Practice Conspicuous Nutrition Compliance in 2012 Published Feb. 9, 2012 By Susan Haley Health and Wellness Center dietician MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 6th Air Mobility Wing has declared 2012 the "Year of Conspicuous Compliance" at MacDill Air Force Base. This challenge is related to several very important inspections we must prepare for between now and December. Is there a way we can translate this challenge to our personal health? In the last quarter century, the obesity rate in the United States has doubled. Our military personnel have not been spared by this plague. However, fitness and optimal health remain an essential element to readiness and cannot be ignored. Nutritional fitness is an integral part of overall fitness and towards that end, which demonstrates conspicuous compliance. How can we be conspicuously compliant to the nutrition our bodies need? First, is to identify the difference between what we need and what we want. It's interesting we feel it's necessary to eat food simply because we paid for it. We may want to have the value meal at our favorite fast food restaurant, but it probably contains more calories than our body needs for a single meal. Are we entitled to extra food just because we paid for it, or should we respect what our body needs? If you have gained weight then you are eating more calories than you've burned. You may burn 800 calories in your workout, but that doesn't mean you can afford to have a 700-calorie protein shake followed by a 1000-calorie meal. You can't outrun your fork. Conspicuous compliance means learning how many calories your body needs to achieve to maintain a healthy weight. The second necessity for conspicuous compliance is to learn what constitutes a portion and how many portions are needed. We suffer from portion distortion in our country. Portions have doubled at many eating establishments in the last 20 years, and even our plates have gotten larger, so we're eating more at home also. However, we don't need those additional calories. For example, a portion of meat is 3 to 4 ounces (about the size of a deck of cards), and you only need one to two servings per day. Most chicken breasts in the grocery store are 8 ounces, which is more than many people need for the whole day, much less one meal. Even if you are doing a lot of strength training you don't need a lot of additional protein. The extra protein many people consume is a waste of money and calories. One area where portions have not doubled is fruits and vegetables. Only 8 percent of our Airmen at MacDill are eating more than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. These foods are considered nutrient dense. That is, they pack significant nutrition without contributing excess calories. Five servings per day is not difficult to achieve. Having a small apple chopped up in your oatmeal at breakfast, 12 baby carrots at lunch, a large banana for an afternoon snack, and a salad and a half cup of broccoli at dinner will more than meet this goal. The third necessity is to choose foods most of the time that provide high quality fuel without a lot of added fat or sugar. Eating clean is a way of describing foods that have been minimally processed. Fresh fruits and vegetables, wholes grains, dried beans, fish, lean meat and poultry, low fat dairy foods and healthy fat from oils, nuts and seeds should comprise at least 80 percent of your daily choices. Choosing these foods in appropriate portions that meet your calorie needs will help you achieve your goals. Last, it is necessary to have resources which provide information that is accurate and helpful. Knowledge, commitment and perseverance are essential components to making changes. This is not easy, but you don't have to do it alone. Your healthcare provider and HAWC personnel are available to assist you. There are also many reputable online resources available, including apps for your mobile devices. These tools can help you track your food intake and exercise, choose well when dining out, plan menus, generate grocery lists, and much more. Some top rated apps from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics include: Calorie Counter, My Fitness Pal, My Net Diary, Livestrong, Daily Burn, Lose it!, Sparkpeople, and Weight Watchers mobile. Make 2012 the year you practice conspicuous nutrition compliance so you can achieve and maintain the weight you want to be.