Healthy Eating and Calories
Eating fewer calories (and less fat) is important to losing weight and overall healthy eating. Other tips on staying on track include:
- Eat a regular pattern of meals – This will help you from getting too hungry
- Use smaller portions and eat slowly – This will help you digest your food better, be aware of when you are full
- Choose low-calorie and low-fat foods – e.g. choose fresh fruit and vegetables for snacks; eat fruit for dessert; prepare vegetarian dishes
- Choose low-calorie condiments OR use smaller amounts
- Lower the calories and fats in your meats
| Buy lean cuts and trim any more fat that you can see |
| Remove the skin from chicken and turkey. (This can be done before or after cooking.) |
| Choose white meat |
| Drain off fat after cooking. Blot with a paper towel. For ground beef, put in a colander after cooking, and rinse with hot water. |
| Flavor meats with low-fat flavorings, such as defatted gravy, Tabasco, lemon juice, or herbs. |
- Try other ways of cooking healthier such as:
| Poach, boil, or scramble eggs (or egg whites) with nonstick pan spray or use a nonstick pan. |
| Microwave, steam, or boil vegetables in a small amount of water Or stir-fry |
| Cook meats without adding fat. Bake, roast, broil, barbecue, grill instead of frying meat.
Or stir-fry: Heat pan to high heat. Add no more than 1 teaspoon oil or use vegetable cooking spray or defatted broth. Add thinly sliced meat. Stir until cooked well. |
- Eat high-fiber foods – Fiber prevents constipation and slows the absorption of sugar after a meal. Fiber also makes you feel fuller, which may help you lose weight. To avoid constipation, increase fiber slowly, and drink plenty of water.
Examples of foods high in fiber are: dried beans and peas; whole grain products (such as 100% whole wheat or rye bread, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, brown rice); fruits and vegetables with the edible skins and seeds
The flavor of food is an important factor when eating. Even though you are eating healthier, this does not mean that your food needs to be bland. Below are some suggestions to flavor your food.
| Foods | Flavorings (remember to count the calories): |
| Potatoes, Vegetables | Low or non-fat sour cream, defatted broth, low-fat or fat-free plain yogurt, salsa, herbs, mustard, lemon juice |
| Bread | Low or nonfat cream cheese, low-fat margarine, fruit jam with no added sugar |
| Pancakes | Fruit, low-calorie syrup, unsweetened applesauce, crushed berries |
| Salads | Low or nonfat salad dressing, lemon juice, vinegar, a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice. variety of fruits |
| Pasta, rice | Spaghetti sauce without meat or added fat, chopped vegetables, white sauce made with skim or 1% milk and no fat |
Another way you can stay on track is using the MyPlate initiative. It is based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans to help consumers make better food choices.
It recommends that:
- You eat smaller portions
- Half of your plate be fruits and vegetables
- Half of your grains are whole grain.
- You choose lean meats
- You choose dairy products that are low fat or fat free
- You drink water instead of sugary drinks
Rate Your Plate . . . What could you do better to match MyPlate?