Tips for Healthy Living

We’ve partnered with Lite for Life, a local weight loss company, to share tips with you about taking a natural and healthy approach to eating and weight management that will help you achieve and maintain control for life. — Carmelo Sigona

Tip #3: Love Your Fruit

Eating fruit daily is important. So important that Lite for Life and Sigona’s come right out and tell customers to “love your fruit.” With the berry season just about to explode on us, and the local melons just about to come into season, there’s good reason to take advantage of the great fruits.

Standard nutrition guidelines suggest eating 2-3 large servings a day of whole (preferably local and/or in-season) fresh fruits. Fruits provide your body with steady energy throughout the day, satisfy cravings for sweets and also allow you to get your vitamins in their “original packaging,” which improves nutrient absorbability and balance.

The low glycemic index fruits, such as melons, berries, grapefruit and apples  work well as daily go-to fruits. Especially the apples, as most Lite for Life customers will have learned from their notebooks and counselors. Apples have both soluble and insoluble fiber, which breaks down slowly for sustained energy. Reaching for an apple is a better choice than reaching for empty carbs that burn quickly and leave you searching for another snack.

A great, simple (and Lite for Life approved!) snack using apples consists of an apple and a serving of Fage Total 0% yogurt as a protein.

Whether you’re adjusting eating habits for a diet or simply striving to eat better foods for your health, eating something that tastes good is a huge factor in continued success. Flavorful fruits can keep you going throughout the day. Eating all veggies and starches (or carbs) can get boring, but a fruit and protein wakens up mouth and sparks up the day.