Tips for Healthy Eating

• Choose a realistic calorie level. Keep a food record for 1 week. Review your diet. Aim to decrease your caloric intake by 300 to 500 calories per day. This can be as simple as:
  • Eating a few less bites at each meal
  • Ordering a smaller portion instead of an entrée at your favorite restaurant
  • Using 1 less pat of butter on your morning toast
  • Having a seltzer instead of a soda
  
  Do this and you'll almost meet your caloric decrease for the day.
  
  The US Dietary Guidelines 2005 shows meal plan patterns for various calorie levels. (see below)
  
  You can use these meal plan patterns. Make sure that you're eating enough from all of the food groups each day. Keep the focus on eating foods that should be in your diet. You'll find that you will want the high-calorie foods less. Built in these meal plans are "free" calories to "spend" as you wish.

• Choose high-fiber, unprocessed foods. These foods will fill you up with fewer calories more often than refined foods with added sugar and fat. They generally offer more nutrition.

• Choose fat sensibly. Limit your intake of saturated and trans fats, and include fats such as:
  • Olive oil
  • Canola oil
  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Fatty fish
  These types of unsaturated fats support good health. Plus, they help make meals and snacks taste good.

• Choose lean protein sources. Emphasize sources of animal protein, such as:
  • Chicken and turkey without the skin
  • Plant-based sources of protein such as beans and tofu
  Protein will help to increase a feeling of fullness, thereby keeping you on track.

• Pay attention to portion sizes. We often eat what is put on our plates. Most portions from restaurants and our own kitchens that are served at meal time are huge. You may need to retrain yourself with measuring cups to learn to judge portion sizes.

• Don't drink your calories. Sweetened liquids provide little or no nutrition. They are also high in calories. Drinking your calories rarely provides you with the feeling of fullness of just having eaten a meal.

• Eat breakfast. People who skip breakfast are more often overweight than those who don't. Eating breakfast may help you to eat less all day long.

• Space your calories throughout the day. Don't focus most of your caloric intake at the evening meal. This may make it more difficult to lose weight.

• Stop fad dieting. Fad diets do not work. Aim to adopt a full-time healthy eating and exercise lifestyle.