Choosing to lose weight and/or to improve your overall health by eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet is a choice you will not regret. The old saying, "you are what you eat," is certainly true, as the foods you put in your body control your muscle, bone, organ and brain health. Making sure that you are consuming an adequate amount of vitamins and nutrients each week can increase your odds of maintaining a healthy body weight and good health over the long run.
The Facts
Healthy diet plans do not have to be difficult to follow. The key is to focus on eating the ideal number of calories for you, as well as eating the right foods. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services, recommends the people focus on eating vegetables, fruits, low-fat or non-fat dairy, lean protein sources and limited sugar and salt. Furthermore, the Guidelines state that the minimum number of daily calories for adult women is about 1,600 and for adult men, about 2,000 calories.
Significance
Using a simple, easy-to-follow diet plan will significantly increase your chances of sticking with the plan over the long term. Diets that require you to count points, limit certain foods or require you to purchase pre-packaged meals are tough to stick with over the long term and may not even be the healthiest way to go. An easy diet is one that focuses on eating healthy foods and limiting unhealthy choices.
Types
There are several types of healthy diet plans you can choose to follow. The first is the MyPyramid Plan developed by the USDA. This plan is based on the findings spelled out in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Another choice is to go vegetarian. The vegetarian lifestyle has been endorsed by the USDA, American Heart Association, American Dietetic Association and other reputable health organizations as being a healthy way to live. A third type of simple diet plan is to simply cut out sugary foods and drinks from your diet -- similar to a low-glycemic index diet. Sugar is loaded with calories and contains little nutrition, so too much of it will only lead to weight gain.
Meal Schedule
A simple weekly diet plan should consist of anywhere from three to six meals per day, depending upon your goals. People trying to improve their overall health but who do not need to lose weight can eat three well-balanced meals per day. People looking to increase their energy levels and metabolism may want to eat four to six smaller meals per day to help increase the odds of achieving weight loss. In addition to eating right, FamilyDoctor.org recommends exercising for 30 to 60 minutes, four to six times per week.
Warning
Choosing an unhealthy diet plan or a fad diet can lead to long-term weight gain and possibly other health complications, according to FamilyDoctor.org. Pick a diet plan that is based on proven scientific research provided by reputable health organizations, such as the USDA, AHA and ADA. In addition, you should consult your doctor prior to starting a new diet plan to be sure that it's right for you.
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