Eating healthy doesn't have to be difficult nor complicated. After you start making healthy choices, and make it a daily habit, you won't have to think about it much again. All you need to do is have healthy food choices available and the rest is easy.
When considering a meal or a snack, always strive for a proper balance between a protein, carbohydrate and fat.
What have you established for your caloric consumption needs? I know for myself, that if I want to lose weight, my caloric intake cannot exceed 1200 per day. If I'm trying to maintain my current weight, I should not eat anymore than 1500 calories per day.
After you determine how many calories you should be consuming, you then need to divide the calories out over 5-6 small meals/snacks throughout the day. Don't forget to compliment each meal/snack with the proper balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. I will give you an example of these choices to make during the day.
I should make a quick mention of portion sizes. Do you know what a serving of meat looks like? No, it's not the 22 ounce T-bone at your local steak house. A portion of meat is 3 ounces, the size of a woman's palm.
VISUAL EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT FOOD PORTIONS:
* 1 medium fruit -- tennis ball or tight fist
* 1/2 cup of fruit, veggie, cooked cereal, rice or pasta -- cupcake size or tight fist
* 1 cup of salad -- the amount you can hold in two hands cupped together.
* 1 medium baked potato -- computer mouse
* 1 cup of cold cereal -- large handful or tight fist
* 3 ounces of meat, poultry or fish -- palm of a woman's hand or deck of cards
* 1 ounce of cheese -- top half of your thumb or 4 dice
* 1 ounce of fish, meat, chicken or poultry -- 1 egg
* 1 tsp -- the tip of a medium-framed woman's thumb. Also, 3 tsp is equal to 1 tbsp.
BREAKFAST:
We all know that we need a good breakfast to start our day. Without that, we are setting ourselves up for failure of maintaining our blood sugar levels. I would suggest keeping breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same calorie count and then adding smaller snack between meals.
Choose an item from each of the food groups for a healthy balanced breakfast.
Protein: 1 cup nonfat milk, 1 hard boiled egg, 1 oz of low fat cheese, 1 cup low fat yogurt
Carbohydrate: granola bar, 1 slice of whole grain toast, bagel or muffin, 1/2 cup of whole grain cereal or oatmeal.
Fruit: 3/4 cup of raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, 1/2 banana, small apple, orange, grapefruit,
LUNCH AND DINNER:
Preparing lunch and dinner is very simple. Pick a lean protein, add some vegetables and top it off with some fruit for dessert.
Choose an item from each of the food groups for a healthy balanced lunch or dinner.
Protein: Chicken, fish, turkey, lean beef, pork, beans, etc.
Vegetable: Spinach, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and salad greens, etc. For a serving size, fill about 1/2 of your plate with vegetables, 1/4 of your plate with protein and the other quarter with healthy carbohydrates.
Carbohydrate: Brown rice, corn, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, 1 slice of whole grain bread etc.
Dessert: Pear, apple, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup of strawberries or raspberries with a dollop of nonfat whipped topping.
SNACKS:
Snacks are essential to successful weight loss. In order to maintain your metabolism in between meals, healthy snacks are essential. For your snack, consume between 100 to 125 calories.
Choose an item from each of the food groups for a healthy balanced snack.
Protein: 1/4 cup of low fat cottage cheese, low fat string cheese, hard boiled egg, small yogurt cup, 1 oz. low sodium, low fat luncheon meat.
Carbohydrate: 1 slice of whole grain bread, 1/2 banana, apple, grapes, plum, baby carrots, etc.
Healthy fats: Handful of almonds, walnuts cashews or mixed nuts, 1 slice of avocado, 2 tbsp of peanut butter.
This is easy! Remember, these are just guidelines for healthy foods. You do not have to eat the same thing every day. There are so many more foods then what I listed here but be creative. Make healthy choices that are exciting. Try a new fruit and vegetable every week. Remember, this is easy!
