Good Diet Plan For A Week To Live Healthy

Planning your weekly diet in advance helps organize your shopping and food selections and helps ensure you eat a healthy, balanced diet with a variety of food options. A balanced diet with the proper ratio of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats is essential to a healthy lifestyle, and having a wide variety of healthy recipes helps ensure you have adequate variety in your food selections.

Balanced Diet

A balanced diet contains 10 to 30 percent protein, 45 to 65 percent carbohydrates, and 20 to 35 percent fats. When planning a weekly diet, make sure you have adequate protein through lean meats such as chicken, turkey, tofu and fish, as well as low-fat dairy such as skim milk, cottage cheese and yogurt. Use plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits as side dishes and salads to accompany your meals. In general, vegetables and fruits should cover half of the plate for your lunches and dinners.

Tips for Weekly Meal Planning

You can ensure the correct balance of nutrients in your diet by planning out a weekly list of meals. Choose entrees that combine protein with complex carbohydrates, such as a whole wheat turkey breast sandwich or wheat pasta with lean ground beef. The U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests your meal should be based on a 9-inch plate and should contain one-fourth starch, one-fourth protein, and one-half vegetables, with dishes of fruits and a serving of skim milk to round out the meal.

Controlling Calories

Your weekly meal plans should be planned to meet, but not exceed, your suggested calorie intake. These values vary among individuals depending on age, gender and activity level. You can practice healthy weight management and prevent unwanted weight gain or weight loss by following these guidelines on a daily and weekly basis. If you have specific concerns about your weight or calorie intake, consult a doctor or nutritionist regarding your individual needs.

Weekly Exercise Plan

Exercise is a critical part of your healthy weekly diet planning. Do a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day and try to break your week up between cardiovascular exercise, such as walking or jogging, and strengthening exercises such as resistance and weight training. Alternating among a variety of activities such as biking, hiking and group fitness classes will help keep your fitness plan consistent. You can add longer workouts during the week in case you want to take a day off for rest, or due to a hectic work schedule. Planning in advance will help you meet your exercise goals.