What is a Healthy Diet?
July 7th, 2010 | 
Author: 
Wikipedia defines “A healthy diet is one that is arrived at with the intent of improving or maintaining optimal health”. “This usually involves consuming nutrients by eating the appropriate amounts from all of the food groups, including an adequate amount of water.”
The main benefits of a healthy diet are:
1. Improves your immune system
2. Increases energy levels, vitality and alertness
3. Decreases your risk of heart disease and diabetes
4. Helps you cope with stress
A healthy diet is essential to live a healthy lifestyle. Having the correct nutrients can have a significant effect on your energy levels and vitality while decreasing the risks of disease. A healthy diet consists of meeting your daily calorie intake of the five major food groups with portion control of each food group totalling your necessary calorie intake.This will help you follow a healthy diet and lose weight at the same time.
The five major food groups are:
1. Fruit
2. Vegetables
3. Lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, legumes
4. Bread, cereals, rice, pasta
5. Milk, yogurt, cheese
A healthy diet is also made up of portion control. The portion control of these five food groups are as follows:
Carbohydrates: 6 - 8
Protein: 1 – 2
Fats: 1
Dairy: 2 – 3
Fruit: 2
Vegetables: 5
Water: 6
What constitutes a serving size for these food groups to achieve a healthy diet?
1. Carbohydrates (6-8 serves daily)
One serving should contain about 0.5oz (15g) of carbohydrates. Examples of this include:
Bread 1 slice
Tortilla, roll, or muffin 1
Bagel, English muffin or hamburger bun 1/2
Rice, pasta, cooked cereal, grits 1/2 cup
Ready-to-eat cereal 3/4 cup (flakes or round)
Pancake, waffle 1 (4.5in diameter)
2. Protein (4-6 serves daily)
One serving of protein should contain about 0.5oz (15g) of protein. Examples of this include:
Cooked lean meat, fish or poultry 2oz- 3oz (60g – 90g)
Egg 1
Peanut Butter 2 tablespoons, 1oz (30g)
Cooked dried peas or beans 1/2 cup
Cooked dried beans 1/2cup
Nuts, seeds 1/3 cup
3. Fat (1 serve daily)
One serving of fat should contain about 0.2oz (5g) of fat. Examples of this include:
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp butter
1 tsp peanut butter
8 ripe olives
1 tbsp salad dressing
4. Dairy (2-3 serves daily)
One serving of dairy should contain about 0.01oz (300mg) of calcium. Examples of this include:
Milk 1 cup
Yogurt 1 cup
Cheese 1 slice, 1oz (30g) (1.5oz cheese is about equal to 1 cup milk)
Cottage cheese 1/2 cup
Pudding 1/2 cup
Ice cream 1/2 cup
5. Fruit (2 serves daily)
One serving of fruit should contain about 0.5oz (15g) of carbohydrates. Examples of this include:
Chopped, fresh fruit 1/2 cup
Grapefruit 1/2
Cantaloupe 1/4
Canned fruit 1/2 cup
100% fruit juice 3/4 cup
Raisins or dried fruit 1/4 cup
6. Vegetables (5 serves daily)
One serving of vegetables should contain about 0.2oz (5g) of carbohydrates. Examples of this include:
Cooked vegetables 1/2 cup
Chopped, raw vegetables 1/2 cup
Raw, leafy vegetables 1 cup
Vegetable juice 3/4 cup
7. Water (6 serves daily)
Glass of water (10fl oz)
Vitamins and minerals
Many people believe that they can eat what ever they like and can make it up by having vitamin and mineral supplements to make up for this, however this is not the case. Your body absorbes the nutrients in foods are more effectively than in supplements. Furthermore, a majority of supplements on the market are mainly made with fillers you urinate very quickly.
A few things to remember:
1. Try and keep your BMI (Body Mass Index) in a healthy range
2. Try and eat plenty if fibre.
3. Have 8 glasses o water a day. A lack of water is the most common cause of tiredness
4. Limit alcohol and caffeine consumption
5. Reduce sugar intake
Maintain these tips to maintaining a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle and you will be amazed at how good you will feel.
