A Nutrition Challenge sessioin was held on April 11th in the second floor classroom at 72 Bank Street as part of the Eighth Annual Greater Fall River Fitness Challenge  The hour-long discussion led by Southcoast HealthRegistered Dietitian and Diabetes Educator Amanda Raposo covered the importance of fats in the diet for both satiety and vitamin absorption. She recommend the use of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), naturally found in coconut oil, in cooking because they are more easily digested and less likely to lead to fat storage. 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. 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, R.D., of the Southcoast Diabetes Management Program asks participants how they are doing on their food selection and whether they have tried any of the new recipes that have been offered. (Row two) Participants listen to the explanation why MCTs in cooking can help to support healthy weight loss. (Row three) Dr. Weed suggests that eating diets high in fats can be helpful in weight loss as two of the group members have found. (Bottom row) Ms. Raposo suggests that participants experiment with using higher amounts of fats in their diets as fats do not cause heart disease and may actually reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease as explained in the book, The Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz..