Now that we’ve finished the initial getting fit challenge, it’s time to add to our focus nutritional elements that affect one’s wellness. Consequently, we are going to have a Nutritional Fitness Challenge beginning May 22nd that will run until the end of the spring semester on June 28th. You may keep your teams from the fitness challenge, or you can join individually or form a new team. The reporting will simply be reporting how many healthy choices you made during the week and your chance of winning a healthy food prize will be based on the number of choices you made. For example, points will be awarded for various decisions and actions you perform throughout the week. At the start of the challenge you will receive 5 points for reporting your height and weight. You will also receive a point each meal for which you determine the total calories you consumed. You can easily download an app onto your smart phone or computer that will allow you to use pull down food menus that show the calorie counts of various foods. You can also receive points if you consume the recommended amounts of food types. Weekly drawings for real fruit smoothies will be held with point totals factored in. In other words, a team with an average score of 30 per person would have 3 times the chance of winning as a team with a 10 point weekly average.
Register your team using the entry form posted above. Each week, report the weekly points per member using this form.
The American Heart Association recommends a healthy dietary pattern that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, fish, skinless poultry, nuts, and fat-free/low-fat dairy products, and limits sodium, saturated fat, red meat and added sugars.
This table shows the suggested number of servings from each food group based on a daily intake of 1,600 or 2,000 calories.
There is a right number of calories for you, depending on your age, physical activity level and whether you are trying to lose, gain or maintain your weight. Use this website to calculate your estimated daily caloric expenditure.
| Food Type | 1,600 Calories | 2,000 Calories | Examples of One Serving |
At least half of your servings should be whole-grain. (see Resource) | 6 servings per day | 6-8 servings per day | 1 slice bread 1 oz dry cereal (check nutrition label for cup measurements of different products) 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal (about the size of a baseball) |
Vegetables Eat a variety of colors and types (see Resource) | 3-4 servings per day | 4-5 servings per day | 1 cup raw leafy vegetables (about the size of a small fist) 1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables 1/2 cup vegetable juice |
Eat a variety of colors and types (see Resource) | 4 servings per day | 4-5 servings per day | 1 medium fruit (about the size of a baseball) 1/4 cup dried fruit 1/2 cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit 1/2 cup fruit juice |
| Fat-free or low-fat dairy Products | 2-3 servings per day | 2-3 servings per day | 1 cup fat-free or low-fat milk 1 cup fat-free or low-fat yogurt 1 and 1/2 oz fat-free or low-fat cheese (about the size of 6 stacked dice) |
Lean meats, poultry, and seafood (see Resource) | 3-6 oz (cooked) per day | Less than 6 oz per day | 3 oz cooked meat (about the size of a computer mouse) 3 oz grilled fish (about the size of a checkbook) |
Use liquid vegetable oils and soft margarine most often (see Resource) | 2 servings per day | 2-3 servings per day | 1 tsp soft margarine 1 Tbsp mayonnaise 1 tsp vegetable oil 1 Tbsp regular or 2 Tbsp low-fat salad dressing (fat-free dressing does not count as a serving) |
(see Resource) | 3-4 servings per week | 4-5 servings per week | 1/3 cup or 1 and 1/2 oz nuts 2 Tbsp peanut butter 2 Tbsp or 1/2 oz seeds 1/2 cup dry beans or peas |
| Sweets and added sugars | 0 servings per week | 5 or fewer servings per week | 1 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp jelly or jam 1/2 cup sorbet and ices 1 cup lemonade |