Missouri, the show me state: Show me, What in our food labels?

Kevin pushes on with the heat index well over 100 degrees towards Kennett.MO

We do our best to eat healthy while on the road. It is always a challenge but we do our best to stick to it. One great thing we have learned is to ALWAYS read the food labels. You have to be very careful about products. If they say low fat, no sugar, low calories…just be aware that the bad has most likely been put somewhere else in the product. Simple tips for reading the label will save you from gaining inches in your waist. Here are some nutritional tips below  that you might want to download to your iPod, iPhone, etc.

Helping YOU Stay on Track to a Healthier and Happier Life:

A Quick Guide to Reading the Nutrition Facts Label http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=206

• Start with the Serving Size: 1) Look here for both the serving size (the amount for one serving), and 2) the number of servings in the package,
• Remember to check your portion size to the serving size listed on the label. If the label serving size is one cup, and you eat two cups, you are getting twice the calories, fat and other nutrients listed on the label.
• Check Out the Total Calories and Fat: Find out how many calories are in a single serving and the number of calories from fat. It’s smart to cut back on calories and fat if you are watching your weight!
• Let the Percent Daily Values Be Your Guide: Use percent Daily Value (DV) to help you educate how a particular food fits into your daily meal plan- 1) Daily Values are average levels of nutrients for a person eating 2,000bcalories a day. A food item with a 5% DV means 5% of the amount of fat that a person consuming 2,000 calories a day would eat, 2) Remember: percent DV are for the entire day — not just for one meal or snack, 3) You may need more or less than 2,000 calories per day depending on your level of activity. For some nutrients you may need more or less than 100%DV.
• The High and Low of Daily Values: 1) 5 % or less is low- try to aim low in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. 2) 20% or more is high- try to aim high in vitamins, minerals and fiber.
• Limit Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium:Eating less of these nutrients may help reduce your risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer: 1) Total fat includes saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. Limit to 100% DV or less per day. 2) Saturated fat and trans fat are linked to an increased risk of heart disease. 3) Sodium — high levels can add up to high blood pressure. 4) Remember to aim low for % DV of these nutrients.
• Get Enough Vitamins, Minerals and Fiber: 1) Eat more fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron to maintain good health and help reduce your risk of certain health problems such as osteoporosis and anemia.2) Choose more fruits and vegetables to get more of these nutrients.3) Remember to aim high for % DV of these nutrients.
• What Health Claims on Food Labels Really Mean:FDA has strict guidelines on how certain food label terms can be used. Some of the most common claims seen on food packages: 1) Low calorie — Less than 40 calories per serving 2) Low cholesterol — Less than 20 mg of cholesterol and 2 gm or less of saturated fat per serving 3) Reduced — 25% less of the specified nutrient or calories than the usual product 4) Good source of — Provides at least 10% of the DV of a particular vitamin or nutrient per serving 5) Calorie free — Less than 5 calories per serving 6) Fat free / sugar free — Less than 1⁄2 gram of fat or sugar per serving 6) Low sodium — Less than 140 mg of sodium per serving 7) High in — Provides 20% or more of the Daily Value of a specified nutrient per serving 8) High fiber — 5 or more grams of fiber per serving.

The reason I eat balanced healthy snacks between meals is so I can have the energy necessary to do my presentations, media interviews, and then pushing my wheelchair anywhere from 40-60 miles a day depending on how far it is to our next event. So needless to say I had tremendous physical stress on my body so I had to be cautious of my intake. I needed to make sure I had the proper nutrients, vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. They help me stay excited in my interviews , during the health and fitness summits and during my push.

KEVIN’S PERSONAL JOURNAL

Kevin entering the Kennett city limits

7:00 a.m. CST – Due to some technical glitches, we were unable to receive the itinerary for the today until about 7:30 a.m. I do not like to wait this long to get the itinerary, I am the person who like to be well prepared for the activities that I will be participating in the next day. Being on time and keeping on schedule is something that is very important to me the way that teaching proper health and fitness to our nation’s youth, parents, teachers, local and state officials, and community leaders is important to me.   We had a few mechanical difficulties that slowed us down while packing to leave our Cape Girardeau hotel.  Unfortunately, these events made us late for our meeting with Mayor Harness in Advance, MO.  We missed the mayor, but the Mayor Pro Tem was there to meet with us.  I presented a plaque on behalf of the ‘Big Push’ Across America to the city of Advance and left them with a signed copy of my book, “There’s Always a Way”. I gave them the plaque to challenge him to help make the city a healthier place for all citizens by the time I return on the “Fitness 4 All 50 State Tour.”

Kevin being interviewed by Stephen Bryant of KDEX in Dexter

12:00 a.m. CST – We left Advance and headed for Dexter. Because we were running late, we had to drive to a little outside of Dexter to meet some media. A reporter from the Dexter Daily Statesman met me outside of Dexter for an interview. The radio station KDEX also met me out on the road for an interview.  Media is very important for the ‘Big Push ‘Across America because it allows our message of proper nutrition and fitness to be broadcasted across America and not just in the current city we are in. At the Dexter city limits, the city police were waiting to provide me with an escort to the mayor’s office.　

Saunders- There's Always a Way to get fit

We met and presented Mayor Joe Weber of Dexter, MO with a plaque and a copy of my book, There’s Always a Way, on behalf of the ‘Big Push Across America’ to promote healthy eating habits such as meals and snacks, as well as proper fitness activities to help you stay active.  We told him that our goal was to provide resources and tools for the communities like Dexter to help its citizens live a healthier life through proper food choices and exercise.  Mayor Webster was very receptive to our message and was eager to have his city become a part of war against obesity. This was great news to hear and we can only hope our message of proper health and fitness can make an impact on other cities and towns like Dexter.

I decided to push the next 42 miles from Dexter to Kennett with only three short breaks for Gatorade and water. Keeping up the fluids is important! You do not want to get dehydrated on a push like this. I needed to be in peak athletic condition to be able to accomplish this push and spread our message.  On one of our breaks, we met a woman, who had seen me on TV and was waiting for me to pass through. Her husband told her he had seen us on Highway 25 and that if she waited around, she’d get to meet us. She was a great lady and was very inspired with the ‘Big Push’. She came up, talked with us, and gave us some water and a donation. What a kind lady!　That is just what the Revolution is all about! It’s about regular every day people that get caught up in the excitement and fun of living healthy and getting in shape. There were also some local watermelon growers across the road that had a 350-acre patch. They were so generous that they gave us a huge watermelon and a cantaloupe. What better to have on a hot summer day but a nice ripe and juicy watermelon. They were excited about getting to meet us and were supportive of our mission of proper health and fitness. The enthusiasm these individuals showed gave me some extra adrenaline and got me pumped up for the final push into Kennett, MO and believe me when it’s this hot you need all the motivation you can get!

5:30 p.m. CST – Upon arrival in Kennett we immediately loaded up and headed back to Advance. It took approximately 1hr for the return drive. On the drive back to Advance, I laid in the back of the van where I ate an apple, a granola bar, and drank water and Gatorade mixture to rehydrate and get my energy back up.　

When we reached Advance, Andy and I got out and started pushing. It took almost two hours to cover 22 miles. By the time I was through, I was exhausted and my shoulders and neck were becoming strained and sunburned. Tomorrow I need to remember to lather on the sunscreen, HA!　　　　　　

After making up the mileage missed from this morning, we packed everything up and drove 40 minutes back to our hotel in Kennett. After a long hot day, a little rest and air conditioning will be nice.