So many diets help you lose weight, but few help you maintain your weight, according to the American Dietetic Association. A good diet for normal people should encourage balanced eating, including a variety of foods from all the different food groups. It should also encourage healthy habits you can continue for the rest of your life.
USDA MyPyramid Plan
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid Plan is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It is designed to help you make better food choices to maintain a healthy weight and prevent chronic illness. The MyPyramid Plan offers a personalized diet based on your age, weight, height and activity level. The personal plan tells you exactly how many calories you need to maintain your current weight and provides the number of servings you need from each food group to meet your calorie goal. In addition to the meal plan, the diet also offers advice on how to make good food choices, healthy methods of food preparation and tips on how to increase your physical activity.
Healthy Eating Pyramid
The Healthy Eating Pyramid was designed by the Nutrition Department at the Harvard School of Public Health. While diet plays an important role in the pyramid, its foundation rests on exercise and weight control. When you focus on weight and exercise, a healthy diet automatically follows, according to Harvard. The Healthy Eating Pyramid diet does not provide specific recommendations of what to eat each day. It does, however, encourage you to eat more plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. It also suggests you eat more poultry and fish and limit your intake of red meat. In addition, typical American foods, such as refined grains, sugary foods, potatoes and salty snacks, should be rarely consumed.
Calories Count
Weight loss and weight control is all about calorie balance. Learning how to count calories is a great way for you to be able to eat the foods you enjoy and still maintain your weight. Calories Count is an online weight-management program that can help you count your calories. It features food calorie calculators and counters and online food diaries to help you track your intake. Calories Count can also tell you how many calories you need to maintain or lose weight based on your age, weight, height and activity level. If you need more help with your diet, Calories Count provides calorie-controlled meal plans and healthy recipes. It also offers guides on eating out, healthy snacking and physical activity.
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