How to Stay Fit with Food

Follow the nutrition pyramid’s instructions. The US government and many Nutrition Associations have created the nutritional pyramid for decades. This tool shows a chart of food groups – and how much you need to eat. Nutritional research institutes in the US such as the Harvard School of Public Health have developed a very useful “nutrition pyramid” tool to assess your diet. The amount of food in each of the healthy “foundation” groups of the food pyramid will vary depending on body size, exercise level and dietary preferences, but for the most part, calories should come from the following groups: :

• Carbohydrates from whole grains such as oats, whole-wheat bread, and brown rice.
• Healthy fats and oils. Healthy choices include unsaturated fats like olive and vegetable oils; nuts, seeds and avocados; fatty fish like salmon. Research shows that fat makes up a third or more of the diet Americans consume each day, which is an acceptable fact – if only eating the healthy food groups. Note that fats and oils are the calorie-dense group, so a small amount is a lot. You should carefully read the information on the product packaging.
• Vegetables and fruits. Let this group make up half of the portion at each meal.
• Nuts, beans, seeds and/or tofu. If you’re a vegetarian, this food group is an important source of low-fat protein.
• Fish, poultry and eggs. If you choose animal meat then you should eat more and reduce the amount of nuts, beans, seeds or tofu products.

Reduce the food intake of the group near the top of the trophic pyramid. The nutrients found in dairy products are extremely important, but you should reduce your intake of foods near the top of the nutrient pyramid. Please follow these instructions:

• Eat only one to two servings of dairy products per day, or vitamin D and calcium supplements if you don’t like (or are allergic to) dairy products.
• Occasionally eat red meat, processed meat, and butter. Do not eat red meat more than 2 times per week and reduce processed meat and butter in your diet.
• Reduce consumption of processed grains such as white rice, white bread, sugar or processed foods, and salt. ^[1]

Consuming “superfoods” provides many nutritional benefits. If your goal is to stay fit and healthy, choose foods that are high in energy, antioxidants, calcium, or heart-healthy fats and proteins.

• Dried fruits, potatoes and bananas provide complex carbohydrates that help you keep and use energy efficiently. Each of these food groups contains beneficial potassium along with other nutrients.
• Broccoli and other green vegetables, tomatoes, blueberries and cocoa all have antioxidants that help remove free radical damaged cells from the blood.
• Milk and green vegetables provide calcium for strong bones. Drinking warm milk before bed has the benefit of increasing serotonin and melatonin during sleep.
• Salmon and nuts provide fat and protein. Add Brazil nuts to your diet because they are high in selenium, a mineral that aids digestion. ^[2]

Pay attention to portion sizes. Read the product information carefully to determine the serving size and number of servings you need. Break large packages of food into small containers and share a large plate of food at a restaurant with someone. ^[3] Determine the correct serving size by approximating the size of your hand, you can find instructions on the Internet. For example, one serving of carrots is equivalent to one cup, or roughly the size of an adult’s fist; One serving of dry cereal is one cup or the size of an adult fist. ^[4]