Posted in Healthcare
@AngelHoobes rofl i know. I never drink that much. No wonder I always feel tired.
Life is a joggling act and so when it comes to eating healthy we can all do with a little help. i have found that meal replacement by way of protein shakes twice a day and one regular meal has greatly enhance my physical well being.And yes these meal replacement can be had every day because they have all the minerals and vitamins that we need for the day.I get mine from this shop. http://www.shopherbalife.com/bestherbalifeonline
First check out what is your blood group and what diet is good for your health .
Basically there are 3 types of Diet
+ —– HIGHLY BENEFICIAL, FOOD ACTS LIKE MEDICINE
O —– NEUTRAL FOOD
X —– AVOID, FOOD ACTS LIKE A POISON
Check out what diet helps lose or gain weight and what diet is really good to be healthy based on your blood group .
Inorder to Lose Weight eat 5 Small meals every 2 hours a day . Inorder to Gain Weight eat 5 Big meal every 2 hours a day.
-Blood group O is for Old.- Type O.
http://www.diskovery.co.in/how_to_loose_weight__how_to_gain_weight
"FOODS ENCOURAGE WEIGHT GAIN"
Sweetcorn
Kidney beans
Cabbage
Brussel sprout
Cauliflower
"FOODS ENCOURAGE WEIGHT LOSS"
Liv 52
Euterpe Oleracea
Sea food
Iodized salt
Liver
Red meat
Spinach
Broccoli
-Blood group A is for Agrarian.-__ Type A.
http://www.diskovery.co.in/how_to_loose_weight__how_to_gain_weight
"FOODS ENCOURAGE WEIGHT GAIN"
Meat
Dairy foods
Kidney beans
Lima beans
Wheat
"FOODS ENCOURAGE WEIGHT LOSS"
Liv 52
Euterpe Oleracea
Vegetable oils
Soya foods
Vegetables
Pineapple
-Blood group B is for Balance.-__ Type B.
http://www.diskovery.co.in/how_to_loose_weight__how_to_gain_weight
"FOODS ENCOURAGE WEIGHT GAIN"
Lentils
Sweetcorn
Peanuts
Sesame seeds
Buckwheat
Wheat
"FOODS ENCOURAGE WEIGHT LOSS"
Liv 52
Euterpe Oleracea
Green vege
Meat
Lamb Liver
Eggs
__ Blood group Type AB.
http://www.diskovery.co.in/how_to_loose_weight__how_to_gain_weight
"FOODS ENCOURAGE WEIGHT GAIN"
Red meat
Kidney beans
Seeds
Sweetcorn
Buckwheat
"FOODS ENCOURAGE WEIGHT LOSS"
Liv 52
Euterpe Oleracea
Tofu
Seafood
Green vege
Dairy products
Alkaline fruits
Pineapples
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Check out the health products on my channel and blog!
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Here is an exercise plan as well as some info about how to eat correctly. There are also side links to sample meal plans and other good information. I have used a very similar system to maintain less than 5% body fat for the past 23 years. It is not because of my genetics because obesity runs in my family.
http://www.spartafit.com/exercise/exercise%20program%201.php
http://www.spartafit.com/nutrition/nutrition.php
Most folks with crohn's find that a gluten free diet eliminates many symptoms. I know you feel like you don't want to cut out MORE foods, but I highly suggest you give a high saturated fat (especially from virgin coconut oil) diet a good trial. You might also want to try chia seeds, they are high fiber but the fiber is encased in a gel sack that makes it easier on the digestive system.
Nearly 6 years ago, I started Atkins low carb way of eating to just quit gaining weight. I had to get my out of control appetite under control. I never imagined I could LOSE weight without hunger or exercise, since I've become disabled. I never bothered weighing or measuring til I'd noticed that my clothes got huge quick. When my health improved dramatically also, I knew this was my new way of life and since it's eat all you want (of low carb foods) I know I can do this for life.
