The skinny on weight loss: Watch what you eat

  • Published
  • By Capt. Kathleen McWilliams
  • 512th Mission Support Squadron commander
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  As you start to think about spring, you may be thinking about your upcoming annual Air Force fitness test or fitting into those summer clothes. 

To assist you in meeting those goals, I challenge you to always think about nutrition. You should consider the nutritional value of every meal and snack to ensure a healthy weight and pride in your appearance. 

I recently kept a log of everything I ate to include estimated calories for at least one week to evaluate my food choices and was surprised by the results. 

Would your log contain "empty calories" with too many fats, sweets, sodium and "carbs"? I can answer that question. It's a resounding "yes," and here's why. 

Between 1972 and 2004, the number of food service establishments in the United States nearly doubled from 491,000 to 878,000, according to the Health, United States, a 2007 report published by the National Center for Health Statistics. In 2004, dining- out spending accounted for 42 percent of average annual food expenditures compared with 26 percent in 1970. 

The frequent consumption of restaurant meals, coupled with the poor nutritional profile of many of these foods, coincided with the significant increase in the percentage of Americans who are obese. 

So, please review your eating habits because as military professionals we are unlike our civilian counterparts - we must meet higher standards. Our country expects us to be fit and healthy to perform our duties in austere conditions or high operations-tempo, stressful situations. 

Is proper nutrition part of your lifestyle?