A Matter of Convenience: Making healthier choices on the go

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Are you one of those people who are busy and find it hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle on the go? Know that it is possible to eat healthy while on the go! Deborah Tang, a registered dietitian and associate lecturer in the School of Health Promotion & Human Development at UW-Stevens Point, presented on how to prevent unhealthy habits during busy lives to over 125 participants of the Community Weight Race on Tuesday, Feb. 20. The Community Weight Race is a program designed for residents of Central Wisconsin who want to lose or maintain weight in a healthy manner.

Participants walked away with an understanding of how to make sensible changes in their diet based on limited time and options, know what to look for when checking the label to food items, and gathered tricks that will help them eat healthier during a hectic schedule.

Tang explained vending foods with the stoplight approach, “Go, Slow, Whoa,” which is used to label the healthfulness of snack foods and beverages.

  • Go foods – labeled as green – are lowest in fat, sodium, and calories. These are whole foods that are nutrient dense. Go foods should be eaten most often.
  • Slow foods – labeled as yellow – are somewhat higher in fat, sodium, and calories. Slow foods are more processed and should be eaten less often.
  • Whoa foods – labeled as red – are highest in fat, sodium, and calories. They are the most processed and should be eaten least often.

For more information, download Tang’s presentation “A Matter of Convenience: Making healthier choices on the go.”

The Community Weight Race is presented by Ministry Health Care in partnership with Portage County CAN and UWSP School of Health Promotion & Human Development.