What’s the Best Exercise Plan for Me? Take the “work” out of workouts with a fitness plan that “fits” you

Designing your fitness plan

What's the best exercise program for me?

• A program that fits your lifestyle, including activities you love, so you can stick with it for a long time.
• A well-rounded program with aerobic, strength training, and balance exercises.
• A program that starts with your current level of fitness and takes into account any previous injuries or current limitations.
• A program that keeps your routines fresh and keeps you motivated.

If exercise is so good for us then why do we find it so hard to exercise regularly? It wasn't always that way. In grade school, you probably couldn't wait for recess. It was a time to walk, run, jump, and be outside. You were exercising and enjoying every minute of it. Now it's more of a chore. But it doesn't have to be that way if you focus on activities you enjoy and a routine that's tailored to your needs.

So how do you create such an exercise routine? Find a blend of activities you enjoy and a schedule you can stick with over the long haul. Start out gradually, set realistic goals, and reward yourself for accomplishments along the way. In short, your fitness plan should give you recess without the bell.

Plentiful and well-established science supports the benefits of aerobic and strength training, as well as balance training for older adults. Flexibility and relaxation exercises are also important components of an enjoyable and effective fitness plan.

Aerobic exercise

Often called cardio or endurance activities, aerobic activities are great for burning calories and paring down unwanted fat. They consist of activities that require large muscles to repeatedly contract and relax: think of walking, biking, running, and swimming, for example. This temporarily boosts your heart rate and breathing, allowing more oxygen to reach your muscles and tuning up cardiovascular endurance. These are activities that are associated with lower risk for many diseases and lengthening lifespan. Make aerobic exercise the centerpiece of your fitness program, since the bulk of research on disease-quelling benefits of exercise revolves around cardiovascular activity.

How much

Current guidelines for physical activity recommend accumulating a weekly total of at least two–and–a–half hours of moderate aerobic activity, or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity. (Note: If you prefer a mix, 10 minutes of vigorous activity equals roughly 20 minutes of moderate activity.) Raising your weekly goal to five hours of moderate activity, or two–and–a–half hours of vigorous activity, nets additional health benefits. A single exercise session should last at least 10 minutes.

Get started

Walking is usually safe for any age or level of fitness, and can easily be adjusted to a comfortable speed. It doesn't jar joints or raise your heart rate to dangerous levels. Expanding a walking program is simple—add time, distance, or hills to improve endurance. If you prefer another aerobic activity, though, feel free to substitute it. Otherwise, follow these tips to get the best workout from your walks:

• Find a safe place to walk. Quiet streets with sidewalks, park trails, athletic tracks at local schools, or shopping malls are often good choices.
• Buy a good pair of shoes. Look for thick, flexible soles that cushion your feet and elevate your heel one-half to three-quarters of an inch above the sole. Choose shoes with “breathable” uppers, such as nylon mesh.
• Dress for comfort and safety. Wear lighter clothes than you’d need if standing still. Dress in layers so you can peel off garments if you get hot. Light-colored clothes and a reflective vest help drivers notice you.
• Do a five-minute warm-up and cool-down. Start off at a slower pace for your warm-up. During your cool-down, you could incorporate stretching, thus accomplishing two goals at once.
• Practice good technique:
• Walk at a brisk, steady pace. Slow down if you’re too breathless to carry on a conversation.
• Keep your back straight.
• Hold your head up. Lift your chest and shoulders.
• Point your toes straight ahead.
• Let your arms swing loosely at your sides. If you want to boost your speed, bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle and swing your hands from waist to chest height.
• Land on your heel, then roll forward onto the ball of your foot, pushing off from your toes.
• Take long, easy strides, but don’t strain. To go faster, take quicker steps instead of longer ones.
• Lean forward slightly when walking faster or going up hills.

Strength training

Strength or resistance training, which typically employs equipment such as weight machines, free weights, and resistance bands or tubing, protects against bone loss and builds muscle. It also improves your body’s ratio of lean muscle mass to fat. It, too, deserves an important place in your exercise routine.

Technically, strength or resistance training takes place any time your muscles face a stronger-than-usual counterforce, such as pushing against a wall or lifting a dumbbell. Using progressively heavier weights or increasing resistance makes muscles stronger. Aside from toning you, strength training provides the functional strength you need to do everyday activities—lifting groceries, climbing stairs, rising from a chair, rushing for the bus—with ease.

