Food
Countdown for Weight Loss
Despite
all of the attention given to popular diets today, most nutrition experts agree
that minimizing dietary fat, controlling portions and staying physically active
are the real keys to healthy weight management.
We
know from decades of research that a diet rich in high-carbohydrate foods- such
as whole grains, vegetables and fruits – helps prevent disease, maintain
healthy body weight and optimize athletic performance.
There is no substantial evidence to support a change in that
recommendation, says Debra Wein, MS, RD, nutritionist and exercise physiologist
at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.
What
formula can you follow to manage your dietary fat as well as your portions?
Nutritionist Carroll Reider, MS, RD, suggests an easy to follow low-fat eating
plan, adapted from the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. Each day, count down your food
choices from 5 to 1 (see chart)
If
you are concerned about your weight, Reider says, go wild on vegetables.
They’re only about 25 calories per serving.
But do no eat more than three servings of fruit or five servings of
grains. If your weight is fin, you
can eat as many grains, vegetables and fruits as you want.
Monitor
and Moderate
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Many
nutrition experts agree that monitoring your eating with a food diary can be
invaluable to weight management planning.
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Moderation
is essential. Some foods include several food groups, and you will naturally eat
servings that are both larger and smaller than the single serving size.
A good goal is to eat the recommended amounts and balance of food groups
80% of the time, says Daniel Kosich PhD, author of GET REAL: A personal Guide to
Real-Life Weight Management. That
will give you a solid foundation for an active healthy lifestyle.
·
Bother
Quantity and quality count. A low
fat diet that is too high in calories or a low calorie diet that is too high in
fat will not be healthy for you over a lifetime.
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The
quality of carbohydrates you eat is important.
Heavily processed convenience foods with a lot of refined sugars may have
a negative impact on you blood sugar level and cholesterol ratio, your mood and
your ability to manage your portions. You
can get caught in a dangerous cycle of eating excessive portions of unhealthy
foods with little or no nutritional value. The solution is to stick fresh whole
grains, vegetables and fruits for up to 60% of your diet.
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5
Servings: Whole Grain Breads, Pastas and Cereals Servings:
1 slice bread, ½ bagel, ½ cup cereal, 1/3 cup rice ½ cup noodles or
potatoes. Whole
Grains:
wheat, oats, rye, corn, brown rice, barley or millet in the form of
cereal, side dished , pasta, or bread. Also
include:
Potatoes, yams, winter squash, chestnuts, beans and peas. 4
Servings: Raw or Cooked Vegetables
Servings:
1 cup raw vegetables, ½ cup cooked vegetables, ½ cup vegetable juice. Include:
Dark green and yellow or orange vegetables. 3
Servings: Fruit
Serving:
For most fruits, a serving of whole fruit fits in your hand. Fruit
juice (1/2 cup) is also a serving. 2
Servings:
Dairy Foods
Servings:
1 cup nonfat milk, ¾ cup nonfat yogurt, 2 ounces nonfat cheese. 1-2
Servings: Fish, Poultry or Meat Servings:
About the size of the palm of your hand and thickness of a deck of cards. A serving of shrimp is about 2 ounces; lean red meat, 3.5
ounces. Vegetarian Options: 6 ounces beans or low fat tofu, 2 ounces nonfat cheese
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