March is National Nutrition Month

Celebrate a world of flavors by promoting National Nutrition Month. National Nutrition month advocates and raises awareness around living a healthy lifestyle. It highlights the importance of making educated meal choices and knowing what we are putting in our bodies. There are many ways to start living a healthy lifestyle, and do not forget it is never too late to start! 

Bringing awareness to the foods we eat: First off, let us start with the basics- what are the nutrients we ingest?

Foods contain calories. However, what are calories? Calories are a unit of energy that we use to measure how much is in different foods. The amount of energy released when the human body breaks down food. The more calories a specific food has, the more energy it can provide for the body. However, when you eat more calories than your body needs, your body then begins to store those extra calories as body fat. 

So, now that we know what calories are, let’s talk about what makes up calories. Three nutrients make up calories: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. These three nutrients are also known as macros. 

How do we measure macros? Each macro has a specific amount of calories in it. 

• 1 gram of carbohydrates has four calories
• 1 gram of protein has four calories 
• 1 gram of fat has nine calories, more than two times as much as carbohydrates or protein

This information is excellent to know when breaking down how nutrition works! Educating yourself on how calories are utilized and what makes up calories is beneficial for improving one’s health. In addition, keeping track of your macro intake helps you better understand the number of calories your body needs to lose, gain, or sustain a specific weight. 

What are some macro-friendly meals? 

A macro balanced meal would consist of an equally measured dish. An example of that would be: 

Grilled chicken breast, rice, and vegetables 

This combo highlights a good meal containing lean protein and carbohydrates-the two most important macros!

This table displays the macros of the sample meal above, so you have an idea of what a macro-friendly meal looks like J 

Having a Healthy Lifestyle:

National Nutrition Month is about eating healthily, but it’s also about keeping your body healthy too! When you exercise, you are burning those calories you consumed. So, it is essential to keep your body moving; some simple examples can be walks around the neighborhood, stretching/mobility work, and weightlifting.

Working out is also beneficial for helping keep your body at a sustainable weight. One way to start is by signing up at your local community gym. 

Here at Creek Fit, we offer a variety of annual memberships for the residents of Coconut Creek:

$50 Fitness Only membership (fitness center only)

$100 Fitness Plus Membership (includes classes such as Spinning®, Zumba®, and H.I.I.T).

$150 Polar Membership (challenge yourself and track your performance with our Polar Heart Rate Training Program) Polar Heart Rate Monitors available for purchase (wholesale pricing) at the Creek Fit Front Desk at the Recreation Complex.

If you need a little extra push to get started on your fitness journey, Creek Fit also offers Personal Training for $20 for 30 minutes. Exercise helps the body to produce serotonin, also known as the “happy hormone,” which allows individuals to feel good. 

Not only does serotonin benefit your body but your mind too. So let us help you get started on your fitness journey today! See us at one of our Creek Fit locations: Recreation Complex 4455 Sol Press Boulevard or Community Center 1100 Lyons Road, or call for more information at (954) 545-6650.