The summer season has arrived and not all of us are ready to show some skin in our swimsuits.  Many of us are intimidated to put skimpy suits on due to our poor eating and lack of exercise throughout the year.  This crisis continues annually for a large percentage of us. 

While trying on suits we think about the extra scoop of mac and cheese from the night before or the fountain drink we chugged for breakfast this morning.  We carelessly consume foods without inquiring about what they contain.  Understanding Nutrition Facts is vital to our wellbeing.

America is in a constant hurry of give me, give me, give me.  We want our food fast and hot to serve.  There is a poor system to educate on the makeup of food.  We are left with ingredients and confusing Nutrition Facts that intimidate us similar to the old swimsuit try-on marathon. We tend to spend more time choosing our swimsuits than we do our food items.  This searching process should be reversed.

The most important part of the Nutrition Facts is the serving size.  Serving size shows the portion of food used as a reference on the Nutrition Facts, and the recommended portion of food to be eaten (1).  Americans look at a 12oz. bottle of soda or an over scooped pile of mashed potatoes and feel it contains only one serving, when in actuality it contains multiple servings.  Always start at the top of the Nutrition Facts, SERVING SIZE, and use this as a reference to guide your portions.  Refer back to the blog on Portion Distortion for tips on adequate portion control. 

Never rely on the claims, always read your Nutrition Facts.  These Nutrition Facts can be confusing, but once they are mastered, eating habits will improve and your confidence will build, making it easier to get into your favorite swimsuit.  Keep following Gen-V Blogs at, http://www.genovive.com/index.php/blog.html, for Nutrition Facts, Part 2: Fuel - Insight to Calories.

1. http://www.medterms.com/