My personal carb level is low. I am older & disabled & don't move much (or cook much) but I eat all I want of meats, eggs, cheeses, yogurt, fats, green vegetables, almonds, berries, flax seeds, chia seeds, shirataki noodles and other foods. Someone active would have a MUCH higher carb level & can usually include all fruits, beans, whole grain products but not sugar & highly refined carbs in unlimited amounts. As long as you have <9grams carbs per hour, you will maintain insulin control & shouldn't gain weight, no matter the calories.
Most overweight & obese people have blood sugar & insulin dysfunctions and can NEVER eat carbs as someone with a functioning body can. They make the mistake of going back to the way of eating that made them fat and that is not possible and yes they will gain all weight back if they eat what they ate that made them obese originally. Insanity is defined as doing the exact same thing, in the exact same way and expecting different results. Many people can return to moderate carb levels but very few can really eat all they want of sugar & maintain weight or health.
You can lose more body fat eating protein & fat (don't eat protein alone) than not eating AT ALL. To lose weight fast, eat all you want, but nothing but meat, eggs, healthy oils, mayo, butter & half an avocado a day (for added potassium). Keep the calories high & the fat percentage high, at least 65% of calories. Green vegetables & some cheese will continue weight loss but at a slower pace.
The first 2 weeks eat several cups a day of (mostly) lettuce & celery, cucumbers, radishes, mushrooms, peppers & more vegetables thereafter – add 5 grams per day additional every week (20 grams day first 2 weeks, 25grams 3rd week, 30grams 4th week etc) til you gain weight, then subtract 10grams. That will be your personal carb level (everyone is different & depends on how active you are.)
Start with meat, fats & salads for 2 weeks and then slowly add in more green veg, wk4 fresh cheeses, wk5 nuts & seeds, wk6 berries, wk7 legumes, wk8 other fruits, wk9 starchy veg, wk10 whole grains. You will learn how your body reacts to different foods.
The body won't release fat stores if you lower calories below what it needs. It will slow metabolism to compensate & store every spare ounce as fat. If you continue lowering calories, it will continue lowering the set point, til it can survive off nothing & store fat on anything. The body will only release it's fat stores if it knows there is plenty of nutritious food.
Eating carbs while trying to lose body fat is terribly inefficient. When in glycolysis (burning glucose as fuel) you have to lower your calories (which slows your metabolism) & exercise heavily to deplete your glycogen stores before burning body fat.
The core of Atkins program is converting the body from glycolysis (burning glucose as fuel) to ketosis (burning fat as fuel). Dietary fat levels need to be at >65% of total calories, if not, the body will still remain in glycolysis by converting 58% of excess protein into glucose (via gluconeogenesis).
It takes minimum of 3 days to convert a body to ketosis, (but only one bite to convert back to glycolysis). People feel sluggish the first week but most feel better than ever thereafter.
Simple carbohydrates (sugar, flour, bread, cereal, pasta, potatoes, rice) trigger insulin, the only fat storage hormone. Protein releases the fat burning hormone glucagon.
High insulin levels promote inflammation, weight gain, hunger & unbalance other hormones. Controlling insulin levels will balance out other hormones & allow human growth hormone (HGH) to be produced naturally so lean muscle will be gained even without exercise.
you probably can't lose 50lbs in 6months unless you eat less than 1500cals a day or if you exercise for hrs. a day..
eating 1500cals is safe to do but you will have to get use to being hungry each and every day of the 6months. i did it for 5months and lost 33lbs.
if you think you can lose 50lbs in 6months without feeling hungry each day then i don't think that is realistic.
