As March comes to a close, National Nutrition Month® also ends. This month’s theme, “Nutrition: It’s a Matter of Fact” focused on getting your nutrition information from facts (i.e., evidence-based medicine) and not just “believe everything you hear.” There were 10 key messages this month, and I wanted to give you a summary of the articles about these key messages.

Key Messages for National Nutrition Month

1. Eating right doesn’t have to be complicated. Use MyPyramid.gov to develop a personalized plan for lifelong health.

2. The best nutrition advice is based on science. Before adopting any changes to your diet, be sure the information is based in scientific fact. (see above!)

3. Get your food and nutrition facts from the expert: a registered dietitian (RD). RDs are uniquely qualified to translate the science of nutrition into reliable advice you can use every day.

4. Balancing physical activity and a healthful diet is your best recipe for managing weight and promoting overall health and fitness.

5. Think nutrient-rich rather than “good” or “bad” foods. The majority of your food choices should be packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients—and lower in calories.

6. Look at the big picture: No single food or meal makes or breaks a healthful diet. Your total diet is the most important focus for healthful eating.

7. Prepare, handle, and store food properly to keep you and your family safe from food-borne illness.

8. Don’t fall prey to food myths and misinformation that may harm rather than benefit your health.

9. Read food labels to get nutrition facts that help you make smart food choices quickly and easily.

10. Find the healthy fats when making food choices. By choosing polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats, you can keep your saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol low.

We at Building Nutrition hope that you have incorporated some of these messages into your daily life and have become more informed about nutrition throughout the month of March. I hope that you have learned a lot this month and will continue the changes you have begun!

Variety to your diet is key to a healthy lifestyle. However, sometimes we would like to know if our diet really does add up to give us the nutrients we need.

MyPyramid.Gov now has a “menu planner” feature (MyPyramid Tracker), that, once you’re logged in (for free), you can enter in what you eat for the day, or even week (and can do so for your family too!). It’s a great feature that lets you see if you have had enough vegetables, fruits, milk, grains and meat/meat substitutes each day/week.

Once you log into the site, it will ask for your height, weight, and amount of physical activity that you do each day. Then, it will give you a goal calorie level. Time to enter in what you ate! While you are entering these food items, it will show you how that food measures up to your MyPyramid goals (for example how that slice of pizza fits in to the grains, meats, and milk group).

Once you have entered in your data for the day, you can get a daily report or a weekly report, and then you can make one change to a food category. For example, if you chose to increase your vegetable intake, it will give you several choices to make from this. You then choose a goal to strive for (for example, by choosing that you want to increase your vegetable intake, it will tell you to “eat carrot sticks for lunch, buy frozen vegetables for easy side dishes, etc” and you can choose this goal and then track how many days of the week you made this change).

Once you have made a step towards a change in your diet, the program will save this information, and you can view any of the information you entered in at your next visit.

Check it out, and if you’re not convinced as to how it works, check out the Site Map! In my opinion, one of the drawbacks to the program is that the calorie goals are general, there is not an extensive list of foods to choose from, and the program does not automatically take you to your “suggested goals” once you log back in. But overall, it is a basic, and free, way to track your diet and see if you really are meeting the guidelines!

So, now that we’ve gone through all of the key messages for the month, with the “Nutrition: It’s a Matter of Fact” theme, let’s see what you have learned! Click here to take a quiz and test your nutrition knowledge. I hope that by reading the articles over the past month, you will pass the quiz! Comment and let me know how you did :-).

Remember when we were little and got our first jump rope? How fun was it to think of different jumps we could do? Who would think that jumping rope burns calories and is a great workout? So, instead of just giving your kids a jump rope for exercise, think about jumping yourself!

One of the benefits of jumping rope is that it is inexpensive (a jump rope costs between $5 and $40 at Target or Walmart). All you need is a jump rope and space to jump. Sites recommend at least 9 foot ceilings, but it depends on your height as well, and to avoid jumping on concrete floors if possible (to protect your joints). You also should have some proper fitting clothing, but you could jump rope in your PJs if you wanted to! Once you get started jumping rope, it is best to jump in a pair of cross-training shoes, because it provides better cushioning for your knees and ankles.

How to Begin Jumping Rope

After talking with your physician to make sure that you are cleared to jump rope, buy a jump rope that is properly suited for you. To determine if the jump rope is the right length, step on the center of the jump rope; the ends of the rope should come to your armpits.

Dr. Jump has some great information on the myths of jumping rope and the skill required. Although I enjoy jumping rope, I must admit that I am at at the beginner stage of the sport–I am not fast nor am I able to jump for long periods of time! There are many different styles of jump roping and many different “moves” to try, so buy that jump rope, try some moves, and see which ones you prefer!

Health Benefits of Jumping Rope

Jumping rope can be a good cardiovascular (good for the heart) work out, it can improve muscle strength (especially in the lower legs), and since it is a weight-bearing exercise, it can help prevent osteoporosis. It also helps with balance, coordination, and flexibility, to name a few. The average, 150 pound person will burn about 90 calories for every 10 minutes of jumping rope (slow), which burns as many calories as running a 12-minute mile!

So, go out and enjoy this great activity!

_{Before beginning any exercise program, even jumping rope, make sure it is cleared by your physician to do so.}

_{Photo by ASP}

Today is the one year anniversary of Building Nutrition! THANK YOU for reading our site and learning from us! We appreciate each and every one of you and, as always, welcome your comments and feedback.

So, today, I’m going to take a different approach and post about a few of my favorite articles:

First article: Mental Challenges to Weight Loss. In this article, I described some motivational techniques to help you stick to your goals.

First series of articles: Marathon Training Tips for New Runners (written by my husband); it was series of 7 articles that describes several parts of new running: equipment, shoes, motivation, hydration, etc. Check it out if you are thinking of training for a marathon, or if you want some tips on running in general.

Some of my favorite posts:

Great physical activity websites for kids–I always enjoy finding fun activities online that encourage healthy eating and physical activity.

18 ways to eat healthy during the holidays–this post is timeless! There will always be family gatherings and holiday parties to attend, and I like to help all of you keep your weight and food intake under control!

Healthy cooking during the holidays–this post, too, is timeless, on how to reduce calories in foods without skimping on taste. Check it out!

Great nutrition and physical activity gifts for kids, part 1 and 2–I also enjoyed these posts because it’s so crucial for kids to learn about nutrition and enjoy being active. And then, I bought one of the games for my nieces and got to play it with them–and hear my niece say “this game makes me sweaty” was priceless!

I have also enjoyed several of my National Nutrition Month® posts, but more of those articles to come.

I have varied my posts a lot over the year, from reviewing books and foods I’ve tried, to running and exercise tips, motivational strategies (including treating yourself right), and small nutrition changes you can make to become healthier (and ways to get in those key nutrients). I have enjoyed the first year of my website and enjoy helping you, the reader, build your nutrition and fitness knowledge and build a healthier you!

Please feel free to contact me if you have any specific articles that you would like to see in the future. Once again, Thank You!

_{Photo by Sandra}