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Colorful Choices program encourages healthy eating

Remember when your mother harped on about eating those fruits and vegetables? She was on to something.

Starting Monday (March 7), as part of National Nutrition Month in March, the Lab's Wellness Center (HSR-2) is sponsoring the Colorful Choices nutrition incentive program to highlight the benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables.

"Colorful Choices is a 20-day nutrition incentive program that is a feast for the eyes as well as a satisfying way to eat and stay healthy," said Gentry Munger.

Colorful Choices runs during March; employees are asked to eat at least 100 servings of fruits and vegetables for 20 days in March. She said though the number seems high, it averages out to just a minimum of five servings a day of fruits and vegetables.

"With this program, there is no calorie counting, no gram tabulating, no weighing or measuring portions," said Gentry Munger. "Colorful Choices takes the confusion out of nutrition."

Gentry Munger said participants select fabulous fruits and vivid vegetables from five color categories. The program also provides recipes, tips, education materials, and a fun, easy log. Employees can sign up for the program by going to the Wellness Center's Web page at www.wellness.lanl.gov/ online. There is no cost to sign up for the program and there are free gifts (while supplies last) to employees who sign up. Once registered, the Web page has information about the many colorful fruits and vegetables that employees can add to their diets.

There also will be prizes awarded at the conclusion of the incentive program.

Gentry Munger said the Wellness Center also is hosting a workshop at 12:05 p.m., March 8 designed to help employees increase their healthy eating. Called Stealth Nutrition, the class provides tips on how to add healthy vegetables to the daily diet. Registration is required for this class at http://www.wellness.lanl.gov/svc/classes/hp/hp_sch.htm online or by calling 7-7166.

For more information, contact Gentry Munger at mgm@lanl.gov by electronic mail or Linna Nguyen also of the Wellness Center at 7-7166.

--Steve Sandoval

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