Nutrition
Eating healthy is not a once in a while decision, if you want to stay fit that is. You have to make healthy choices daily regarding what you eat, otherwise tour exercise will likely be trumped by your calorie consumption. If you don't know the basics about nutrition then read on to get a little basic schooling on the matter.
|
Just The Facts.
The 5 Main Food Groups.
1. Vegetables: 2-3 cups per day which will vary more for men and less for women. Less for children as well.
2. Fruits: Approximately 2 cups daily for men and women.
* Half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables!
3. Grains: 6-8 ounces per day. These include whole wheat products, oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, whole cornmeal.
4. Dairy: 3 cups per day. This would be 1 cup of milk, yogurt or soymilk. Also 1 1/2 - 2 ounces of cheese.
5. Protein: 5-6 ounces. These include meat, poultry, seafood, beans, nuts, eggs and soy products.
1. Vegetables: 2-3 cups per day which will vary more for men and less for women. Less for children as well.
2. Fruits: Approximately 2 cups daily for men and women.
* Half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables!
3. Grains: 6-8 ounces per day. These include whole wheat products, oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, whole cornmeal.
4. Dairy: 3 cups per day. This would be 1 cup of milk, yogurt or soymilk. Also 1 1/2 - 2 ounces of cheese.
5. Protein: 5-6 ounces. These include meat, poultry, seafood, beans, nuts, eggs and soy products.
Portion Size Estimates
Breakfast, The Most Important Meal of The Day!
Start your day off by eating a healthy breakfast every morning to fuel your body for the day to come. Skipping breakfast tends to make us want to eat more later on during the day. If you want a kick start to your day drink a glass of water and eat a breakfast containing a larger amount of carbohydrates than the rest of the day's meals will contain and definitely add some protein to make you feel fuller longer. For some great breakfast on the run ideas, and the worst to compare them to, go to http://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-best-and-worst-fast-food-breakfasts and view their slideshow for tips on eating fast food in the morning.
Daily Caloric Intake
How Many Calories do we need in a day? An article on Livestrong.com, http://www.livestrong.com/article/316539-recommended-intake-of-calories-per-day/, says women who are inactive need 1,800 - 2,000 calories per day. Men who are inactive, getting less than 30 minutes of exercise per day, need 2,400 - 2,600 calories per day. The more active you are throughout the day, the more calories you can have if you wish to maintain your current weight. If you wish to lose some weight you must decrease your calorie intake and exercise more. You never want to be extreme when cutting calories and exercising. To lose 1 pound of body fat you must skim off 3,500 calories from your diet during an extended period of time. Suggestions from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/calories/index.html states that you need to reduce your daily calorie intake to 500 - 1,000 in order to lose 1-2 pounds per week. For more suggestions on healthy weight loss regarding calorie intake and exercise visit the link provided above. Also to track your food or activity levels, download the following documents to have your own personal diaries so you can hold yourself accountable!
my_activity_diary.pdf | |
File Size: | 21 kb |
File Type: |
my_food_diary.pdf | |
File Size: | 18 kb |
File Type: |
Healthy Recipes!
Need Some Help Cooking? Click on the following link to find recipes for any meal that are simple and healthy! http://www.eatingwell.com/