Eating healthy does not have to be complicated nor difficult. After you begin making healthy choices, and make it a habit, you don't have to think about it again. Just have healthy food choices always available and the decision will be easy.
When thinking about a meal or a snack, it needs to incorporate a proper balance between a protein, carbohydrate and fat.
Have you determined for yourself your daily caloric consumption needs? I know that for myself if I'm trying to lose wight, I cannot consume more than 1200 calories per day. On the other hand, if I'm trying to maintain my current weight, I'm allow to consumer 1500 calories per day.
Once you find out how many calories you should be eating, you then need to space them over 5-6 small daily meals/snacks through the day. The meals and or snacks should compliment each other with the proper balance of carbohydrates, fats and protein. 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.
SOME 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 tossed 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 -- 4 dice or the top half of your thumb
* 1 ounce of fish, meat, chicken or poultry -- 1 egg
* 1 tsp -- the tip of a medium-framed woman's thumb. 1 tbsp is equal to 3 tsp.
BREAKFAST:
It is important to start the day with a good breakfast. A good breakfast is needed to maintain level blood sugars throughout the morning. Try to keep breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the same calorie count and then add two to three snacks between meals to make up the 5-6 recommended 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: 1/2 banana, small apple, orange, grapefruit, 3/4 cup of raspberries, strawberries, blueberries
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: Turkey, lean beef, pork, chicken, fish, beans, etc.
Vegetable: Salad greens, spinach, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans, etc. For a serving size, fill about 1/4 of your plate with protein, 1/2 of your plate with vegetables, and the other quarter with healthy carbohydrates.
Carbohydrate: Sweet potatoes, white potatoes, brown rice, corn, 1 slice of whole grain bread etc.
Dessert: 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup of strawberries or raspberries with a dollop of nonfat whipped topping, pear, apple.
SNACKS:
Snacks are what make or break the weight loss. You need to maintain your metabolism in between meals so that is why 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: Low fat string cheese, hard boiled egg, small yogurt cup, 1 oz. low sodium, low fat luncheon meat, 1/4 cup of low fat cottage cheese.
Carbohydrate: 1 slice of whole grain bread, 1/2 banana, apple, grapes, plum, baby carrots, etc.
Healthy fats: 2 tbsp of peanut butter, handful of almonds, walnuts cashews or mixed nuts, 1 slice of avocado.
Doesn't this sound easy? 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. Try a new fruit and vegetable every week. Remember, this is easy!
When thinking about a meal or a snack, it needs to incorporate a proper balance between a protein, carbohydrate and fat.
Have you determined for yourself your daily caloric consumption needs? I know that for myself if I'm trying to lose wight, I cannot consume more than 1200 calories per day. On the other hand, if I'm trying to maintain my current weight, I'm allow to consumer 1500 calories per day.
Once you find out how many calories you should be eating, you then need to space them over 5-6 small daily meals/snacks through the day. The meals and or snacks should compliment each other with the proper balance of carbohydrates, fats and protein. 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.
SOME 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 tossed 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 -- 4 dice or the top half of your thumb
* 1 ounce of fish, meat, chicken or poultry -- 1 egg
* 1 tsp -- the tip of a medium-framed woman's thumb. 1 tbsp is equal to 3 tsp.
BREAKFAST:
It is important to start the day with a good breakfast. A good breakfast is needed to maintain level blood sugars throughout the morning. Try to keep breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the same calorie count and then add two to three snacks between meals to make up the 5-6 recommended 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: 1/2 banana, small apple, orange, grapefruit, 3/4 cup of raspberries, strawberries, blueberries
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: Turkey, lean beef, pork, chicken, fish, beans, etc.
Vegetable: Salad greens, spinach, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans, etc. For a serving size, fill about 1/4 of your plate with protein, 1/2 of your plate with vegetables, and the other quarter with healthy carbohydrates.
Carbohydrate: Sweet potatoes, white potatoes, brown rice, corn, 1 slice of whole grain bread etc.
Dessert: 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup of strawberries or raspberries with a dollop of nonfat whipped topping, pear, apple.
SNACKS:
Snacks are what make or break the weight loss. You need to maintain your metabolism in between meals so that is why 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: Low fat string cheese, hard boiled egg, small yogurt cup, 1 oz. low sodium, low fat luncheon meat, 1/4 cup of low fat cottage cheese.
Carbohydrate: 1 slice of whole grain bread, 1/2 banana, apple, grapes, plum, baby carrots, etc.
Healthy fats: 2 tbsp of peanut butter, handful of almonds, walnuts cashews or mixed nuts, 1 slice of avocado.
Doesn't this sound easy? 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. 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 current weight loss and to live a healthier lifestyle together. Her very sensible guide on how to cook healthy recipes for dinner is obtainable free from her blog, Eat Right Tonight.
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