Be Well - A Guide to Healthy Living

By Sara Grassmeyer
Wellness Program Coordinator

Hello Porter County!

My name is Sara Grassmeyer and I am the Wellness Program Coordinator for Porter County Parks and Recreation. I graduated from the Colorado School of Public Health in 2011 with a Master’s Degree in Public Health- Community Health Education. My husband and I moved to beautiful Valparaiso, Indiana from Boulder, Colorado when he started law school at Valparaiso University this fall. We love it here and are having a great time learning the culture and resources available to help us acclimate to an entirely different environment. This blog is designed to help you see what’s new with our programs, introduce you to different forms of exercise in your community and motivate you with tips to help you lose weight, maintain health or BOTH.

This week, I want to invite you to visit choosemyplate.org. This website is an online resource that provides tips on eating well, helps you to understand the resources your body needs on a daily basis and allows you to track your meals to see where your energy balance lies.

Begin your exploration by signing up for an account. Having an account will enable you to enter all of the food you eat every day. Choosemyplate.org analyzes your diet, tells you the nutrients you are lacking/ overindulging and describes the importance of daily food variety. Include information about your physical activity. To lose weight and maintain health it is important to understand a very simple equation: you must expend more calories than you consume. It’s that easy.

So, see where you stand, analyze your diet and consider this tool a friend in your health journey. Both diet and exercise are critical to a healthy lifestyle and I am excited about beginning this journey together.

Love and Health,

Sara

Sara Grassmeyer, MPH, is the Wellness Program Coordinator for Porter County Parks and Recreation. She leads a variety of wellness programs at Sunset Hill Farm County Park, including an Outdoor Circuit, and Nordic Walking, which both take place at Sunset Hill Farm on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. To learn more, contact her at 219-707-8281, or e-mail sgrassmeyer@porterco.org.