Eating a healthy diet can give you more energy, improve your mood and help you maintain a healthy weight. It can also help ensure you meet your special nutrient needs, including adequate intakes of iron, folate and calcium, through each stage of your life. A healthy meal plan for women should focus on whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat and nonfat dairy foods and lean sources of protein.
Diet Guidelines
Following basic diet guidelines can help you maintain a healthy weight and increase your energy levels. Always eat regularly, especially breakfast. Eating meals at regular times and intervals can help control your hunger and cravings. Make sure at least half your grain choices are whole grain. Whole-grain foods are high in fiber and natural vitamins and minerals. Fiber in food takes your body longer to digest and can also help you manage hunger.
While it's OK to eat a sweet treat occasionally, don't make it a habit. Foods high in sugar digest very quickly and can leave you feeling hungry and tired. Remember to balance your calorie intake. Most women can maintain a healthy weight by consuming 1,800 to 2,200 calories a day. Talk to your doctor to determine how many calories you need to eat each day.
Breakfast
Include a variety of foods from each food group at each meal to help balance your calorie and nutrient intake. A healthy breakfast meal for women could include 3/4 cup of calcium-fortified, whole-grain, ready-to-eat cereal, 1 cup of nonfat milk, a small banana, one slice of whole-wheat toast with 1 tsp. of margarine and a hard-cooked egg. This meal contains approximately 440 calories. Include calcium-rich foods in your diet to keep your bones healthy and strong and reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis. Women need between 1,000 and 1,300 mg of calcium a day for bone health.
Lunch
Women of childbearing age need adequate intakes of folate--400 mcg a day--to prevent birth defects. Fruits, vegetables, beans, peas and fortified breads and cereals are good sources of folate. A healthy lunch meal for women could be a sandwich made with 3 oz. of lean turkey on two slices of folate-fortified whole-wheat bread, one container of nonfat yogurt, a fresh orange and 2 cups of spinach salad with 1 tbsp. of salad dressing. This meal contains approximately 600 calories.
Dinner
Women have higher iron needs than men due to their blood loss through menstruation. Adequate intakes of iron--18 mg a day--can also help keep your energy levels up. Good food sources of iron include meat, fish, poultry, leafy greens and legumes. A healthy dinner meal for women may include 3 oz. of grilled salmon, a 6 oz. baked potato with 1 tsp. of margarine, 1 cup of green peas and 1 cup of spinach sautéed in olive oil and garlic. This meal contains approximately 585 calories.
Snacks
Snacking is an important part of your healthy meal plan. Snacking helps control hunger in between meals and can help you meet your nutrient needs. A healthy snack could be 1 cup of nonfat skim milk with three graham cracker squares (180 calories). Another option is a large pear with 1 oz. of low-fat cheese (165 calories).
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