Healthy eating is a must in every diet plan. Reducing your calorie intake is necessary if you want to lose weight, but just reduce it without considering your nutrient intake will create many bigger problems namely lack of nutrients, hunger, and fast weight gain if you trying to eat normally again.
Here are some facts about a healthy diet plan:
1. Eat enough calories
If you suddenly cut a lot of your calorie intake, you’ll having problem in your ability to completing your daily activities . During a diet, you will very likely to have less than recommended 2,000 calories but DO NOT takes less than 1,200 calories.
Meal plan that provide you with 1200-1600 calories per day is still enough to support your body through a day routines. It is definitely not advised to cut less than that unless you are under doctor supervision.
2. Eat well balanced diet
Although you are on a diet, exclude one or more food groups from your meal plans are not advised. Instead, a healthy diet plan should include variety of food from various food groups in the right proportion.
3. Maintain sufficient meal portions throughout the day
Some diet force the dieter to cut their meal portion drastically, but lack of food will results in hunger and various side effect like hard to concentrate, anxiety, headache, etc. If the portion is small, arrange four or five meals with short interval, therefore you can avoid hunger.
If you’re somehow forced to eat out and can’t stick to the diet plan, just have the regular portion no matter how much the discount for the super size packet.
4. Control your milk and dairy foods intake
Milk and dairy foods have high saturated fat content, so it is not advisable to consume them in large quantities. However, they are good calcium source which is important for bone and teeth. Consume them in moderate quantities and choose the low fat version.
5. Make sure to includes meat, fish, eggs, and beans in your diet plans
This food group is major protein source, which is needed for growth and repairs. Check the meal plan example above and you’ll find that it includes them all. Be very careful for red meat since it contains high level of saturated fats.
6. Restrict saturated fat, trans fat, and sugar
A healthy diet plan must still includes fat in it meal plans, but avoid saturated and trans fat as much as possible as these two type of fats are associated with many chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. It must also avoid excessive sugary foods because it will cause harder weight management .
7. Including exercise session
Exercise is essential in a healthy diet plan. If your aim is just shed some extra pounds, you don’t have to do all those cardio and strength training (of course it will be better if you do); instead, a light exercise like yoga will do. The key in exercising is consistency; hours of weight training and sprinting for a week won’t be much use if you’re giving up on the next week.
An advice: being in a diet doesn’t mean that you can’t eat your favorite foods or snacks that contain high saturated fat, sugar, or salt. Put too strict restriction in your diet will make you depressed and more likely to drop the program halfway. Occasionally, it is okay to have them as long as you keep it at low portion; it is better yet if your diet include this (also known as ‘cheat day’) in its program.
If you are planning for a diet, ensure that you select the right diet plan that not only will make you lose weight, but also help you stay healthy in the process. Meal plans that satisfy those seven criteria and good exercise menu would be the key.