Take Charge of Your Health: Session 10

Nine sessions in, this class takes a step back to check in on where you are – and make sure the fundamentals are still working for you. In this free class, Megan Ellison, RDN, CDCES of Sound Dietitians, LLC revisits the core topics from the year – the plate method, macronutrient ratios, snacking, meal planning, and exercise – and layers in seasonal strategies for fall eating and staying active through the darker months. This is the tenth session in the Take Charge of Your Health series, offered through Stilly Valley Health Connections – explore more in our free class recordings library.

What’s covered in this class:

• Plate method and macronutrient ratio check-in – revisiting why non-starchy vegetables tend to shrink on the plate over time and how to course-correct, how protein quality (lean cuts and healthy fats versus high-fat meat) affects post-meal blood sugar even when carbs stay the same, and the 2:1 carb-to-protein ratio as a practical label-reading rule of thumb (20g carbs should be paired with at least 10g protein)
• Smarter snacking – how to use snack time to fill in the fruits, dairy, or vegetables you haven’t had yet that day, why a 3-4 hour gap between eating instances gives blood sugar time to come back down, how to build a well-paired snack like a mini-meal, and the one situation where carbs alone are actually the right call (right before exercise)
• Fall seasonal eating ideas – apple nachos (apple slices with nut butter, seeds, and cinnamon), roasted delicata squash, hearty kale salads and soups, savory oatmeal made with broth, grain bowls batch-prepped at the start of the week, and slow cooker meals that are ready when you walk in the door after dark
• Staying active through the season change – revisiting the FIT framework (Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type) and why skipping more than two consecutive days undermines blood sugar benefits, how to adapt when outdoor routines fall apart in fall and winter (rain gear, home equipment, gym membership), and free YouTube options including Walking with Rick, Yoga with Adriene, Fitness with PJ, and Pop Sugar
• Muscle, motivation, and goal refresh – why building and preserving muscle becomes more important with age for long-term blood sugar control, how to review and update the three-month behavioral goals set earlier in the series, and the reminder that motivation follows action rather than the other way around – do the thing first, then momentum builds