TA and Petro Stopping Centers is excited to announce a collaboration with the American Heart Association (AHA) to further the reach of their mission and provide you with tips and tricks while on the road and at home. The AHA is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Together with StayFit, the AHA is working to bring you beneficial and heart-healthy information to help you live your best life possible! The following article was written and provided by the AHA to share information on healthy eating habits and nutrition.
Plan Ahead to Eat Healthier
From your friends at the American Heart Association
Healthy eating has a direct link to our risk for cardiovascular diseases, and it is one of the most important things you can do for your body. A healthy diet and lifestyle are your best weapons in the fight against heart disease. The American Heart Association has plenty of recommendations to help you make smart choices and eat healthy in order to benefit your heart and overall health.
One of the things we can do to improve our eating habits is to plan ahead.
Plan out one or two weeks of healthy meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On the weekend, select some healthy recipes online or from your recipe box, and map out your meal plan.
Use a grocery list or meal-planning app on your smart phone with a grocery list feature. This can help you save time and plan to include healthier options in your meals.
If your work week is crazy, cook over the weekend and store pre-portioned meals in the fridge or freezer.
Cut up fruits and vegetables and keep them handy in the fridge, or pre-pack individual servings to keep chilled for when you’re on the go.
Snack healthy. Try raw veggie sticks like green or red bell peppers, green beans, celery or carrots. Carry dried fruit, such as raisins, dates or dried apricots along with you. Enjoy fresh fruit like grapes, apples, bananas, oranges, etc. On hot days, consider snacking on frozen fruit or veggies.
When you need to dine out when on the road, choose your meal wisely. Making smart choices when on the go can keep your healthy habits intact.
Hidden sodium and sugar-sweetened beverages can derail your healthy eating.
For more information on ways to take control of your health with healthy eating, visit heart.org/nutrition