Eating healthy to lose weight might seem like a daunting task, but it becomes easier with practice. To help ease the process, it might help to employ several useful tools. By keeping track of what you eat currently, you can tailor your menu to be healthier and include sources of good nutrition, such as whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy and lean meats. Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet can help you achieve and maintain weight loss. This includes eating appropriate portion sizes; understanding what constitutes a portion size can help prevent overeating. It's also important to know how many servings from each food group are required for optimum health, based on your age and activity level. Beyond eating well, exercise is also important in achieving and maintaining weight loss. Before beginning any new diet or exercise plan, it's important to first consult your doctor.
Food Diary
A food diary is a simple, effective tool that can help you understand how much you eat currently. The first step in helping yourself eat better is knowing what and how much you are actually consuming. Write down everything you eat and drink for three or four days in a row, being careful to estimate portion sizes as accurately as you can. Be honest. Review your diary to discover areas that might need work. For example, the Produce for Better Health Foundation recommends filling your plate half full at each meal with fruits and vegetables. How much fresh or cooked produce are you eating currently? Look for ways you can incorporate whole grains into your menu, such as replacing white breads and pastas with whole grain varieties. Replace beef with fish and poultry a few times per week. Are your dairy choices currently low-fat? Reduced fat versions of cheese, milk, yogurt, sour cream and ice cream are available at most grocery stores.
Food Guide Pyramid
The USDA Food Guide Pyramid helps people to eat healthier by providing information about nutritious food selections and examples of what constitutes a serving. One serving of meat is roughly the size of a deck of cards. A baseball is approximately the size of one serving of fruit or vegetables. Visit the Food Guide Pyramid website to determine how many servings of each food group a person of your age and activity level should be consuming every day.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
"Dietary Guidelines for Americans," also from the USDA, provides information about how to eat well for the best possible health status. Recently updated in 2010, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans focus on eating less of certain dietary components, more of others and working exercise into your daily routine. The guidelines recommend reducing sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day and to 1,500 milligrams per day for people over the age of 51. Calories from added fat and sugar intake should be limited, as should foods with refined grains. Trans fat intake should be as low as possible. The guidelines advise eating more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and a wide range of protein sources, such as lean meats, eggs, legumes and fish.
Exercise Plan
Exercise is a key factor in losing weight and keeping it off. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise five days per week for the average adult. You should increase your heartbeat and break a sweat during exercise, but still be able to maintain a conversation. To keep your weekly exercise regimen from becoming boring, do activities that you enjoy, such as walking, hiking, biking, swimming, playing sports or trying out new classes at your gym. Work out with a friend or relative to help yourself keep the commitment to exercising.
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