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.
A meal or snack needs to incorporate 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 quickly mention something about portion sizes. Do you know what a serving of protein looks like? No, it's not the 16 ounce Prime Rib at your local steak house. A portion of protein 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 rice, pasta, cooked cereal, fruit, or veggie -- 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 poultry, fish, chicken or meat -- 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: 1/2 cup of whole grain cereal or oatmeal, granola bar, 1 slice of whole grain toast, bagel or muffin.
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: 1 slice of whole grain bread, brown rice, corn, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, 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: 1 oz. low sodium, low fat luncheon meat, low fat string cheese, hard boiled egg, small yogurt cup, 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: 1 slice of avocado, 2 tbsp of peanut butter, handful of almonds, walnuts cashews or mixed nuts.
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!
A meal or snack needs to incorporate 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 quickly mention something about portion sizes. Do you know what a serving of protein looks like? No, it's not the 16 ounce Prime Rib at your local steak house. A portion of protein 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 rice, pasta, cooked cereal, fruit, or veggie -- 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 poultry, fish, chicken or meat -- 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: 1/2 cup of whole grain cereal or oatmeal, granola bar, 1 slice of whole grain toast, bagel or muffin.
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: 1 slice of whole grain bread, brown rice, corn, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, 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: 1 oz. low sodium, low fat luncheon meat, low fat string cheese, hard boiled egg, small yogurt cup, 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: 1 slice of avocado, 2 tbsp of peanut butter, handful of almonds, walnuts cashews or mixed nuts.
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 passionate about cooking healthy recipes in order to maintain her and her husbands current weight loss and to live a improved daily life 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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