How much

Current guidelines recommend strengthening exercises for all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms) twice or more weekly. One set per session is effective, though two to three sets may be better. Repeat each exercise eight to 12 times. Your body needs at least 48 hours for recovery and repairs between strength training sessions.

Get started

These tips for safe strength training will help you get the most from your workouts:

• Plan to warm up and cool down for five to 10 minutes. Walking is a fine way to warm up; stretching is an excellent way to cool down.
• Focus on form, not weight. Align your body correctly and move smoothly through each exercise. Poor form can prompt injuries and slow gains. Many experts suggest starting with no weight, or very light weight, when learning a strength training routine. Concentrate on slow, smooth lifts and equally controlled descents while isolating a muscle group. You isolate muscles by holding your body in a specific position while consciously contracting and releasing certain muscles.
• Tempo, tempo. Tempo helps you stay in control rather than undercut strength gains through momentum. For example, count to three while lowering a dumbbell, hold, then count to three while raising it to the starting position.
• Breathe. Blood pressure rises even more if you hold your breath while performing strength exercises. Exhale as you work against resistance by lifting, pushing, or pulling; inhale as you release.
• Keep challenging muscles. The right weight differs depending on the exercise. Choose a weight that tires the targeted muscle or muscles by the last two repetitions (reps) while still allowing you to maintain good form. If you can’t do the last two reps, choose a lighter weight. When it feels too easy to complete all the reps, challenge your muscles again by adding weight (roughly 1 to 2 pounds for arms, 2 to 5 pounds for legs), or by adding another set of reps to your workout (up to three sets), or by working out additional days per week. If you add weight, remember that you should be able to do all the reps with good form and the targeted muscles should feel tired by the last two reps.
• Practice regularly. Working all the major muscles of your body two to three times a week is ideal. You can choose to do one full-body strength workout two or three times a week, or you may opt to break your strength workout into upper- and lower-body components. In this case, be sure that you perform each of these components two or three times a week.
• Give muscles time off. Strenuous exercise like strength training causes tiny tears in muscle tissue. These tears aren’t harmful, but they are important: muscles grow stronger as the tears knit up. Always allow at least 48 hours between sessions for muscles to recover. So, if you do a full-body strength workout on Monday, wait until at least Wednesday to repeat it. In this case, it may be easier to do aerobic exercise on the days between your strength training. If you’re doing a partial-body strength session, however, you might do upper-body exercises on Monday, lower-body exercises on Tuesday, upper-body exercises on Wednesday, lower-body exercises on Thursday, etc., and do aerobic exercise on as many days as possible.

Balance exercises

Our sense of balance typically worsens as we age. It can be further compromised by medical conditions like neuropathy (a complication of diabetes) and certain chemotherapy drugs and other medications; uncorrected vision problems; or lack of flexibility. Poor balance often leads to falls, which can cause head injuries and temporarily or permanently disabling injuries to the bones and nervous system. Hip fractures, particularly, can lead to serious health complications and can impair independence.

Evidence suggests that older adults at risk for falls benefit from a combination of walking, strength training, and balance-enhancing activities such as tai chi, yoga, and Pilates. Even walking on uneven surfaces, like cobblestones or hiking trails, helps improve balance over time.

How much

Older adults at risk for falls should get 30 minutes of balance training and muscle strengthening exercises three times a week, plus at least 30 minutes of walking activities twice or more weekly. Consider adding the heel-to-toe walk and single-leg stance to your warm-ups or cool-downs(see Better Balance Report below), and including other balance-promoting exercises in your strength-training program.

Get started

Try working these exercises into your strength training routine—three times a week or even daily—to enhance balance:

• Heel-to-toe walk. Position your heel right in front of the toes of the opposite foot each time you take a step. Heel and toes should touch as you walk forward for eight to 12 steps. If necessary, steady yourself by putting one hand on a counter as you walk. Then work toward doing the exercise without support. Repeat two to four times.
• Single-leg stance. Stand on one foot for up to 30 seconds. Put your foot down and steady yourself, then repeat on the opposite leg. Perform two to four times on each leg. If necessary, hold on to the back of a chair or counter. Then work toward doing the exercise without support.

Flexibility exercises

Flexibility exercises like stretching, yoga, and Pilates gently reverse the shortening and tightening of muscles that typically occur with disuse and age. Shorter, stiffer muscle fibers may make you vulnerable to injuries and contribute to back pain and balance problems.