She’s nervous lol
I think the best weight solution (especially for someone as busy as you!) is this; substitution. Before you reach for a bag of chips or hamburger try a Yoplait Yogurt instead. they are portable and delicious. Try granola, water or natural juice instead of soda, sandwiches instead of pizza. Excersice is great also if ytou have the time. Just whenever you eat something ask yourslef could I be eating something better? Also eat breakfast, it speeds the metabolism! Good luck and be patient!
good job
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thats a lie you shouldnt carry around 6 glasses of water everday , if you drink tea that counts = glass of water, bottle of juice etc so I THINK YOU SHOULD LOOSE WEIGHT YOUR SELF :/
yes i agree to it, fruits are very helpful and even the water..
holy crap 8 cups?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29035692@N03/sets/72157607029550534/
They need calcium from the bones from the fish they eat and they get protein from the fish bones.They need leafyu greens like Romaine lettuce,Kale squash,grapes,strawberries..google vehggioes with vitamin A and see what you have at home. You need to feed them feeder guppies, goldfish or minnows for protein and calcium daily drop 20 or so in the tanks and watch them disappear in a few days! When I got these two 36 yrs ago all we had in back then were goldfish to feed , so after 36 yrs and still going strong. They can eat goldfish!
This way when they swim for their dinner they get exercise also!
I also feed dried cubed blood worms or tubiflex worms at least 5 times a week.
They sleep at the bottom of rivers, streams. lakes or ponds or your tank to avoid predators like coyotes, foxes, owls, hawks, possums, raccoons and even some wide mouth bass.
***TOSS in a bird cuttle bone in the water for calcium that will promot better shell growth, it will dissolve real slow and if they eat it that’s fine!!
They can have garden worms, meal worms, snails, crickets, flies, crayfish small frogs, dragon flies and anything that moves, but only as a treat. These also have protein special garden worms!
They need leafy greens Romaine, Butter lettuce. (Iceberg and cabbage are bad for them, any other leafy greens will do) for vitamin A that they need at least 3 to 4 times a week.
You probably already know that they get sick easily, shell rot, respiratory sickness, lopsided swimming, coughing, blowing bubbles from their nose. Fungus white cotton patches on their skin?
**Swollen cloudy eyes which means lacking in Vitamin A. Which we all need for good eyes. Google ‘vegetables with Vitamin A.
Contact the “www.anapsid.org/societies, for a turtle vet / RESCUE in your city and state.
May I suggest The bigger the environment the bigger the healthier the turtle. Remember 10 gallons for every inch of turtle. I have used kiddy pools and plastic pond liners from most nurseries and worked great.
Did you know that they need to bask under a reptile light UVA/UVB for up to 8 hrs a day for the vitamin D that they need to grow. So that means getting a turtle dock also.
Leave the heater on 75 to 78 degrees always. These turtles in captivity do not hibernate their eating may slow down some but they will not hibernate. These are not cuddly pets and will bite very very hard. Under 4" they carry a disease called 'salmonella'. So you must wash after every handling.
Their water needs to be clean otherwise they get sick easily from dirty water cause they poop allot. You need a good filter system!
Total Body length: 5-8" average for males, up to 12 inches max for females. Life span: 15-25+ years
Males have the longer front nails and are used in mating. And are considered mature at about 5 yrs old. You can’t start sexing till about 3” across.
Gravel larger than they can swallow.
Email me if ya need help,K. You will save them. Just feed them some great foods and watch them grow.
I wish you luck.
Too often, this question is inaccurately answered. Weight loss guru's tend to tout what they see as problems with fat intake, and many people who think they are cardiologists speak up with false information.
There is a lot more to proper nutrition than total calories or someone's errorenous ideas about "max fat grams." For example, you have to consume fat with carbohydrates in order to metabolize the carbs. Fat in the diet is necessary for absorption of fat soluable vitamins. There are many facts to consider.
Here is a question presented to a nutritionist on this topic:
QUESTION: I eat a balanced diet except I concentrate on the fat content. If it's available in non-fat such as milk or cheese, that's what I buy and eat. My fat intake is typically between 5 and 10% of my calories. I do weight train and do cardio workouts three times a week. Is my fat intake too low?
ANSWER: Possibly. Consider these facts about your body's need for fat.
It is recommended that people consume 30% of total daily calories from fat, 55% from carbohydrates and 15% from protein. So, you are not consuming nearly enough fat in your diet according to these guidelines.
