• 19Sep

    Are you or someone you know one of the 25 million Americans with diabetes?  If you live here in Georgia, the answer is probably “yes.”

    Georgia makes up one of the 15 mostly Southern states labled the “Diabetes Belt.”   Why Georgia?

    Diabetes rates are often high in areas where obesity is high (Georgia ranked a stellar #14 out of the 50 US states in 2009.)   Obesity causes insulin resistance that can eventually lead to diabetes.

    There are also a higher proportion of Afiican Americans living in the Southeast, who are more prone to develop diabetes, for reasons researchers still don’t fully understand.   And…   the traditional Southern diet of biscuits, cornbread and fried chicken doesn’t help either.

    This Saturday, the American Diabetes Association hosts the Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes – a 5K fundraising walk in Grant Park.  With strong support from local businesses in cities across the country, this event raises over $20 million nationwide to find a cure for diabetes and to support ADA’s mission.

    Good Measure Meals will be attending this Saturday’s event to support our local partner and provide education to our local community.  Stop by our booth if you plan to attend!

    Want to join the fun but not yet registered?  You can still register for free!  If you can’t make this week’s walk but want to support the cause, you can also be a virtual walker or sign up for the next Step Out Walk in Atlanta in Alpharetta or Saturday, October 8th.

    To learn more, follow this event on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/StepOutAtlanta or like this event on Facebook @  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Step-Out-Walk-Atlanta/185301648179376

     

  • 11Feb

    We are so lucky to have Charlotte Hayes on our staff! She has over 25 years of experience in dietetics and fitness and has a special interest in helping people that have diabetes. She has been the Senior Director of Nutrition Services for Good Measure Meals and Open Hand/Atlanta since 2005.

    Her experience includes serving as a diabetes nutrition/exercise specialist for Diabetes Treatment Centers at West Paces Medical Center in Atlanta and at Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. In addition, she worked as a nutritionist in the Wellness Center at Lee Memorial Hospital in Ft. Myers, FL.

    She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in dietetics and community nutrition from Iowa State University in Ames, a master of medical science degree in clinical dietetics from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, and a Master of Science degree in adult fitness/cardiac rehabilitation from the University of Wisconsin in La Crosse. She completed a graduate assistantship in the La Cross Exercise and Health Program and an internship at the Arizona Heart Institute in Phoenix.

    Additionally, Charlotte served on the Clinical Diabetes and Diabetes Spectrum editorial boards and as a consultant to health, weight management and diabetes programs at hospitals and athletic clubs. She authored “I Hate to Exercise Book for People with Diabetes”, published by the American Diabetes Association and numerous articles on diabetes management, nutrition and physical activity. She is frequently invited to speak and present programs on these topics.

    Professionally, Charlotte is on the Board of Directors with the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), and is an active member of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the American Diabetes Association (ADA), and the American Dietetic Association (ADA). Hayes is a registered dietitian licensed in Georgia, a certified diabetes educator, and an ACSM certified exercise specialist.

    Check out our interview with Charlotte!

  • 08Feb

    On January 24th, Good Measure Meals catered the dinner for a continuing education event sponsored by the Greater Atlanta Association of Diabetes Educators (GAADE) & The Greater Atlanta Dietetic Association (GADA) at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

    We were honored to provide the meal for this event. It is a great way for us to show our support for the local diabetes educators, nurses, healthcare providers and dietitians.

    Check out this video to see an interview with Sue Tocher, Diabetes Educator at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Carole Helms, from the American Diabetes Association and learn more about the prevalence of diabetes and how Good Measure Meals can help.

  • 19Feb

    We take nutrition very seriously here at Good Measure Meals. The meals adhere to nutrition guidelines encouraged by important health associations including the American Diabetes Association, American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association and American Cancer Society.

    Balancing the nutritionals for each meal is a lengthy process. I enter each ingredient, recipe and meal into a very sophisticated nutrition analysis program. During this process, I spend the majority of time balancing each individual meal (ie breakfast) – adjusting portion sizes to hit the nutritional targets. I take a close look at carbohydrates, ensuring that they are consistent from meal to meal. I also look at the nutrition for the whole day (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner all together) and the whole week to make sure everything is in line with the nutrition targets.

    Our chefs weigh and measure every ingredient during the cooking process.

    Each portion is weighed using scales.

    Paying close attention to the nutritional analysis ensures that the meals are effective for individuals who want to lose weight or are managing diabetes or working to lower their blood pressure or cholesterol.

    Nutrition facts are printed on the outside of each container, as well.

    Do you look at the nutrition facts on the meals? Do you use them to help reach your goals or to track calories and carbohydrates? Let me know by leaving a comment.

    Cheers to good health!