Healthy Eating Plans

Here are some tips and guidelines for who want to get on to a healthy eating plan and switch to a healthier lifestyle.
Healthy Eating Plans
When it comes to eating right and exercising, there is no "I'll start tomorrow." Tomorrow is disease. ~V.L. Allineare

Well talking about healthy eating plans, we’ve all been there done that and cheated on the diet plans due to the temptations of fast foods, chocolates and many other things considered as a breach of conduct when following a healthy eating plan. However following a healthy eating plan, combined with some basic regular exercise is the key to a longer and healthier life. Here are some ideas and tips to get on and stick to healthy eating plans.

Nutrition Facts: Healthy Eating Plan

The human body has some standard minimum nutritional requirements that need to be fulfilled everyday. Here are the standard figures for all the nutrients to help you know whether or not you are following a healthy diet plan:

Carbohydrates

Recommended Intake: It is recommended that you obtain 45-65% of your daily calorie intake from carbohydrates
Sources: Whole grains, beans, legumes, nutrient-rich fruits, milk, corn, and other foodstuff made from sugar are all rich sources of carbohydrates. Limit your sugar intake from candy and other sweet products.

Protein

Recommended Intake:It is recommended that 10-35% of your daily calorie intake should be obtained from proteins.
Sources: Protein is found in many plant as well as animal sources. Legumes, nuts and seeds, poultry, meat and dairy products as well as sea-food are rich sources of proteins.

Fat

Recommended Intake:It is recommended that you should obtain 20-35% of your daily calorie intake from fats. However you have to limit your saturated fat intake to 10% and the intake of trans fat should not exceed 1%.
Sources:Nuts and oils like canola oil and olive oil are sources of good fats whereas saturated fat is found in coconut oil, red meat, poultry and butter. The sources of trans fats are crackers, cookies, chips, doughnuts, and many other fried or baked snacks.

Cholesterol

Recommended Intake: It is recommended that your daily cholesterol intake should not exceed 300 milligrams.
Sources: The human body all the cholesterol quantity that is required for proper cell functioning, any cholesterol that you take in is additional and hence results in fatty deposits in the arteries. Common sources of cholesterol are meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and dairy products.

Fiber

Recommended Intake: The daily fiber requirement varies according to gender. The daily recommended fiber intake for males is 30-38 grams where as for women it is 21-25 grams.
Sources: Vegetables, wheat bran, other whole grain, oats, dried beans, fruits like apples and oranges are rich sources of fiber. Fiber prevents constipation and helps to maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Healthy Eating Plans: Rules to Follow

Healthy eating plans will not make you starve and necessarily focus on weight loss, but will aim at overall health and fitness of the body. Here are some basic rules to follow in a healthy eating plan:

Avoid Junk food: The potato chips, ice-cream, biscuits, pastries, milkshakes, pizzas need to be avoided. In case it is impossible for you to totally give up the junk food, try cutting it down slowly until you are confident enough that you can do away without it. Try and think of healthier substitutes in the fast food section. For example if you feel like having a tempting pizza on the go, pick a whole-wheat pizza instead of the regular one. In case you feel you cannot resist the temptation, have your favorite fast food once in a week but in moderation. Avoid eating too much of cheese everyday, try and restrict/lower the usage of cheese in your food.

Chuck the Soda: There are a number of people who are simply addicted to the soft drinks. Diet soda is another popular option that people feel helps them in reducing the calorie intake. Even if diet soda might be less on the calorie count than the regular soda, some recent studies have suggested that drinking any type of soda results in obesity and can also lead to other health problems. Make sure you avoid soda, and have healthier options like fresh fruit juice , skimmed milk, lemonade or even pure water. Drinking abundant water is one of the essentials in any healthy eating plan.

Drink Milk for health: It is a common misconception that cutting out all the dairy from you diet will lead to a healthy eating plan, however dairy products are a great source of calcium and vitamins and hence need to be included in the diet. Try using skimmed milk or low fat milk, or soymilk for a better eating plan.

Go Green: Although many people do not believe that a vegetarian diet is insufficient on the nutrition meter, the vegetarian diet has plenty of healthy and delicious substitutes for the nutrients provided by meat and other non-vegetarian options. A diet with fresh vegetables, fruits and nuts, and other foodstuff like tofu, cannot only be delicious but also a great option for a healthy eating plan. For all the people who are hardcore non-vegetarians, and just can’t do away without meat, make sure you don’t over do the meat intake and balance it out with sufficient number of vegetables and fresh fruits. To keep the meat intake in moderation try incorporating meat substitutes or tofu in your diet.

Sweat it out: No healthy eating plan would work unless supplemented by a regular fitness regime. Burning calories is of utmost importance for a healthy lifestyle. Make sure you work out for minimum 30 minutes everyday. Try walking, aerobics, yoga, swimming, dancing or any physical activity that you like. A good workout everyday will definitely improve your health and help you create a healthy lifestyle.

Long-term Fitness: A healthy eating plan cannot be limited to a week, a month, or a year. Always aim for long-term and permanent fitness. A healthy eating plan has to be followed continuously and regularly; only then will it help you. Practicing a healthy diet for a few weeks and then switching to a drastically unhealthy diet will harm you. You need to be determined and focuses on your own fitness to follow a healthy eating plan rigorously. Take your health very seriously!

By Uttara Manohar
Published: 2/20/2008

Source: www.buzzle.com