A normal, healthy eating plan takes into account long-term goals, nutritional health and enough variety to keep healthy eating interesting. Avoid fad diets or one-dimensional approaches by utilizing all the food groups, leaving room for individual tastes and making the whole experience from planning to shopping to meal preparation a pleasant experience for all involved.
Fresh Beginning
A plan for a normal, healthy eating regimen should start with clearing the pantry of items that interfere with the dieter's goals, whether it be to lose weight or train for an athletic event. Processed foods and sugary snacks both contain more sodium and less dietary fiber than is healthy for any eating plan, so clearing out those items and replacing them with fresh fruit and veggies for snacks will present healthy choices for when the dieter gets the munchies. MayoClinic.com says that by shopping in the fresh produce aisle of the supermarket, the emphasis is put on healthy items that contain all the vitamins and minerals needed in any healthy diet without the added sodium and sugar of processed foods.
Whole Grain Health
According to MayoClinic.com, 45 to 65 percent of any healthy diet is made up of carbohydrates, and whole grain breads and cereals are excellent sources of healthy carbs. Whole grains contain iron, B-complex vitamins and plenty of fiber to aid digestion. White breads and flour products don't contain fiber, even when they are enriched with iron and B vitamins. For a 2,600-calorie-per-day diet plan, about 1,300 calories should consist of carbs in the form of whole grain foods.
Protein Power
Protein should make up about a quarter of any healthy diet plan. Excellent sources of protein are found in lean meat, fish, legumes, nuts and seeds. MyPyramid.gov says nuts and seeds not only contain protein, but also healthy oils that are good for heart health. Fish such as salmon contain omega-3 fatty acids as well as nearly as much protein as steak, with only a quarter of the fat content. Try a crushed-nuts coating on fish for variety and to add interest to meals.
Fat Stores Energy
Moderate amounts of the right kinds of fat are needed to store energy and break down fat-soluble vitamins. KidsHealth.org says fats are needed to break down fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K for use by the body. About a quarter of total daily calorie intake should be in fat. Polyunsaturated fats, such as those in vegetable oils for cooking, are preferable to saturated fats, such as those found in lard, beef and butter. Saturated fats tend to increase cholesterol, which adds to the plaque found in arteries and may lead to heart disease. By keeping total fat intake moderate, the dieter is less likely to add unnecessary pounds of weight from fat that is stored rather than burned off as energy.
Discretionary Calories
Keeping to a healthy eating plan means accommodating individual tastes, likes and dislikes so that healthy eating doesn't become tiresome. MyPyramid.gov says a certain amount of discretionary calories can be moved around to accommodate individual snacks and off-plan items so the eating plan won't be sabotaged by any one variant. If the dieter would prefer more carbs than protein foods, a shift in budgeting the total amounts of each food item could be made. By moving 10 percent of a total daily calorie intake from the protein to the carbohydrate choices, the healthy eating plan continues without going over the amount of total calories and causing weight gain.
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