Frequently performing exercises that isolate and stretch elastic fibers surrounding muscles and tendons helps counteract this. A well-stretched muscle more easily achieves its full range of motion. This improves athletic performance—imagine an easier, less restricted golf swing or tennis serve—and functional abilities, such as reaching, bending, or stooping during daily tasks.

At one time, experts prescribed stretching before exercise to help avoid injuries, but newer research suggests this does little good. (Instead, experts recommend starting off your exercise with a warm-up, such as a light jog or a sport-specific routine such as serving some tennis balls and practicing ground strokes before a match.) Stretch when muscles are warm and pliable—so, before stretching, walk for five to 10 minutes, dance to a few songs, or take a warm shower. Or, even better, do your flexibility exercises as your post-workout cool-down. Stretching between exercises may be fine, too, and possibly helps boost flexibility.

To achieve lasting effects, stretch daily or at least several times a week. This is easier than you might think. Activities such as yoga and Pilates combine stretching and relaxation and also improve balance, a wonderful combination.

How much

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that older adults do flexibility exercises on the same days as aerobic or strength activities, or at least twice a week.

Get started

Basic stretches will help you become more flexible. The more often you stretch, the more limber you will become. Follow these tips for safety.

• Check with your doctor. If you have joint disease or arthritis, or if you’ve had a joint replacement, check with your doctor before starting stretching exercises.
• Warm up first. Warm muscles are more flexible. Warm up for five to 10 minutes first, or save stretching for your cool-down routine after exercising.
• Stretch all muscle groups. Just as with strength training, stretching should include all muscle groups.
• No bouncing. Never bounce as you stretch. This triggers a contracting reflex that actually tightens the muscle you’re trying to loosen.
• Feel mild tension only. Extend your muscle to the point where you feel mild tension and hold that position. You should never feel pain.
• Breathe. Breathe easily through your nose while stretching.
• Hold and repeat. The best results come from holding the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds and repeating each stretch four times.

Relaxation exercises

Relaxation exercises are not, strictly speaking, a component of most fitness programs. Yet reducing stress enhances quality of life and health. So consider carving out time for activities that promote calm and relaxation, such as mindfulness or meditation. Or simply relax into the rhythmic movements of aerobic exercise, such as walking, running, and swimming.

Stretching, too, releases muscles and promotes a sense of tranquility. And some disciplines like Pilates, yoga, and tai chi meld tension-melting movements with mental focus and meditation. While improving strength, flexibility, and balance, practitioners ease stress, relieve pain, and gain an overall sense of well-being.

How much

Relaxation exercises aren’t a necessary part of your fitness routine, and current guidelines don’t include them. But many people find them worthwhile. If you’re so inclined, aim for a daily dose.

Get started

A variety of activities can leave you feeling more relaxed and peaceful. Some popular options include yoga, tai chi, and meditation. Or try the mindfulness exercise described here to get yourself started.

Mindfulness is a relaxation technique that encourages you to slow a racing mind and embrace each moment as it unfolds. Blended with a simple, repetitive exercise like walking, running, or swimming, it eases stress wonderfully. By fully engaging all of your senses, mindfulness teaches you to focus attention on what is happening in the present and accept it without judgment. This enhances your appreciation of simple everyday experiences. To treat your body and mind to a mindful walk, try the following:

• Focus on breathing. As you walk, first narrow your concentration by focusing on an aspect of your breathing: the sensations of air flowing into your nostrils and out of your mouth, your belly rising as you inhale and falling as you exhale. Try counting from one to five as you inhale, then five to one as you exhale. Do this for a few minutes.
• Soak in the sights, sounds, and smells around you. Then begin to widen your focus. While you continue breathing in and out in a measured way, open up your senses to become aware of sounds, scents, and sensations. Enjoy the rhythmic thump of each foot hitting the ground and the whisper of clothes rubbing lightly against each other. Feel the touch of a cool or warm breeze against your face, notice shadows cast as you move, or soak in the sun beaming down. Listen for natural sounds even when walking on city blocks: the chirp of crickets, bird songs, rustling leaves, wind blowing. As you tune in to your breathing, your body, and your surroundings, you will notice much beyond these examples.
• Keep breathing deeply. Throughout your walk, continue to breathe slowly and deeply while remaining fully aware and staying in the moment.
• Try not to rush. Proceed slowly and with deliberation, engaging your senses fully to savor every sensation. If your mind starts to race, return your focus to your breathing. Then expand your awareness again. Consider how you feel physically and psychologically before, during, and after your walk.

