Eat a Variety of Foods in Proportion Aim for a balanced distribution of foods. When it comes to vegetables, eat as many colors as possible. Everyone’s body is different, so find your balance by noticing how you feel after trying out different ratios of food groups. Here are three different examples: 30% Vegetables 20% Fruit 20% Carbohydrates 20% Protein 10% Dairy and Fats 80% Carbohydrates* 10% Protein 10% Fats 50% Carbohydrates (including vegetables, fruit, and starches) 30% Fats 20% Protein Stay Hydrated Sip filtered water or decaffeinated tea throughout the day Limit your caffeine intake (too much dehydrates you), limit or avoid alcohol, and avoid sugary soft drinks, teas, and juices. Choose Healthy Fats Trans fats and an excessive amount of saturated fats raise cholesterol and can cause problems. Avoid or limit these items to cut back on unhealthy fats: Margarine Chips Boxed or Frozen Foods Aim for whole-food sources of fats rich in Omega-3’s and good quality cooking oils. Nuts and Seeds Avocado Fish and Fish Oil Olive, Canola, Grapeseed, or Walnut Oil Coconut Oil (this contains a higher amount of saturated fat of all the oils, so use it sparingly) Exercise Portion Control Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full. Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly. It takes your body about 20-25 minutes to register fullness so the slower you go, the more tuned you are to pick up on your level of satiation. Pay attention to your food when you eat. Television and other distractions make it easier to “zone out” and forget how much you’ve actually eaten. When dining out, order half-sized meals or request half to go. Learn to eye your serving sizes. Here are some suggestions: Protein: the size of your palm Carbohydrates: the size of your cupped hand Fats: the size of your thumb Don’t skip meals, even if you think you’re saving calories. If you’re hungry between meals, have an appropriately-sized snack (like a serving of nuts or piece of fruit) to keep you satiated so you won’t be starving and primed to overeat at the next meal. Exercise Exercise increases your metabolism, boosts your mood, and helps your digestive system. The confidence and energy that comes from endorphins will make you want to fuel your body with nutritious whole foods. Go for walks (especially after meals). Do a few moves throughout the day (like push ups, planks, lunges, squats, and crunches) Set aside at least 30 minutes each day for some sort of physical activity. Avoid Empty Calories and Fad Diets Opt for nutritious, whole-food ingredients in meals and snacks. Overly processed foods (like soft drinks, sweetened blended coffees, fast food, potato chips, and frozen processed meals) contain less nutrients and more calories. Stay away from fad diets that require avoiding or limiting any macronutrients (like certain fats and carbohydrates). Your body and brain need these to function properly!