You may have specific outcomes in mind, such as improving athletic performance, weight loss, weight maintenance or improving your blood pressure, but good health is at the core of any effective diet plan. A balanced diet addresses the symptoms of unhealthy eating, such as weight issues, fatigue, high cholesterol, low energy levels and stress.
Identification
The first principle of diet planning is the necessity of incorporating health-centered foods and menus. The foods and beverages that supply your calories are the heart of your eating plan and they significantly impact your weight and health. To make healthy choices, you need to know how much food from each food group you need, as well as which foods in each group make the best options.
Significance
A healthy diet can help you avoid preventable risk factors for heart disease. It also potentially improves existing health problems that are detrimental to cardiovascular health. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute says risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, physical inactivity, being overweight and smoking. Women over the age of 55 also have increased risk for heart disease. Several of these factors are affected by your diet, including blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, weight issues and, indirectly, physical inactivity.
Function
Healthy diet planning addresses energy needs, weight goals, heart health, nutrition and quality of food choices, which all support a healthy lifestyle. MedlinePlus reports that a balanced diet supplies the energy and nutrition that your cells, tissues and organs need for healthy growth and development. No matter what your reasons are for managing your food intake, the side effects of making smart eating choices are reduced risks for diet-related and weight-related illnesses.
Features
To plan a healthy diet, identify your energy needs first and then determine which foods should supply those calories. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that moderately active women can calculate calorie needs by multiplying weight in pounds by 12; less active women should multiply by 10. Moderately active men can estimate energy needs by multiplying their weight by 15, while less active men should multiply their weight by 13. This will give you an estimate of how many calories you need daily to maintain your current weight. If your goal is to lose weight, subtract up to 500 calories from your daily calorie target in order to support a healthy rate of weight loss.
Components
In general, you need to focus your menu planning on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk products and sources of lean protein. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identify both the MyPyramid eating plan and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension plan as dependable guides for eating a balanced, health-centered diet.
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