Designing your program

Now that you know the components of an exercise program, it’s time to put one together. The successful exercise program is one well suited to you. To give yourself the best odds of sticking with exercise, stack the deck in your favor by considering the following points before you start.

• What’s your current level of fitness? If you’ve been sedentary for a while, it’s unrealistic, not to mention dangerous, to attempt a five-mile run your first time out. Weekend warriors all too often wind up with sore muscles, or worse. An injury is one of the quickest ways to sabotage any exercise program, which ramps up very slowly. Over time, work up to greater levels of intensity as you become more fit. Generally, moderate exercise is safe for all. If you’ve had previous injuries or suffer from a chronic disease, talk to your doctor about your physical limitations and get advice about a well-rounded exercise plan tailored to your needs.
• What are your exercise goals? Your program should include aerobic and strength training exercises, but you may want to focus on a particular area, depending on your goals. If you want to lose weight, stress calorie-burning aerobic activities. If flexibility and balance are your main concerns, spend more time practicing tai chi or yoga.
• What do you like to do? If you hate jogging, you won’t be able to maintain a jogging program no matter how good it is for you. On the other hand, if you love to swim or dance you may find it easier to sick with an exercise program that’s built around these activities. Don’t expect to change your likes and dislikes, especially when starting out.
• What kind of setting works for you? Do you have easy access to a pool? If not, swimming probably isn’t a good choice. Likewise, if you live in a particularly hot or cold climate, certain outdoor activities may not be sustainable. On the other hand, if there’s a network of biking and jogging trails near your office, a routine of lunchtime exercise might be just the ticket. And if your town or city has sidewalks, try walking to do errands: shopping for groceries, mailing a letter, or picking up books at the library.
• Do you like exercising alone or with others? Many people find the solitude of swimming or running ideal for contemplation. Others enjoy the motivation and support of a group aerobics class or the company of a walking companion.
• How much money do you want to spend? Weigh expense against other factors, such as the ability to exercise indoors or participate in a particular activity. Many exercise options are available at a range of prices. You can get great workouts for virtually no money by walking, running, or hiking. Check bike shops and sports resale shops for bargains on used equipment. A set of inexpensive home barbells can produce the same results as a health club membership. However, some people feel that the money they spend for gym privileges is a motivating factor. Only you know what works best, though it may take some trial and error to figure it out.
• When can you fit in exercise? You might like to start the day with exercise—it’s invigorating and you’ll have punched your ticket before embarking on work or projects. Or perhaps you’re just not a morning person. If it’s difficult to devote a large chunk of time to exercise, you could map out 10-minute time slots for aerobic exercise. Or you could work out a combination of long and short bouts that totals up to weekly goals.

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CAUSES OF STRESS

The situations and pressures that cause stress are known as stressors. We usually think of stressors as being negative, such as an exhausting work schedule or a rocky relationship. However, anything that puts high demands on you or forces you to adjust can be stressful. This includes positive events such as getting married, buying a house, going to college, or receiving a promotion.

Of course, not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be self-generated, for example, when you worry excessively about something that may or may not happen, or have irrational, pessimistic thoughts about life.

What causes stress depends, at least in part, on your perception of it. Something that's stressful to you may not faze someone else; they may even enjoy it. For example, your morning commute may make you anxious and tense because you worry that traffic will make you late. Others, however, may find the trip relaxing because they allow more than enough time and enjoy listening to music while they drive.

Common external causes of stress

Major life changes Work or school Relationship difficulties

Financial problems Being too busy Children and family

Common internal causes of stress

Chronic worry Pessimism Negative self-talk

Unrealistic expectations/Perfectionism Rigid thinking, lack of flexibility All-or-nothing attitude

What's stressful for you?
What's stressful for you may be quite different from what's stressful to someone else. For example:
Karen is terrified of getting up in front of people to perform or speak, while her best friend, Nina, lives for the spotlight.
Phil thrives under pressure and performs best when he has a tight deadline, while his co-worker,Matt, shuts down when work demands escalate.
Anita enjoys helping her elderly parents. Her sister, Constance, helps out as well but finds the demands of caretaking very stressful.
Richard doesn’t hesitate to send food back or complain about bad service when eating out, while his wife, Miranda, finds it much too stressful to complain.

