The eleventh session on nutrition was held on March 28th in the second floor classroom at 72 Bank Street as part of the Eighth Annual Greater Fall River Fitness Challenge  The 45-minute discussion led by Southcoast Health Registered Dietitian and Diabetes Educator Amanda Raposo gave participants the chance to ask questions about their own nutrition challenges. The free sessions are being offered each week after each Saturday Challenge as a way to assist people with issues of weight loss and personal health related to diet including a recommendation on food and advice on weight loss. Sponsored by Greater Fall River Re-creation, Partners for a Healthier Community, Saint Anne's Hospital, Southcoast Hospitals, the Fitness Challenge includes programs provided by All Generations Fitness, the Diabetes Association, Inc., Fitness Fusion, FitWorks, General Fitness. Greater Fall River Re-creation, TKO Fitness, Wiggle Kids, and the Fall River YMCA. Click here for photos and video of the Challenge event held just prior to the session, here for photos and video of the cooking demonstration held the week before, and here for the previous session with Amanda.  For more information, go to www.FallRiverFitnessChallenge.com or call Greater Fall River ReCreation at 508-679-0922.

(Top row) Amanda Raposo of the Southcoast Diabetes Management Program talks with one of the participants as others look over some of the handouts before sitting down to the discussion. (Rows two) Amanda explains the differences among saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats while emphasizing the important role that fats play in the diet. (Row three) Amanda explains that fats do not cause heart disease and goes over some of the articles that explain that reducing carbohydrates not only leads to weight loss but also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. (Bottom row) Participants learn more about how fear of dietary fat has led to the current crisis of overweight and obesity as explained in the book, A Big Fat Crisis by Deborah Cohen.