Statistics taken from the Journal of Clinical Psychology, University of Scranton (2012), reveal nearly 50% of the U.S. population will make a New Year’s resolution this year. Out of approximately 155 million resolutions, only 8% of those made will ultimately be successful. The list below shows the top 10 resolutions made for 2012, which identifies losing weight and staying fit and healthy as the number 1 and number 5 most popular resolutions respectively.
Figure 1. Top 10 Resolutions of 2012,
retrieved from http://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics
retrieved from http://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics
It’s really no surprise that weight loss and getting fit and healthy are at the top of resolution lists. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM),“Two-thirds of adults and one-third of children are overweight or obese”. In the January 2012 issue of Oprah magazine, Dr. Oz explained the number one reason Americans are heavy, “The brain, very smartly, wants nutrition. But the average American is eating empty calories. So you finish that 2,000 calories and your brain says, Keep
going until you get nutrients.”
Since many people don’t realize which foods have the most nutrients, they keep eating empty calories and the cycle of undesirable results continues. Furthermore, well-intentioned resolutions fail. People need help achieving weight loss goals and proper tools to help them maintain a healthy weight more than ever. With this in mind, this post will introduce a few handy tools to help set you up for success. Meet Your New Best Friends: ANDI, MUFA, & PUFA.
going until you get nutrients.”
Since many people don’t realize which foods have the most nutrients, they keep eating empty calories and the cycle of undesirable results continues. Furthermore, well-intentioned resolutions fail. People need help achieving weight loss goals and proper tools to help them maintain a healthy weight more than ever. With this in mind, this post will introduce a few handy tools to help set you up for success. Meet Your New Best Friends: ANDI, MUFA, & PUFA.
ANDI
ANDI stands for Aggregate Nutrient Density Index and was developed by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. The Index (ANDI) assigns a score – up to a possible 1000 - to a variety of foods based on how many nutrients they deliver to your body in each calorie consumed. Dr. Fuhrman’s best recipe for the prevention and reversal of disease, and for permanent weight loss is simple. Eat foods with most nutrients in the fewest calories possible.
If you’re a Whole Foods Market shopper you’re in luck. The store has recently begun to label some foods with their ANDI scores. If not, we have included a printable list of the highest rated ANDI foods to make healthful grocery shopping easier.
ANDI stands for Aggregate Nutrient Density Index and was developed by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. The Index (ANDI) assigns a score – up to a possible 1000 - to a variety of foods based on how many nutrients they deliver to your body in each calorie consumed. Dr. Fuhrman’s best recipe for the prevention and reversal of disease, and for permanent weight loss is simple. Eat foods with most nutrients in the fewest calories possible.
If you’re a Whole Foods Market shopper you’re in luck. The store has recently begun to label some foods with their ANDI scores. If not, we have included a printable list of the highest rated ANDI foods to make healthful grocery shopping easier.
MUFA and PUFA
MUFA and PUFA are acronyms that describe two healthy types of fats essential for proper nutrition. Both fats are unsaturated and are mostly plant-based in origin as opposed to saturated fats which are typically found in animal-based foods. The worst fat of all is trans-fats which is typically a by-product of processing used by manufacturers to enhance the shelf-life of some foods.
MUFA (pronounced moo-fah) is short for monounsaturated fatty acid. These omega-9 fatty acids are plant-based fats found in foods like avocado, olives, nuts such as almonds, cashews, pecans and macadamias, vegetable based oils, and dark chocolate. Various studies on MUFA rich diets show that these super healthy fats enhance heart health, protect against chronic disease, increase weight loss and body fat loss especially in hard to lose places like your belly. These fats have also been shown to slow the bio markers of aging, prevent cancer and heart disease and reduce inflammation! As an added bonus, MUFAs are satisfying and filling.
PUFA (pronounced poo-fah) is short for polyunsaturated fatty acid. PUFA fats are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which also have health benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids are heart healthy fats that may lower LDL cholesterol, blood pressure and blood triglycerides. Some common sources of PUFA are: walnuts, flax seed, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, seaweed, some fish and seafood such as salmon, trout, sardines and crab. The American Heart Association recommends that most healthy people eat two servings per week of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. If you don’t care for fish then adding the nuts and seeds listed will accomplish the same results.
MUFA and PUFA are acronyms that describe two healthy types of fats essential for proper nutrition. Both fats are unsaturated and are mostly plant-based in origin as opposed to saturated fats which are typically found in animal-based foods. The worst fat of all is trans-fats which is typically a by-product of processing used by manufacturers to enhance the shelf-life of some foods.
MUFA (pronounced moo-fah) is short for monounsaturated fatty acid. These omega-9 fatty acids are plant-based fats found in foods like avocado, olives, nuts such as almonds, cashews, pecans and macadamias, vegetable based oils, and dark chocolate. Various studies on MUFA rich diets show that these super healthy fats enhance heart health, protect against chronic disease, increase weight loss and body fat loss especially in hard to lose places like your belly. These fats have also been shown to slow the bio markers of aging, prevent cancer and heart disease and reduce inflammation! As an added bonus, MUFAs are satisfying and filling.
PUFA (pronounced poo-fah) is short for polyunsaturated fatty acid. PUFA fats are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which also have health benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids are heart healthy fats that may lower LDL cholesterol, blood pressure and blood triglycerides. Some common sources of PUFA are: walnuts, flax seed, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, seaweed, some fish and seafood such as salmon, trout, sardines and crab. The American Heart Association recommends that most healthy people eat two servings per week of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. If you don’t care for fish then adding the nuts and seeds listed will accomplish the same results.
PRINTABLE GROCERY LIST
It’s one thing to read this post and learn some new things about how to keep a weight or health resolution. It’s another thing to have some tools to help you out with your goals. While we can’t help you eat good food or exercise more, we can offer an ANDI, MUFA, and PUFA guide so you don’t have to memorize which nutrient rich foods and healthy fats to add to your diet. Even if weight isn’t an issue for you, you WILL want to include more of these foods if you desire to increase and maintain optimum health.
Print the list here – and good luck with your 2013 health resolutions!
It’s one thing to read this post and learn some new things about how to keep a weight or health resolution. It’s another thing to have some tools to help you out with your goals. While we can’t help you eat good food or exercise more, we can offer an ANDI, MUFA, and PUFA guide so you don’t have to memorize which nutrient rich foods and healthy fats to add to your diet. Even if weight isn’t an issue for you, you WILL want to include more of these foods if you desire to increase and maintain optimum health.
Print the list here – and good luck with your 2013 health resolutions!