Effects of chronic stress

The body doesn’t distinguish between physical and psychological threats. When you’re stressed over a busy schedule, an argument with a friend, a traffic jam, or a mountain of bills, your body reacts just as strongly as if you were facing a life-or-death situation. If you have a lot of responsibilities and worries, your emergency stress response may be “on” most of the time. The more your body’s stress system is activated, the harder it is to shut off.

Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.

Many health problems are caused or exacerbated by stress, including:

Pain of any kind Heart disease Digestive problems Sleep problems

Depression Weight problems Autoimmune diseases Skin conditions, such as eczema

Dealing with stress and its symptoms

While unchecked stress is undeniably damaging, you have more control over your stress levels than you might think. Unfortunately, many people cope with stress in ways that only compound the problem. You might drink too much to unwind at the end of a stressful day, fill up on comfort food, zone out in front of the TV or computer for hours, use pills to relax, or relieve stress by lashing out at other people. However, there are many healthier ways to cope with stress and its symptoms.

Since everyone has a unique response to stress, there is no “one size fits all” solution to dealing with it. No single method works for everyone or in every situation, so experiment with different techniques and strategies. Focus on what makes you feel calm and in control.

Learn how to manage stress

You may feel like the stress in your life is out of your control, but you can always control the way you respond. Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. Stress management involves changing the stressful situation when you can, changing your reaction when you can’t, taking care of yourself, and making time for rest and relaxation.

Remember the four As: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.

• Avoid unnecessary stress. Not all stress can be avoided, but by learning how to say no, distinguishing between “shoulds” and “musts” on your to-do list, and steering clear of people or situations that stress you out, you can eliminate many daily stressors.
• Alter the situation. If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Be more assertive and deal with problems head on. Instead of bottling up your feelings and increasing your stress, respectfully let others know about your concerns. Or be more willing to compromise and try meeting others halfway on an issue.
• Adapt to the stressor. When you can’t change the stressor, try changing yourself. Reframe problems or focus on the positive things in your life. If a task at work has you stressed, focus on the aspects of your job you do enjoy. And always look at the big picture: is this really something worth getting upset about?
• Accept the things you can’t change. There will always be stressors in life that you can’t do anything about. Learn to accept the inevitable rather than rail against a situation and making it even more stressful. Look for the upside in a situation—even the most stressful circumstances can be an opportunity for learning or personal growth. Learn to accept that no one, including you, is ever perfect.

You can also better cope with the symptoms of stress by strengthening your physical health.

• Set aside relaxation time. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing activate the body’s relaxation response, a state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response.
• Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Nothing beats aerobic exercise for releasing pent-up stress and tension.
• Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress. Start your day with a healthy breakfast, reduce your caffeine and sugar intake, and cut back on alcohol and nicotine.
• Get plenty of sleep. Feeling tired can increase stress by causing you to think irrationally. Keep your cool by getting a good night’s sleep.

Take a 5-step program to relieve stress and bring your life into balance

Sometimes stress management isn’t enough. If you feel overwhelmed by stress but can’t seem to follow through with a stress management program, you may need extra help. Helpguide’s free online programcan help you relieve stress and replace old emotional habits with healthier ways of thinking, feeling, behaving, and relating to others.

As well as learning why emotional intelligence is so important to your physical and emotional health, you’ll also learn two core skills for reducing overwhelming stress: quick stress relief and emotional connection.

• Quick stress relief. The best way to reduce stress quickly and reliably is by using your senses—what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch—or through movement. By viewing a favorite photo, smelling a specific scent, listening to a favorite piece of music, tasting a piece of gum, or hugging a pet, for example, you can quickly relax and focus yourself. Of course, not everyone responds to each sensory experience in the same way. Something that relaxes one person may do nothing but irritate someone else. The key is to experiment with your senses and discover the sensory experiences that work best for you.
• Emotional connection. Nothing contributes more to chronic stress than emotional disconnection from ourselves and others. Understanding the influence emotions have on your thoughts and actions is vital to managing stress. Life doesn’t have to feel like a rollercoaster ride with extreme ups and downs. Once you’re aware of your emotions, even the painful ones you normally try to avoid or bottle up, the easier it is to understand your own motivations, stop saying or doing things you later regret, gain renewed energy, and smooth out the ride.  

