Diet and Weight Loss - Food Matters
Proper nutrition is a vital component to living a healthy lifestyle. By choosing proper nutrition you can lower your weight, and prevent chronic diseases and illnesses to enable a healthier lifestyle.
What types of foods should I choose?
Most health experts agree that for weight management and better health, it’s important to choose foods that are lower in calories, fat, saturated fat, and sodium. You should also choose foods that provide enough of the nutrients you need for health, like protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
The best way to make sure you are getting enough nutrients every day is to eat a wide variety of foods every day from every food group. By eating from every food group, you make sure that you are getting a balance of nutrients from many foods. It’s also good to choose more fruits and vegetables every day, as these are naturally low in fat, calories, and sodium—and high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber!
So how many servings do you need every day from each food group? That depends on your weight, age, gender, and activity level. You can find out how many servings you need from each food group by visiting the new Food Guide Pyramid, MyPyramid.gov, and filling in the questionnaire. You can also talk to a registered dietitian, who can help you choose more healthful foods every day.
Portion sizes—an important consideration
Managing your weight calls for more than just choosing a healthy variety of foods. It’s also important to look at how much and how often you eat. You might be surprised—the portion size you’re used to may be equal to 2 or even 3 standard servings of a food. You don’t have to measure and count everything you eat for the rest of your life—just familiarize yourself with some standard portion sizes. For example, 1 cup of cereal is about the size of your fist. A 3-ounce portion of meat is about the size of a deck of cards, a half-cup of cooked rice or pasta is about the size of half of a baseball, and a “medium” baked potato is about the size of your fist.
Here are some additional ideas to help you control portions
At home:
Take out a standard serving of food and eat it from a plate rather than eating from the box or the bag - Avoid eating in front of the TV
- Eat slowly—it takes your stomach 20 minutes to tell your brain you’re full!
- To control your intake of foods that are higher in fat and calories, take seconds of vegetables and salads instead of meats and desserts
- When cooking in large batches, go ahead and freeze food that you will not serve right away
- Try to eat meals at regular intervals
- When buying snacks, go for single-serving prepackaged items
When eating out:
- Take at least half of your meal home—ask for a portion of your meal to be boxed up before it is brought to the table
- Share your meal with a friend or family member
- Stop eating when you feel full
- Avoid “super-sizing” at fast food restaurants