I’ve been away from home visiting my mother in Florida. When I’m on a trip such as this I have limited access to the internet. Having easy access to the web is such an integral part of my life that I almost have withdrawal symptoms when I can’t get online. On the other hand it is a great reminder that there is so much more to life. I am particularly reminded of the many ways in which our choices can negatively impact our health. Here are some important observations
I’ve made about health and weight management from my time with Senior Citizens.

My mother lives in a Senior Residence Center. She has her own apartment but all the meals are provided in a central dining room. These meals are simple yet balanced and nutritious. The menu choices were created by or at least approved by dieticians.
I think the meals could be better but they are not bad. They provide variety, taste, and visual appeal. These meals would never, ever win any awards but hey that’s not the point. They are healthy. Choosing healthy foods at every meal is a good thing. Do you choose to eat healthy food at every meal? Do most people? No.

We are adults so why aren’t we making the best choices?

At each and every meal there is a small salad bar set up with a reasonable number of choices for choosing additional or substitute fruits and vegetables in addition to the daily menu items. The menu comes with fruit and/or vegetable side dishes. But the salad bar offers an opportunity to select more.

This is great. If we make a choice to fill up half our plates with fruits and vegetables at each meal weight management and good health would be so much easier! Not only do the fruits and vegetables provide a great source of nutrients but they are typically a good source of water and sometimes fiber to help fill you up with only a few calories.

In addition, the Seniors can choose how much they want to eat from small, medium, or large portions at most meals. Even the large portions are a reasonable amount for the average person. Would it be possible to overeat in this dining hall? Yes, but not easily.

For the most part, the Seniors are not eating meals loaded with fat and sugar. Nor are they eating too much. Yet at the same time, desserts are common (more than I would recommend). The secret is the portion size!

As a general rule, the meals are eaten slowly and leisurely. For some Seniors this is by necessity. For others it is simply a highlight of their day to be out of their apartments and socializing with others.

When eating more slowly, the body has time to register fullness and overeating is less likely. In fact, my mother, who instilled in me the importance of cleaning my plate, is now leaving food on her plate! Imagine that, actually stopping when a person is full! That’s definitely one habit I am still working on.

My mother has commented on my clean plate more than once. well, I looked at her and said, “I wonder who taught me to eat everything on my plate! Do you think you could help me unlearn that habit?”

In observing the meal habits of some of the other residents, I’ve watched as people make poor choices and I wonder why? A few of the men will select a meat item and maybe potatoes but no other fruit or vegetable! Well, it is their choice but it is certainly not to their advantage!

And there is one woman who routinely eats nothing but a few cut pieces of fruit and maybe a pinch of cheese from the salad bar along with a small bowl of chocolate ice cream and a glass of tea. How on earth this woman manages to stay alive I have no idea!

Ask yourself how you might be sabotaging your own health and weight management by not making the best choices. Each time you shop at the grocery store or go to a restaurant you have a choice about what you eat and how much. Are you making the kind of decisions that leave you feeling good? If not why not? We only have one life!

The Seniors in the Residence where my mother lives are in their 80s and 90s. I can see why many of them are still going and doing reasonably well. I wonder about a few of them. We all have excuses what are yours?