Positive diets should have the same essentials of full nutrition while meeting your goals of weight maintenance or loss. Design your own menus by eating the right ratio of carbs, protein and fats. Take in fresh produce, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fish, nuts and seeds while steering clear of processed foods and you shouldn't need any special vitamin supplements unless you have a special medical condition.
The Right Ratios
Any positive, healthy diet should have about half the total calorie intake in carbs, a quarter in protein and one quarter in fat. MayoClinic.com states the ratio between healthy carbs, protein and fat is about the same for any age although the total calories taken in will vary for age, gender and activity differences. Young girls between the ages of 4 and 8 should take in between 30 g and 90 g of protein, 135 g to 195 g of carbs and 33 g to 47 g of fat for an average 1,200 calorie-per-day diet. Active, growing girls could increase all those numbers by 50 percent. At the upper level, guys from 14 to 18 should take in 55 g to 165 g of protein, 248 g to 358 g of carbs and 61 g to 86 g of fat for the 2,200 calories relatively inactive guys should take in. If the guys in your family are active, they could take in half again as much.
The Right Foods
Choose the right foods to supply your nutrition. Whole grains provide complex carbs for long-lasting energy as well as dietary fiber. MyPyramid.gov states whole grains, seeds and nuts all provide good fiber for digestion, while you can get a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals by selecting a variety of colors in the fresh produce aisle. Healthy fats in the right ratios come naturally with low-fat dairy products, lean meats and fish. Keep plenty of veggies and yogurt dip around to fend off diet-killing hunger pangs between meals without resorting to processed snacks with their unhealthy sodium, sugar and preservative additives.
The Right Calorie Count
Use the nutrition information labels on foods to help keep on track with the calories you should take in. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that men and women should take in different amounts of calories per pound of body weight to maintain their current weights. Activity levels play a role too. If you are an active man, you can eat 15 calories per pound daily, while inactive men should only take in about 13 calories per pound to keep from gaining weight. If you are an inactive woman, you should only eat about 10 calories per pound, but if you exercise at least a half-hour daily with brisk walking, cycling or swimming, you could take in about 12 calories per pound daily.
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