I have an dear, and amazing, friend who has helped me develop my new meal plan. It really wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Why is it that we always over complicate
I have an dear, and amazing, friend who has helped me develop my new meal plan. It really wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Why is it that we always over complicate things? I am now changing the way we eat. We will be eating 3 balanced meals every day. It sounds like a lot of food, but when you know how to eat, what to eat and how much to eat of each thing, it turns out its not as daunting as I thought it was going to be.
The American Heart Association recommends a healthy dietary pattern that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, fish, skinless poultry, nuts, and fat-free/low-fat dairy products, and limits sodium, saturated fat, red meat and added sugars.
The recommended daily servings, for a total of 1 600 calories a day, of each food type is as follows:
GRAINS
At least half of your servings should be whole-grain.
6 servings per day
Example of 1 serving:
1 slice bread
1 oz dry cereal (check nutrition label for cup measurements of different products)
1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal (about the size of a baseball)
VEGETABLES
Eat a variety of colors and types
3-4 servings per day
Example of 1 serving:
1 cup raw leafy vegetables (about the size of a small fist)
1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables
1/2 cup vegetable juice
FRUITS
Eat a variety of colors and types
4 servings per day
Example of 1 serving:
1 medium fruit (about the size of a baseball)
1/4 cup dried fruit
1/2 cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit
1/2 cup fruit juice
FAT-FREE OR LOW-FAT DAIRY PRODUCTS
2-3 servings per day
Example of 1 serving:
1 cup fat-free or low-fat milk
1 cup fat-free or low-fat yogurt
1 and 1/2 oz fat-free or low-fat cheese (about the size of 6 stacked dice)
LEAN MEATS, POULTRY, AND SEAFOOD
3-6 oz (cooked) per day
Example of 1 serving:
3 oz cooked meat (about the size of a computer mouse)
3 oz grilled fish (about the size of a checkbook)
FATS AND OILS
Use liquid vegetable oils and soft margarine most often
2 servings per day
Examples of 1 serving:
1 tsp soft margarine
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp regular or 2 Tbsp low-fat salad dressing (fat-free dressing does not count as a serving)
NUTS, SEEDS, AND LEGUMES
3-4 servings per week
Example of 1 serving:
1/3 cup or 1 and 1/2 oz nuts
2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp or 1/2 oz seeds
1/2 cup dry beans or peas
SWEETS AND ADDED SUGARS
0 servings per week
Example of 1 Serving:
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp jelly or jam
1/2 cup sorbet and ices
1 cup lemonade
Since my system is having trouble processing the carbohydrates, my meal plan has been slightly altered to take this into account. I will be increasing my dairy and fat and reducing my carbohydrate in take. Since I am not a fan of fat free and low fat dairy, I have opted to include the dairy into the fat section. So instead of having 6 servings of carbohydrates a day, I’ll only be having 4 and will be having 4 servings of fat and or dairy a day.
Once I have reached my goal weight, I will be slowly increasing my carbohydrates to the daily recommended amount. If my weight doesn’t stay stable, I will continue to eat the same amount of carbohydrates as what I am now. Its all about finding the balance that works for your body.