Tasteful Tip Tuesday: September 2021

Take Your Workout Outside

Exercising in nature has been proven to improve one’s mental and physical health. Being outside also helps promote higher vitamin D levels, a vitamin the body makes when skin is directly exposed to the sun. Many people are deficient in vitamin D, so exercising outside can be a great way to correct that.

In addition, outdoor activity can help you maintain a healthy weight, boost immunity and lower stress. Exercising outside can feel less routine than working out in a gym.

What counts as spending time outdoors?

Visiting town parks, green spaces, woodlands and beaches all count as spending time outdoors. Here are two simple activities that you can do outside:

1. Walking or hiking—Hiking and walking have been proven to improve heart health and can help you maintain a healthy waistline.
2. Riding your bike—Riding a bike helps improve balance and endurance, and it’s an exercise that’s easy on your joints.

Be Prepared

Before you head outside and start improving your health today, you need to make sure that you’re properly prepared. This means that you should pack water, first-aid supplies, sun protection and, if you’re spending a significant amount of time outside, a healthy snack to help you refuel.

Healthy Portion Sizes

A portion is the amount of a specific food an individual eats for a meal or snack. Many factors affect food portions, such as age, gender, activity level, appetite, and where or when the food is obtained and eaten.

A portion is the amount of food you choose to eat. There is no standard or correct portion size. A serving is a standard amount used to give advice about how much to eat, and to identify how many calories and nutrients are in a particular food.

For a general idea of the amount of food you should be consuming, use the following recommendations:

• One serving of meat is about 2 or 3 ounces—about the size of the palm of your hand.
• One serving of grains is equal to one slice of bread, 1 ounce of cereal, or half a cup of pasta or rice.
• One serving of fruit or vegetables is equal to one piece of fresh fruit or vegetable, half a cup of chopped fruit or vegetables or three-quarters of a cup of either juice. In general, it’s not as necessary to be vigilant about vegetable and fruit intake, as any amount is healthy—just be aware of the sugar content in fruit.

Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant with Tomato Sauce

If the recipe link doesn’t work, copy and paste this into your browser: http://go.seubert.com/l/654093/2021-01-07/hjl9vp/654093/1610035002pPhikg43/Mediterranean_Roasted_Eggplant_with_Tomato_Sauce.pdf