Once you’ve mastered these core skills you’ll have the confidence to face stressful challenges, knowing that you’ll always be able to rapidly bring yourself back into balance.

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10 Easy Tips for Planning a Healthy Diet

10 Easy Tips for Planning a Healthy Diet and Sticking to It

Healthy diet is not about strict dietary limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and stabilizing your mood. If you feel overwhelmed by all the conflicting nutrition and diet advice out there, you’re not alone. It seems that for every expert who tells you a certain food is good for you, you’ll find another saying exactly the opposite. But by using these simple tips, you can cut through the confusion and learn how to create a tasty, varied, and healthy diet.

Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success

To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.

• Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. This way it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
• Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
• Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy, and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.

Think of water and exercise as food groups in your diet.

Water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices.

Exercise. Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries, or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit.

Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key

People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. But what is moderation? In essence, it means eating only as much food as your body needs. You should feel satisfied at the end of a meal, but not stuffed. Moderation is also about balance. Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.

The goal of healthy eating is to develop a diet that you can maintain for life, not just a few weeks or months, or until you've hit your ideal weight. For most of us, that means eating less than we do now. More specifically, it means eating far less of the unhealthy stuff (refined sugar, saturated fat, for example) and replacing it with the healthy (such as fresh fruit and vegetables). But it doesn't mean eliminating the foods you love. Eating bacon for breakfast once a week, for example, could be considered moderation if you follow it with a healthy lunch and dinner—but not if you follow it with a box of donuts and a sausage pizza. If you eat 100 calories of chocolate one afternoon, balance it out by deducting 100 calories from your evening meal. If you're still hungry, fill up with an extra serving of fresh vegetables.

• Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty, or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. If the rest of your diet is healthy, eating a burger and fries once a week probably won’t have too much of a detrimental effect on your health. Eating junk food just once a month will have even less of an impact. As you reduce your intake of unhealthy foods, you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
• Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entree, split a dish with a friend, and don't order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms, and start small. If you don't feel satisfied at the end of a meal, try adding more leafy green vegetables or rounding off the meal with fresh fruit. Visual cues can help with portion sizes–your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards and half a cup of mashed potato, rice, or pasta is about the size of a traditional light bulb.

Healthy eating tip 3: It's not just what you eat, it's how you eat

Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.

• Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
• Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of our food. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
• Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
• Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.
• Avoid eating at night. Try to eat dinner earlier in the day and then fast for 14-16 hours until breakfast the next morning. Early studies suggest that this simple dietary adjustment—eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestive system a long break each day—may help to regulate weight. After-dinner snacks tend to be high in fat and calories so are best avoided, anyway.

Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet. They are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.

Try to eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day and with every meal—the brighter the better. Colorful, deeply colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits, so eat a variety. Aim for a minimum of five portions each day.

Some great choices include:

• Greens. Branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce. Kale, mustard greens, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options—all packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and K.
• Sweet vegetables. Naturally sweet vegetables—such as corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, yams, onions, and squash—add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets.
• Fruit. Fruit is a tasty, satisfying way to fill up on fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.

The importance of getting vitamins from food—not pills

The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases. And while advertisements abound for supplements promising to deliver the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables in pill or powder form, research suggests that it’s just not the same.

A daily regimen of nutritional supplements is not going to have the same impact of eating right. That’s because the benefits of fruits and vegetables don’t come from a single vitamin or an isolated antioxidant.

The health benefits of fruits and vegetables come from numerous vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals working together synergistically. They can’t be broken down into the sum of their parts or replicated in pill form.

Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains

Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.

A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbs

Healthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.

Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar, and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber, and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy.

Tips for eating more healthy carbs

• Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites.
• Make sure you're really getting whole grains. Be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran can be deceptive. Look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” at the beginning of the ingredient list. In the U.S., Canada, and some other countries, check for the Whole Grain Stamps that distinguish between partial whole grain and 100% whole grain.
• Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole grains. If whole grains like brown rice and whole wheat pasta don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain to 100%.

Avoid: Refined foods such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.

Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats

Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart, and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood, and help prevent dementia.

Add to your healthy diet:

• Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans), and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).
• Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, flaxseed oils, and walnuts.

Reduce or eliminate from your diet:

• Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products.
• Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

What is a healthy daily limit for saturated fat and trans fat?

