Tips for Eating Healthy: Be A Kitchen Pro

Did you ever think about getting a professional to help you reach your goals? I've often wished I could afford to hire a chef to cook my meals, a personal trainer to manage my exercise program, a housekeeper to maintain my residence, and even a personal shopper to guide my shopping selections. That would make my world much easier, but my economic situation doesn't provide for any of that. So, I decided to tackle the situation and become my own "Pro".

Determined to eat healthy and to achieve my goal, I changed my attitudes and habits. Here are some of my strategies:

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Obesity, Lifestyles, and African Americans

Eating is one of life’s greatest pleasures, a great source of satisfaction for us all. We can enjoy food but we need to remember that the primary job for food is to nourish our bodies. When we don’t have the right balance of foods and don’t have adequate exercise we end up with “obesity”. Obesity is more common in African Americans than other ethnic groups.

According to the CDC of Vital Health Statistics, 60.1% of African-American males are overweight and 78% of Black women lead the population in obesity and being moderately overweight. In order to get to a solution, we must identify the problems.

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Eat Healthy Food in 2012

Experts say that eating healthy food is now more important than ever. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that African-American women have higher obesity rates than any other group in the nation, with four out of five African-American women facing obesity or being overweight.

New York City-based nutritionist Adiana Castro says the most common trends with her African-American patients include high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. She says that black women can save money by preparing their own lunches and paying more attention to food portions.

Images of healthy eating are often associated with organic produce and expensive whole grains, but following a healthy, well-balanced diet does not have to take a big toll on your wallet.

Here are nutritionist-recommended ways to include healthier foods in your diet and stay within your budget.

1. Buy quality meats. These meats cost more but consider reducing meat in your overall diet.
2. Purchase long-lasting items in bulk Buying pastas, dried fruits and nuts in higher quantities will also help reduce the need for excess packaging.
3. Buy frozen vegetables. They usually cost less than fresh foods and they last longer.
4. Support local businesses. Farmer's markets and local grocery stores help to reduce grocery costs
5. Buy fruits and vegetables in their prime season for harvest. Buying foods in season means these items are less likely to be shipped from other countries

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