Taking the time to plan healthy, balanced meals can be difficult for people with busy schedules. Nutrition information is sometimes contradictory and confusing, making it hard to know how to effectively lose weight. Using current nutritional guidelines to plan each meal ensures that you receive appropriate levels of important nutrients and promotes weight loss.
Guidelines
The key to effective weight loss is creating a deficit between how many calories you consume versus how many you expend. Use a calorie calculator to find your estimated daily caloric needs. Subtract 1,000 from this estimate each day to lose two pounds every week. This 1,000 calorie deficit should come from a combination of dietary changes and physical activity. Use a food and exercise journal, such as My Pyramid Tracker, to monitor your food and fitness choices.
Daily Recommendations
Limit your consumption of fatty, high-calorie and processed foods. Eat six servings of grains every day, with three servings coming from whole-grain sources. Choose three servings each of fruits and vegetables. Keep your protein intake to 5 or 6 oz. each day, and eat at least three servings of dairy products.
Meal Planning
Create meals that feature fruits, vegetables and whole-grain products. Each meal should contain a serving of grain, a small amount of lean protein and at least one fruit or vegetable. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables of several different colors to maximize your consumption of important vitamins and minerals. Substitute wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, quinoa or brown rice for refined, enriched alternatives. These foods make you feel full and keep your energy levels high throughout the day.Instead of eating fatty cuts of meat, opt for soy products, nuts, seeds or lean meat to receive protein.
Warning
Quick weight loss schemes popularized in books or online often provide unscientific and unhealthy nutrition advice. Avoid weight loss plans that promise to help you lose weight in several days or weeks. Losing more than two pounds per week can be dangerous for your health. Talk to a doctor before beginning a new diet or exercise plan to verify that it is safe.
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