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 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.
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.
SEVERAL VISUAL EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT FOOD PORTIONS:
* 1 medium fruit -- tight fist or tennis ball
* 1/2 cup of pasta, rice, fruit, veggie, or cooked cereal -- tight fist or cupcake size
* 1 cup of raw 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 poultry, meat 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 meat, fish, chicken or poultry -- 1 egg
* 1 tsp -- the tip of a medium-framed woman's thumb. 3 tsp is equal to 1 tbsp
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 low fat yogurt, 1 oz of low fat cheese, 1 cup nonfat milk, 1 hard boiled egg
Carbohydrate: 1/2 cup of whole grain cereal or oatmeal, granola bar, 1 slice of whole grain toast, bagel or muffin.
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: 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 cup of strawberries or raspberries with a dollop of nonfat whipped topping, pear, apple, 1/2 banana.
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 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: Baby carrots, 1 slice of whole grain bread, 1/2 banana, apple, grapes, plum, etc.
Healthy fats: Handful of almonds, walnuts cashews or mixed nuts, 1 slice of avocado, 2 tbsp of peanut butter.
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.
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.
SEVERAL VISUAL EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT FOOD PORTIONS:
* 1 medium fruit -- tight fist or tennis ball
* 1/2 cup of pasta, rice, fruit, veggie, or cooked cereal -- tight fist or cupcake size
* 1 cup of raw 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 poultry, meat 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 meat, fish, chicken or poultry -- 1 egg
* 1 tsp -- the tip of a medium-framed woman's thumb. 3 tsp is equal to 1 tbsp
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 low fat yogurt, 1 oz of low fat cheese, 1 cup nonfat milk, 1 hard boiled egg
Carbohydrate: 1/2 cup of whole grain cereal or oatmeal, granola bar, 1 slice of whole grain toast, bagel or muffin.
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: 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 cup of strawberries or raspberries with a dollop of nonfat whipped topping, pear, apple, 1/2 banana.
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 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: Baby carrots, 1 slice of whole grain bread, 1/2 banana, apple, grapes, plum, etc.
Healthy fats: Handful of almonds, walnuts cashews or mixed nuts, 1 slice of avocado, 2 tbsp of peanut butter.
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 perserve her and her husbands current weight loss and to live a healthier way of life 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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