. Insured & non-insured patients are welcome. Call 919-693-2141 (Granville) or 252-492-7915 (Vance) for details.