Although you'll get different opinions depending on whom you ask, some facts about what it takes for a person to maintain a healthy body are true for everyone. We all need protein, for instance, and vitamins and minerals. But all foods do not contain everything you require. For this reason, variety is the first step in creating a well-balanced diet, so you get all the nourishment you need from a combination of different foods.
Step 1
Fill your shopping cart with fruits, vegetables, wholegrain products, meats, eggs, fats and dairy products. Adapt your shopping list as necessary. If you're lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy, get calcium from almonds, for example, and protein from meat. Legumes are also a source of protein if you are a vegetarian.
Step 2
Pay attention to the type of food you eat, as not every cut of meat and sandwich bread is as healthy as the next one. The USDA recommends, for instance, lean meats and dark-green and orange vegetables. Although you need to take in fat, the kind you get from a fried doughnut doesn't do you the good that a handful of fatty nuts does.
Step 3
Aim at fewer calories and more nutrients, and try taking in only the calories you know you will burn that same day. Both vegetables and fruits are low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals. Use a calorie calculator to help you figure out how many calories you need per day (see Resources).
Tips and Warnings
- If you have the choice between fresh produce and processed, go with fresh. Other foods to avoid as part of your daily diet include sugar, saturated and trans fats. Read food labels. Research the names of ingredients you don't know to learn whether they're harmful substances you should avoid.
Things You'll Need
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Wholegrain products
- Meats
- Eggs
- Fats
- Dairy products
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