January 2008

Getting Started with Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

Healthy Eating

• Changing my Eating Habits 
• My Pyramid Mini Poster 
• My Shopping List  
• Smart Shopping
• The Basics of Weight Control 
• Tips for Healthy Substitutes 

Physical Activity

• 1400 Minutes in a Day  
• Getting Started and Staying Physically Active  
• My Physical Activity Log  
• Types of Activities

Department of Veterans Affairs Resources

• MOVE!
  MOVE! is a national weight management program designed to help veterans lose weight, keep it off and improve their health.
• My HealtheVet Healthy Living Centers - Healthy Eating 
  From this site you can understand and track your progress through use of various health tools, learn how family and friends can support healthy living, find caregiver resources and when to get additional help and complimentary and alternative approaches to healthy eating.
• My HealtheVet Healthy Living Centers - Physical Activity
  From this site you can get advice on how to get started and maintain a level of physical activity that is safe and beneficial to your health and other useful tools to start healthy living.

Federal Government Resources
You are now leaving the Department of Veterans Affairs website.

US Department of Health and Human Services

• HealthierUS.gov 
  The HealthierUS initiative is a national effort to improve people's lives, prevent and reduce the costs of disease, and promote community health and wellness.  On HealthierUS.gov you will learn how to: Make physical activity a part of your day, eat more healthy foods, protect yourself and your family from illness, and avoid risks to your health and the health of your loved ones. Bad habits are not easily broken. Good ones are not easily won. But you can do it!
• Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 
  The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are published jointly every 5 years and provide authoritative advice for people two years and older about how good dietary habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases.
• Finding Your Way to a Healthier You: Based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 
  A short booklet that provides nutrition facts based on new Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention   

• Nutrition for Everyone 
  While you already know it is important to eat a healthy diet, you may find it more difficult to sort through all of the information about nutrition and food choices.  The CDC has compiled a variety of resources to help you start healthier eating habits.
• Nutrition.gov 
  This interactive healthy eating physical activity tool, provides easy, online access to government information on food and human nutrition for consumers.

Health Resources and Services Administration

• My Bright Future: Physical Activity and Healthy Eating. A guide for adult women 
  This booklet will help you learn more about the importance of physical activity and healthy eating in your daily life. It will also help you talk with your health care provider about these topics and set healthy goals.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Physical Activity for Everyone: Tips for Being More Active 
  Adults need recess too!  With a little creativity and planning, even the person with the busiest schedule can make room for physical activity.  Think about your weekly or daily schedule and look for or make opportunities to be more active.  Every little bit helps.
•  5 A Day 
  This site includes information on the fruit and vegetable of the month, recipes and other helpful tips.

National Institutes of Health 

• Body and Soul  
  Body & Soul: A Celebration of Healthy Living is a health program developed for African American churches.  The program encourages church members to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables every day for better health.

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

• Portion Distortion  
  Anyone eating on the run or at restaurants has probably noticed that food portions have gotten larger.  To see if you know how today's portions compare to the portions available 20 years ago, quiz yourself to see how today's portions compare and learn about the amount of physical activity required to burn off the extra calories provided by today's portions.
• Keep the beat - Heart Healthy Recipes (156 pages) 
  The recipes in this collection grew out of research and education projects supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. 
• When Delicious Meets Nutritious: Recipes for Heart Health 
  Heart healthy cooking simply means making dishes that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and moderate in total fat.  As an added bonus, these dishes have fewer calories than those higher in fat.  The recipes that follow will even tempt children.  That's important, because good eating habits need to start early.
• Aim for a healthy weight (44 pages) 
  Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is good for your overall health and will help you prevent and control many diseases and conditions.  Maintaining a healthy weight has many benefits, including feeling good about yourself and having more energy to enjoy life.
• Guide to Behavior Change - Behaviors That Will Help You Lose Weight and Maintain It 
  Learn the importance of setting the right goals, how small successes lead to greater success and more.

National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Disorders

•  Active at any size - Weight Control Information Network 
  Good news-if you are a very large person, you can be physically active-and you can have fun and feel good doing it.

U.S. Department of Agriculture   

• The Food and Nutrition Information Center 
  A leader in food and human nutrition information dissemination since 1971.  This site provides credible, accurate, and practical resources for nutrition and health professionals, educators, government personnel and consumers.    
• MyPyramid.gov                                     
  One size doesn't fit all.  MyPyramid Plan offers you a personal eating plan with the foods and amounts that are right for you.
• MyPyramid Tracker                            
  MyPyramid Tracker is an online dietary and physical activity assessment tool that provides information on your diet quality, physical activity status, related nutrition messages, and links to nutrient and physical activity information.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

• Information about Losing Weight and Maintaining a Healthy Weight
  Find information on calories, healthier eating, a consumer's guide to fats and more.

Non Federal Government Resources
You are now leaving the Department of Veterans Affairs website.  VA does not endorse and is not responsible for content of any of the links listed below.

American Diabetes Association
Information on losing weight in a healthy way and learning how to keep it off.