Give up (and get off) the SoFAS!

One of the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans is “reduce the intake of calories from solid fats and added sugars” (otherwise known as SoFAS). An estimated 35% of our daily calories currently comes from SoFAS; items such as cookies, cakes, pastries, candies, ice cream and sweetened beverages.

Solid fats are any fat that is solid at room temperature; think of butter, stick margarine, poultry skin, the layer of fat on the outside of a pork chop or steak, shortening and lard.

Added sugars are all sugars that don’t occur naturally in foods in their whole state, but instead are added during processing; think honey, agave nectar, molasses, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar and other syrups.
The suggested intake on an average 2000 calorie diet is less than 250 calories from SoFAS; that equals roughly a 2 ounce candy bar or one glazed donut per day. Where does your intake fall? You can use the ChooseMyPlate website to adjust your calorie needs based on your age, gender and weight.

Now, of course, SoFAS has another meaning too, and also ties in to the Dietary Guidelines. Get OFF the sofa and get moving! If you are sedentary, try adding a 10-20 minute walk to your daily routine to begin moving, and increase your distance and pace as your health allows. If you are currently getting a daily dose of aerobic activity, then try adding some strength training to your “sofa time”. Get up and do some push ups, sit ups and bicep/triceps curls while watching your evening program.
Small changes done every day can add up to big results!