Planning a healthy diet can be a time-consuming and frustrating job. You need a planner that will save you time and provide you with valuable resources on nutrition to be sure you are eating healthy regularly. The American Dietetic Association says that eating healthy doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite foods; just eat them in moderation. But how can you fit cookies into a healthy diet? You need a healthy eating planner.
Step 1
Fill out the questionnaire for the MyPyramid Menu Planner provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA. The menu planner is an interactive tool that provides you with the resources needed for healthy eating. Provide basic information about yourself to get started using the planner, such as your name, gender, weight, height, age and activity level.
Step 2
Familiarize yourself with your personalized nutrition chart. Your chart shows you how many calories you need to eat each day. It also provides information on your nutrient needs. There is a space allocated for menu planning, which includes a space for each of the five food groups and a space for essential fatty acids. The American Heart Association says that all healthy diets must include essential fatty acids. The planner provides you with a list of sweet or fatty foods that you can fit into a healthy eating diet.
Step 3
Plan your meals, starting with breakfast. Look for the food items that you enjoy eating for breakfast in the food list, which is extensive. As you choose foods from the list, the interactive tool provides you with the additional calories and nutrients you need for the remaining meals of the day. As you add foods to your menu, the interactive tools updates your calorie and nutrient needs still needed that day. You may need to remove some items that you enjoy and exchange them for other food items to meet your caloric requirements.
Step 4
Print your menu planner and use it as a guide for grocery shopping. Stick to the foods provided on the menu planner to be sure you are getting the calories and nutrients you need.
Things You'll Need
- List of foods
- Menu planner
- Printer
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