No two people are alike, and your weight and activity level determine how many calories you need to consume each day to gain, lose or maintain weight. Whether you're looking to shed a few excess pounds or maintain a healthy body weight, eating a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy and lean proteins can help you meet your fitness goals while fueling your body with the nutrients it needs for optimal health.
Step 1
Enter your age, sex, height, weight and activity level into the United States Department of Agriculture's food pyramid calculator (see Resource), and select whether you want to maintain your current body weight or work toward an ideal body weight. The calculator will suggest how many servings of each food group you should eat each day.
Step 2
Plan to eat five to six smaller meals per day instead of three large meals, suggests the American Council on Exercise. Eating more frequently keeps your metabolism elevated throughout the day while controlling hunger.
Step 3
Add a variety of foods from each group to your meal plan. For example, instead of eating broccoli at dinner every night to fulfill a vegetable serving, rotate among dark green vegetables like spinach, orange vegetables such as carrots or squash, beans and starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes.
Step 4
Choose lean protein sources, low-fat dairy products and vegetable cooking oils. Limit the amount of saturated or trans fats you consume to promote heart health.
Step 5
Pay attention to portion sizes as you plan your meals. Even healthful foods can cause weight gain if eaten in large quantities. For example, if you decide to include pasta at dinner as your grain, a single serving is only 1/2 cup instead of the plateful you may be used to.
Tips and Warnings
- Combine your healthy diet plan with at least 30 minutes per day of physical activity, suggests the USDA.
- Talk to your doctor before beginning any new diet plan.
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