obese and overweight adults in Canada has reached almost 60 %? Pass the yogurt please !
Eat breakfast . An alarming number of people skip breakfast . Breakfast skippers are more likely to be overweight and have a lower intake of key nutrients like calcium , fibre and vitamin C . Even a small amount of food counts ; coffee alone does not .
Snack smart . Breakfast increases your metabolism ( a good thing ) and you may find light snacks ( fruit , vegetables and dairy / soy choices ) between meals curb your appetite so you can enjoy a smaller meal and still feel full . Smaller meals and snacks spread throughout the day help boost your metabolism , and the body does not convert as much energy into fat stores .
Taste . Savor . Enjoy . When was the last time you really enjoyed eating ? With the fast pace of life it is easy to ‘ gobble and go ,’ making it even easier to overeat . Any extra calories from protein , carbohydrates or fat that your body cannot use will be converted into fat stores . Slow down and enjoy your food and you will soon find you are full !
Check your portions . Most food served in restaurants is enough for two meals . Save some for the next day or share a meal with a friend instead of finishing your plate by yourself . Recommended portions are smaller than most people think .
Get active . It does not take much to boost your metabolism . Health Canada ’ s Physical Activity Guide recommends thirty to sixty minutes of physical activity a day . You can add activity up in ten-minute sessions . Take a ‘ walk break ’ instead of a coffee break . You will feel more energized , and physical activity helps your brain focus better . Remember , though , to check anything strenuous with your doctor . Stay within your limits , but stay active .
So , stop dieting this year . Healthy eating means a balanced nutrition plan that includes foods you enjoy . Incorporate enjoyable physical activity into your day . Little changes go a long way toward permanent weight loss and better health .
ARTA Volunteer Recognition Award by Dean McMullen , 50 th Anniversary Ad Hoc Committee Chair
A great number of retired teachers provide invaluable volunteer service to their communities and beyond . ARTA believes that these retired teachers deserve special recognition . The 50 th anniversary gives ARTA the opportunity to initiate a recognition project for such efforts ; and so , a special recognition award is being introduced to do just that .
Those retired teachers who provide exceptional volunteer services to their community or beyond their immediate community will be eligible for this award . Where ARTA branches exist , it is the ARTA branch that will select award recipients . Retired teacher volunteers working in areas where there is no ARTA branch can be nominated by ARTA members directly . These nominations should be sent to the ARTA office . A limited number of the 50 th Anniversary Outstanding Volunteer Awards will be presented to worthy recipients selected from all of the nominees .
The Volunteer Recognition Award Project provides ARTA branches with the opportunity to select worthy recipients for this award . Branches can identify the same number of award recipients as they have eligible voting members representing their branch at the ARTA Annual General Meeting .
This project will operate during the 2012 – 2013 school year so it is important to begin now to identify worthy recipients . Award presentations will be arranged by the branch or in the community where the recipient lives if there is no ARTA branch .
This is a significant project , and we hope that both branches and ARTA members will help to identify worthy retired teachers in their communities who have given of their time and energy to provide assistance where it is needed .
ALBERTA RETIRED TEACHERS ’ ASSOCIATION News & Views Volume 19 21 , No . 32
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