Experts recommend you limit the amount of saturated fats you eat to less than 7 percent of total daily calories. That means, for example, if you need about 2,000 calories a day, no more than 140 of them should come from saturated fats. That’s about 16 grams of saturated fat a day.

No more than 20 of those calories should come from trans fat. That’s less than 2 grams of trans fat a day. Given the amount of naturally occurring trans fat you probably eat every day, this leaves virtuallyno room at all for industrially manufactured trans fat.

Source: American Heart Association

Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective

Protein gives us the energy to get up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues, and organs. While too much protein can be harmful to people with kidney disease, the latest research suggests that most of us need more high-quality protein than the current dietary recommendations. It also suggests that we need more protein as we age to maintain physical function.

How much protein do you need?

Protein needs are based on weight rather than calorie intake.  Adults should eat at least 0.8g of protein per kilogram (2.2lb) of body weight per day. A higher intake may help to lower your risk for obesity, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, and stroke.

• Older adults should aim for 1 to 1.5 grams of protein for each kilogram of weight. This translates to 68 to 102g of protein per day for a person weighing 150 lbs.
• Divide your protein intake among meals but aim for 25 to 40g of high-quality protein per meal; less than 15g won’t benefit bone or muscle.
• Get plenty of calcium (1,000 to 1,200 mg per day).

Source: Environmental Nutrition

The key to ensuring you eat high-quality protein is to try different types, rather than relying on red meat and whole milk dairy products which are high in saturated fat.  Trying different healthy protein sources such as fish, beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu, chicken, and soy products will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.

Good Sources of Protein *
The following is a sampling of high-protein foods—some may not be healthy to eat in anything but moderation. Most red meat is very high in fat, as are whole-milk cheeses and the skin on chicken or turkey. In the U.S., non-organic meat and poultry may also contain antibiotics and hormones. Aim for sufficient protein intake at each meal—including breakfast—in the leanest and healthiest form.
Food	Serving size	Protein grams	Sat. fat (g)	Calories
FISH
Canned tuna	3.5 oz (100g)	19	0.2	86
Salmon	3.5 oz (100g)	21	0.8	130
Halibut	3.5 oz (100g)	23	0.4	111
Fresh tuna	3.5 oz (100g)	30	1.6	184
POULTRY (skinless)
Turkey breast	3.5 oz (100g)	31	0.6	147
Chicken breast	3.5 oz (100g)	31	1	165
Chicken thigh	3.5 oz (100g)	25	2.3	179
Chicken leg	3.5 oz (100g)	24	2.1	174
MEAT
Pork chops	1 chop (145g)	39	5	286
Skirt steak	3.5 oz (100g)	27	4	205
Ground beef (70% lean)	3.5 oz (100g)	14	11	332
Leg of lamb	3.5 oz (100g)	26	6.9	258
Cured ham	3.5 oz (100g)	23	9	178
LEGUMES
Soy beans	1/3 cup (100g)	17	1.3	173
Kidney beans	1/3 cup (100g)	10	0	123
Black beans	1/3 cup (100g)	9	0.1	132
Baked beans (canned)	1/3 cup (100g)	5	0	94
Peas	1/3 cup (100g)	8	0	118
MILK & EGGS
Skim milk	1/2 cup (100g)	3.4	0	34
Soy milk	1/2 cup (100g)	3.3	0.2	54
Eggs	2 boiled (100g)	13	3.3	155
Egg white	3 eggs (100g)	11	0	52
CHEESE
Non-fat mozzarella	3.5 oz (100g)	32	0	141
Non-fat cottage cheese	3.5 oz (100g)	10	0	72
Low-fat cheddar	3.5 oz (100g)	24	4.3	173
Low-fat Swiss cheese	3.5 oz (100g)	28	3.3	179
NUTS & SEEDS
Peanuts	1/4 cup (28g)	7	2	164
Almonds	1/4 cup (28g)	6	1	167
Pistachios	1/4 cup (28g)	6	1	159
Sunflower seeds	1/4 cup (28g)	6	2	166
Flaxseed	1/4 cup (28g)	5	1	150
OTHER PROTEIN OPTIONS
Veggie burger	1 patty (100g)	23	2	219
Tofu	3.5 oz (100g)	7	0.3	55
High-protein cereal	1 cup (50g)	13	1	160
Greek yogurt (non-fat)	1/2 cup (100g)	10	0	59
Whey protein powder	1/3 cup (32g)	19	0.2	120
* Nutrition values are approximate only; significant variations occur according to brand, cut of meat, cooking method, etc.

Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium for strong bones

Calcium is one of the key nutrients that your body needs in order to stay strong and healthy. It is an essential building block for lifelong bone health in both men and women, as well as many other important functions.

You and your bones will benefit from eating plenty of calcium-rich foods, limiting foods that deplete your body’s calcium stores, and getting your daily dose of magnesium and vitamins D and K—nutrients that help calcium do its job.

Recommended calcium levels are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Try to get as much of your daily calcium needs from food as possible and use only low-dose calcium supplements to make up any shortfall.

Good sources of calcium include:

• Dairy: Dairy products are rich in calcium in a form that is easily digested and absorbed by the body. Sources include milk, yogurt, and cheese.
• Vegetables and greens: Many vegetables, especially leafy green ones, are rich sources of calcium. Try turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, celery, broccoli, fennel, cabbage, summer squash, green beans, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, and crimini mushrooms.
• Beans: For another rich source of calcium, try black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, white beans, black-eyed peas, or baked beans.

Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar and salt

If you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar and salt.

Sugar

Sugar causes energy ups and downs and can add to health and weight problems. Unfortunately, reducing the amount of candy, cakes, and desserts we eat is only part of the solution. Often you may not even be aware of the amount of sugar you’re consuming each day. Large amounts of added sugar can be hidden in foods such as bread, canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, instant mashed potatoes, frozen dinners, fast food, soy sauce, and ketchup. Here are some tips:

• Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, more than the daily recommended limit! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice.
• Sweeten foods yourself. Buy unsweetened iced tea, plain yogurt, or unflavored oatmeal, for example, and add sweetener (or fruit) yourself. You’re likely to add far less sweetener than the manufacturer would have.
• Eat naturally sweet food such as fruit, peppers, or natural peanut butter to satisfy your sweet tooth. Keep these foods handy instead of candy or cookies.

How sugar is hidden on food labels

Check food labels carefully. Sugar is often disguised using terms such as:

cane sugar or maple syrup corn sweetener or corn syrup honey or molasses brown rice syrup

crystallized or evaporated cane juice fruit juice concentrates, such as apple or pear maltodextrin (or dextrin) Dextrose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, or Sucrose

Salt

Most of us consume too much salt in our diets. Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure and lead to other health problems. Try to limit sodium intake to 1,500 to 2,300 mg per day, the equivalent of one teaspoon of salt.

• Avoid processed or pre-packaged foods. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen dinners contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended limit.
• Be careful when eating out. Most restaurant and fast food meals are loaded with sodium. Some offer lower-sodium choices or you can ask for your meal to be made without salt. Most gravy and sauces are loaded with salt, so ask for it to be served on the side.
• Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables.
• Cut back on salty snacks such as potato chips, nuts, and pretzels.
• Check labels and choose low-salt or reduced-sodium products, including breakfast cereals.
• Slowly reduce the salt in your diet to give your taste buds time to adjust.

Healthy eating tip 10: Bulk up on fiber

Eating foods high in dietary fiber can help you stay regular, lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, and help you lose weight. Depending on your age and gender, nutrition experts recommend you eat at least 21 to 38 grams of fiber per day for optimal health. Many of us aren't eating half that amount.

• In general, the more natural and unprocessed the food, the higher it is in fiber.
• Good sources of fiber include whole grains, wheat cereals, barley, oatmeal, beans, nuts, vegetables such as carrots, celery, and tomatoes, and fruits such as apples, berries, citrus fruits, and pears—more good reasons to add more fruit and vegetables to your diet.
• There is no fiber in meat, dairy, or sugar. Refined or “white” foods, such as white bread, white rice, and pastries, have had all or most of their fiber removed.
• An easy way to add more fiber to your diet is to start your day with a whole grain cereal, such as Fiber-One or All-Bran, or by adding unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.

How fiber can help you lose weight

Since fiber stays in the stomach longer than other foods, the feeling of fullness will stay with you much longer, helping you eat less. Eating plenty of fiber can also move fat through your digestive system at a faster rate so that less of it can be absorbed. And when you fill up on high-fiber foods, you'll also have more energy for exercising.

To learn more, read: Fiber: The Essential Guid
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