Fats perform many vital roles to aid in the body's functions. Triglycerides, the main form of fat in the body and in foods, constitute most of the stored energy in the body. Triglycerides yield over twice as much energy per gram as carbohydrates and protein (fats provide 9 calories per gram, while carbohydrates and protein provide 4 calories per gram). The free fatty acids, released from triglycerides are the major source for fuel for the body at rest and during light activity.
Triglycerides and other lipids (fat) in foods also carry fat-soluble vitamin A ,D, E and K to the small intestine. In doing so, lipids aid in absorption of these nutrients. Without fat you are at risk for developing deficiencies of these vitamins.
Food fat causes the stomach to empty more slowly than either carbohydrates or protein and it imparts satiety – the satisfied feeling you have after eating. If you reduce your fat intake below 20% of total energy intake, you will get hungry quicker.
The essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6, are substances that need to come from the diet. They are necessary building materials for molecules and compounds that perform such vital functions in your body as regulation of blood pressure, blood clotting, immune response and childbirth. Excellent sources of these essential fatty acids are salad dressings containing Canola or soybean oil, salmon, tuna and sardines.
Another thing to be aware of is when fat is removed from a product, something else must be added, usually carbohydrates in order to maintain a desirable taste and texture. For this reason, many fat-reduced and fat-free products are still very energy dense – containing a high amount of calories. Remember that calories count too, no matter if they come from fat, carbohydrates or protein so be sure to moderate your portions if you consume a lot of fat reduced products. Consider the increase in the number of low fat foods while the American public's average weight has gone up. Low fat and fat free foods are not the magic solution for weight loss.
Have you tried the Healthy Body Calculator? If you put your physical data and activities in, it will calculate a healthy amount of calories and fat based on your nutrition goals.
A trained and licensed nutritionist is your friend. There is way too much nutrition quackery in the world today. If you read something about nutrition, check for the author's credentials before you take it as fact. The word "Moderation" is key, and if you eat fresh healthy foods in moderation, you will be eating a healthy diet.
Hope this helps answer your question.
depending on age, i would not worry too much about calorie intake.
if there is a low calorie option, you can have it, but quantity is really the issue. don't think drinking a diet soda will help. if you want a soda, just drink the real thing because there isn't much of a difference (unless you're diabetic).
you shouldn't really have more than one soda a day (about 6-7 teaspoons of sugar in a 12 oz can).
drink a lot of water instead. most normal people don't drink enough water each day, and most dancers i know don't either (and they need far more than normal people).
you should eat a fairly balanced diet (eat from all your food groups, lots of veggies, fruit, and dairy). women naturally have issues with retaining calcium and with bone density. women that are extremely active (especially dancers) have weaker bones than most and require more calcium than normal women to keep their bones healthy. so lots of milk (which has also been proven to help with weight loss) and a calcium supplement could help.
if you have to have a big meal, make the biggest breakfast.
eat lots of small healthy meals throughout the day. this helps to keep your stomach small, increase your metabolism, and burn calories faster.
when eating protein, like meats, don't eat servings larger than the thickness and width of the palm of your hand. people don't actually need more than 3 of those servings of protein a day.
if you need snacks between meals, eat something healthy like grapes or apple slices. if you visit fast food chains a lot, like burger king or mcdonalds, they both have very large salad options on their menus, as well as packaged apple slices. salads with cheese, a little dressing (thats where the calories are in salads), with some grilled chicken can make for a delicious meal, also very good for you if dark greens like spinach are used.
if you read on the back of most foods, it says "based on a 2000 calorie diet" i'm not the healthiest person around (certainly not the healthiest eating dancer), and i don't even intake 2000 calories a day.
i'm 5' 9" and weigh 127lbs. the last time i counted i took in about 1200 cal. and i'm actually under the recommended weight for my height.
most people have a general idea about what is healthy, but just don't eat those things. if you are truly eating non greasy/fatty foods and are not eating loads of sugars, and eating the proper serving size of each food, everything should be fine.