Dads, WIN Back Your Health for Father's Day

Playing with the kids counts as healthy, calorie-burning activity.

(NewsUSA) - Grandmothers might say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but many American dads should be paying attention to another old saying -- the one about eating an apple a day. The experts at the Weight-control Information Network (WIN) want to make sure every dad is feeling jubilant and healthy this Father's Day and for many more to follow.

So, what can dad do to stay healthy? Getting active can help men maintain a healthy weight. Couch potatoes should start with a level of activity that feels doable and then gradually increase frequency, duration and intensity of their workouts. For example, a person could start out walking 10 minutes a day the first week, then move up to 15 minutes the next week, until he meets his goal.

Moderate-intensity activities include brisk walking, weight training and swimming for fun. Chores, walking up stairs and playing with the kids count as healthy physical activities, too.

Of course, even with exercise, men need to watch what they eat. A healthy diet includes whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean meats and seafood, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. And even healthy foods need to be eaten in sensible amounts.

Consider the following information about portion sizes from WIN:

- Cereal. One cup, or the size of a fist.

- Fruit. One medium fruit equals a baseball in size. One-half cup of fresh fruit looks like half a baseball.

- Ice cream. Aim for half a cup, about the size of half of a baseball.

- Lean meats and seafood. Three ounces of lean meat are about the size of a deck of cards

- Low-fat or fat-free cheese. Picture four stacked dice -; that's about the size of one and a half ounces cheese.

- Rice, pasta or potatoes. One-half cup, about the size of half a baseball.

Men whose waists measure more than 40 inches face an increased risk of serious health problems, including high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, coronary heart disease and some types of cancer. Men are more likely than women to carry extra weight around their stomach, where it may cause more problems than fat located elsewhere in the body