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Eating properly can help keep you healthy and fit. As
long as you eat nutritionally your overall life will be
more rewarding. Learning to eat nutritionally will keep
you fit and usually you will be able to keep the proper
weight for your size.
Applying 'Eat Less-Exercise More' process
is truly difficult than it may seem to be. Also, people
generally think of adopting quick weight loss programs
to lose their weight. But this is just like a proverb
"making castle in the air" and nothing more.
There are six food groups that you should add to your
diet. These six food groups form the food pyramid as
some people refer to it.
The base of the pyramid is the Bread, Grain, Cereal
and Pasta food group. These foods provide complex carbohydrates,
which are an important source of energy. You should
have 6 to 11 servings of these foods in a day. Examples
for one serving include 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup of
rice, or pasta, and 1 flat tortilla.
The next food groups going up the pyramid include the
Fruits group and Vegetables group. In both groups, these
foods will provide you with important nutrients such
as vitamin A, vitamin C, folate or potassium. They are
also low in fat and sodium and high in fiber. You should
have 3 to 5 servings of vegetables or fruits each day.
Examples of one serving of fruit include one medium
size apple, orange or banana, ½ cup of canned
fruit, and ¾ cup of fruit juice or about 4 ounces.
Only count 100 percent real fruit juice. Examples of
one serving of vegetables include 1 cup of raw leafy
vegetables, ½ cup of other vegetables either
cooked or raw, and about 4 ounces of vegetable juice.
Get lots on information on healthy diets.
The next food group above the Fruits and Vegetables
are the Dairy Items and the Protein Items. Dairy items
provide your body with protein and vitamins and minerals,
especially calcium. You should have 2 to 3 servings
of dairy products in your diet each day. Examples of
one serving of a dairy item include 1 cup of cottage
cheese or ½ cup of whole milk. Protein items
provide your body with much needed protein, iron and
zinc. You should include 2 to 3 servings of protein
daily in your diet and each serving should be between
2 and 3 ounces. Examples of one serving of protein would
include 2 to 3 ounces of any type of meat, 2 tablespoons
of peanut butter, 1/2 cup cooked dry beans, and 1/3
cup of nuts.
At the top of the food pyramid are the Fats and Sweets.
The foods in this group do not provide much in the way
of nutrition. They do provide calories, which is one
culprit for weight gain. Examples of this food group
include salad dressings, oils, cream, butter, margarine,
sugars, soft drinks, candies and sweet desserts.
Your ultimate nutrition informationat
Vitamins Diary
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