Nutrition

This past friday, we had a visitor. Maria Donahue, who works at the district office, came out and did a nutrition lesson with the kids. Maria is the health coordinator for MDIRSS and her job ranges from working to improve school lunches, to organizing pedometer programs that enourage faculty to get out and be healthier through exercise. She came out and worked with the students on the food pyramid and reading labels. I was a little alarmed by the information on serving sizes. I know I can scarf down my allotted 6 ounces of grain group in about five minutes flat. And let's not even talk about the ice cream. Thank goodness we get a lot of exercise because I've seen these kids at pot luck dinners and they can eat! It's so refreshing being around a group of kids that think the 60 minutes of suggested exercise a day is hilarious. Heck, they get that before they even arrive at school!

But seriously, folks, have you really looked at the sugar content in those energy drinks? 15 packets of sugar. And apple juice is almost the same. That would explain why I love apple juice. The tricky part is all that 'serving size' stuff. Okay, who drinks half of an apple juice and calls it good? Umm, nobody. Well, there are two servings in there, so it's 50 grams of sugar instead of 25. Wow. No wonder they say not to drink your calories.

I'm not sure I'm sold on the 2000 calorie diet and serving size portions, though. Everyone's different. I think if I stuck to that program I would starve to death. And yet I'm not a fanatical exerciser either. Not. Running. Marathons. Over. Here. Looking at the kids, though...they never stop moving, and they're growing like weeds in August, so maybe amount isn't an issue for them, but quality should be for everyone. Yeah, yeah, we all have nights when we sit in front of the t. v. and eat a box of Cheez Its, but hopefully it's not every night. That whole moderation idea is a good one too.

Now, pass that pint of Haagen Daaz and a spoon, will ya?