When considering a meal or a snack, always strive for a proper balance between a protein, carbohydrate and fat.
What have you established for your caloric consumption needs? I know for myself, that if I want to lose weight, my caloric intake cannot exceed 1200 per day. If I'm trying to maintain my current weight, I should not eat anymore than 1500 calories per day.
After you determine how many calories you should be consuming, you then need to divide the calories out over 5-6 small meals/snacks throughout the day. Don't forget to compliment each meal/snack with the proper balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. I will give you an example of these choices to make during the day.
I should make a quick mention of portion sizes. Do you know what a serving of meat looks like? No, it's not the 22 ounce T-bone at your local steak house. A portion of meat is 3 ounces, the size of a woman's palm.
VISUAL EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT FOOD PORTIONS:
* 1 medium fruit -- tennis ball or tight fist
* 1/2 cup of fruit, veggie, cooked cereal, rice or pasta -- cupcake size or tight fist
* 1 cup of salad -- the amount you can hold in two hands cupped together.
* 1 medium baked potato -- computer mouse
* 1 cup of cold cereal -- large handful or tight fist
* 3 ounces of meat, poultry or fish -- palm of a woman's hand or deck of cards
* 1 ounce of cheese -- top half of your thumb or 4 dice
* 1 ounce of fish, meat, chicken or poultry -- 1 egg
* 1 tsp -- the tip of a medium-framed woman's thumb. Also, 3 tsp is equal to 1 tbsp.
BREAKFAST:
We all know that we need a good breakfast to start our day. Without that, we are setting ourselves up for failure of maintaining our blood sugar levels. I would suggest keeping breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same calorie count and then adding smaller snack between meals.
Choose an item from each of the food groups for a healthy balanced breakfast.
Protein: 1 cup nonfat milk, 1 hard boiled egg, 1 oz of low fat cheese, 1 cup low fat yogurt
Carbohydrate: granola bar, 1 slice of whole grain toast, bagel or muffin, 1/2 cup of whole grain cereal or oatmeal.
Fruit: 3/4 cup of raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, 1/2 banana, small apple, orange, grapefruit,
LUNCH AND DINNER:
Preparing lunch and dinner is very simple. Pick a lean protein, add some vegetables and top it off with some fruit for dessert.
Choose an item from each of the food groups for a healthy balanced lunch or dinner.
Protein: Chicken, fish, turkey, lean beef, pork, beans, etc.
Vegetable: Spinach, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and salad greens, etc. For a serving size, fill about 1/2 of your plate with vegetables, 1/4 of your plate with protein and the other quarter with healthy carbohydrates.
Carbohydrate: Brown rice, corn, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, 1 slice of whole grain bread etc.
Dessert: Pear, apple, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup of strawberries or raspberries with a dollop of nonfat whipped topping.
SNACKS:
Snacks are essential to successful weight loss. In order to maintain your metabolism in between meals, healthy snacks are essential. For your snack, consume between 100 to 125 calories.
Choose an item from each of the food groups for a healthy balanced snack.
Protein: 1/4 cup of low fat cottage cheese, low fat string cheese, hard boiled egg, small yogurt cup, 1 oz. low sodium, low fat luncheon meat.
Carbohydrate: 1 slice of whole grain bread, 1/2 banana, apple, grapes, plum, baby carrots, etc.
Healthy fats: Handful of almonds, walnuts cashews or mixed nuts, 1 slice of avocado, 2 tbsp of peanut butter.
This is easy! Remember, these are just guidelines for healthy foods. You do not have to eat the same thing every day. There are so many more foods then what I listed here but be creative. Make healthy choices that are exciting. Try a new fruit and vegetable every week. Remember, this is easy!
About the Author:
Marilou Lissandrello is fervent about cooking healthy recipes in order to perserve her and her husbands recent weight loss and to live a healthier lifestyle together. Her very sensible guide on how to cook healthy recipes for dinner is available free from her blog, Eat Right Tonight.
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