Monday, November 18, 2013
The secrets to staying fit are not so far away
One thing my husband and I noticed when visiting our son in
Moab, Utah, is there are virtually no obese people. We started looking around for overweight people in
grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, the local coffee shop, bicycle
rental shops, and even bookstores —
and didn't spot a single one.
Everybody seems to have an active lifestyle, whether it is
running, biking, hiking, mountain climbing, or even riding a zip line. Our son
doesn't even own a television set.
We purposely looked for women in spike high heels, and
didn't see any. Everybody, whether local or visitor, wears sneakers or hiking
boots with active wear like T-shirts and cargo pants, sweatshirts and
windbreakers. Billboards promote the local 5K fund-raiser or the best trails for
hiking or biking.
Fruit smoothies, healthy whole grain breads, granola energy
bars, and a particularly large fresh produce section were most prominent in the
local supermarket.
In the grocery stores they feature the NuVal system to help shoppers make healthier food
choices. A small tag on the shelf next to each product rates the nutritional
value of each item on a scale of 1 to 100. The vitamin and mineral content, the sugar and fat content,
additives, calorie count, etc… are
all taken into account when deciding the number.
Cartons of
fresh strawberries or blueberries were rated 100, and I spotted a few
sugar-laden, nutrient-depleted offerings in the cereal aisle that earned a
rating of one. Even the most buff
athlete will admit to indulging in occasional treats, as long as the majority
of meals consumed are healthy and nutritious.
I guess the bottom line is still we need to "exercise
more and eat better" to stay fit.
Wherever we live, we can follow the example of the folks in
Moab and enjoy expansive scenic views, not expansive waistlines.
Alice Facente is a community health nurse for the Backus
Health System. This advice should not replace the advice of your personal
healthcare provider. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy
Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Ms. Facente or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
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