Eating healthy foods is important at all ages from early childhood into young and older adulthood. Maintaining an appropriate weight is a goal that we must have throughout life. However, if your weight has ballooned past the desired weight, you are considered overweight and in extreme cases, obese.
When you carry more weight than you should, you are at higher risk for many diseases including high blood pressure, stroke, certain types of cancer, and Type 2 diabetes-all of which affect your quality of life. Committing to a healthier diet and daily physical activity will put you on the road to permanent weight loss.
The basics of weight gain and loss take into account the calories you eat and the calories you use up through physical activity. If you eat the same amount of calories than you burn, you will maintain your current weight. If you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. Likewise if you eat fewer calories, you will lose weight. Therefore, what you eat has everything to do with your weight.
How do you choose foods that will help you lose pounds and keep them off?
The diet includes foods that you can eat at mealtime, when you eat out, and when you need a snack. Make a commitment to eating whole grain (as opposed to refined) foods such as bread, oatmeal, brown rice, wheat pasta.
Choose canned, fresh, frozen, or raw vegetables especially dried dark green or orange vegetables, beans, peas, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, mushroom, tomatoes, and zucchini. Most fruits and 100 percent fruit juice are also recommended.
Add to your diet low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, and cheese; vegetable and nut oils; and baked, broiled, and grilled lean or low-fat meats, poultry, and fish. Foods to avoid include sodas, gravies, sauces, butter, fried foods, salt, and sugar.
Losing weight is an admirable goal; however, an equally important goal is to adopt a healthy diet to prevent disease and maintain a high quality of life.
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