Quick tips are from the Harvard School of Public Health
I find these tips very interesting and they fit in with the WW lifestyle, so I've included them here.
1. Weight loss is hard. It doesn’t happen overnight. The last 15 are the hardest to lose.
2. Don’t expect immediate results. If you try something new for a week, and you don’t see results, don’t give up.
3. Measure yourself once a month. Take a picture that only you will see each time. You may shrink in inches before pounds.
a. Measure the right upper arm (while it's bent at the elbow but don't flex)
b. Measure the right thigh while your foot is flat on a chair and knee is bent
c. Measure your bust at the fullest part
d. Measure your waist at the smallest part
e. Measure your hips at the largest part (i.e.: biggest butt area)
4. Journal. Write down your feelings about the process. The highs and lows. How you feel when you sit down to a meal.
5. Weigh once a week at the same time of the day. Don’t weigh every day. Get a good scale. Weigh once that day, morning preferably. Then put it away until the next week on the same day. Weighing daily or many times a day will only get frustrating.
6. Get used to water. Flavored is ok. Try plain with a squeeze of lemon or lime.
7. Get used to going to the restroom many, many times a day. This is how we lose weight. It doesn’t fall off like the thunder thighs in the commercial. We lose it through sweating or going to the restroom.
8. Write down what you eat.
a. Look for patterns
b. See if what you eat helps in the weight loss process
c. Limit soda or cut it out completely (contains sodium--most--even diet)
d. Limit caffeine (boost metabolism naturally)
e. Limit coffee (diuretic)
f. Limit salt (watch canned goods for sodium content)
g. See when you’re snacking and on what.
i. Are you eating due to boredom? (Take up a hobby. Keep your hands busy. Yard work, sewing, knitting, or reading are good hobbies.)
ii. Are you eating when stressed? (Exercise instead. Read. Go for a walk. Do yard work.)
iii. Are you eating because it’s there? (Have healthy items on hand: fruit, veggies, string cheese)
iv. Are you eating because you’re fixing a meal too late and you should have eaten already? Spread out lunch all day. Take one day a week. Cut up veggies to have on hand or buy them cut up or baby carrots. Have items on hand to quickly make a lunch. A string cheese, a slice of whole wheat bread with a little peanut butter, fruit, veggies, etc. If you can’t stay out of high fat foods but the rest of the family can have them, designate a drawer in the fridge or shelf or cabinet just for you. Ask your family to stay out.
v. Are you cleaning up from a meal and eating leftovers instead of putting them away? Put them away before you sit down to dinner. Then they aren’t there when you are cleaning up. Out of sight, out of mind.
vi. Don’t plan events around food. Plan get togethers at a park and have games and activities. If food is included, ask people to think outside the box or bucket (kfc) and ask them to bring healthier items. You’d be surprised how many people are watching their weight and would appreciate this.
9. Try new recipes.
b. Wraps are all the rage: use whole wheat, spinach, or tomato tortillas, low fat beans, chicken, veggies, salsa, etc. to fill them. Use smaller tortillas too. (Low fat cream cheese, salmon, and spinach in a spinach tortilla is a great wrap. Slice it and hold it together with a toothpick. Makes a great party item or light meal item. Use light mayo or ½ mayo and ½ mustard in tuna (if you like mustard) to cut the fat. Try mixing with light salad dressing as an alternative to mayo.
c. Buy some cookbooks at a thrift store and substitute low fat items for butter, sour cream, cream, milk, cheese. Fat free sour cream isn’t bad. Promise light isn’t bad. Fat free cheese is pointless, so go for lower fat. Fat free cream cheese is tasteless but low fat is good.
d. If you must have dessert, try low fat alternatives:
i. Diet soda cupcakes (1 box cake mix, 1 can diet soda, 2 egg whites. Mix. Bake in cake pan or makes 24 cupcakes. (ßportion control) Top with fat free coolwhip. (with or without fat free/sugar free pudding mix mixed in and/or fresh berries) Coolwhip comes frozen. Put in fridge overnight to thaw.
ii. Black bean brownies 1 can (with liquid) black beans puréed + 1 box brownie mix. Mix together and bake according to box. (I’ve never tried it but hear it’s good.)
iii. Smoothies: frozen berries, ice, juice, frozen yogurt, yogurt, etc. Be creative.
iv. Sugar free pudding or jello
v. Layer sugar free jello or pudding and fat free coolwhip in a tall ice cream glass. Top with more coolwhip and fresh fruit.
vi. Layer in a tall glass: fat free yogurt (any flavor), low fat granola, and fresh fruit such as blue berries, strawberries, or raspberries. Great for breakfast.
vii. Great punch: low fat sorbet, diet gingerale or squirt or 7-up and frozen mixed berries. (could make it by the glass.)
viii. Fill ice cube trays with crystal light and add those ice cubes to iced tea or diet 7up. Lemonade in iced tea is great. So is ½ lemonade and ½ tea.
ix. Diet orange soda with fat free frozen vanilla yogurt (creamsicle)
x. Diet rootbeer or cream soda with low fat or fat free vanilla frozen yogurt.
10. Skipping meals makes the body think it’s starving and it will hold on to whatever you eat.
11. Muscle doesn’t weigh more than fat. It takes up less space. By volume it would weigh more. If you had a 1’ cube filled with fat and another with muscle, the one with fat would weigh more because it would take more to fill up that space. That’s why a muscular arm is tight and a fat arm is flabby. Why pecks are tight while breasts are droopy. Why 2 people who weigh the same look very different if they have different amounts of fat and muscle.
12. Snack size ziploc bags aren't small just for kids. 8 triscuits (a serving) fits perfectly in a snack size bag. So does 1 cup of Cheerios (barely). If we get used to seeing our snacks in a container that they fill up, we won't fee deprived as much as if we put 8 little crackers in a sandwich sized bag and there's a lot of extra room. Fool the eye, fool the stomach, & fool the mind... but we need to get used to eating a serving, not 2-3.
13. There's a difference between serving size and portion size. A serving size is what the manufacturer recommends we eat. 1 cup of cereal or 1/2 cup of potatoes. A portion is what we (used to) eat. Filling up the cereal bowl. Randomly scooping as much mashed potatoes as we want or dividing among who's eating. We need to get back to eating a serving, not a portion. Use your measuring spoons and cups. That's why they exist. Eat off a salad plate. Buy some cheap divided plastic plates like old time cafeterias use. Fill the largest area with fruits and vegies. Put your meat in one quarter section and your grain in the other.
1. At each meal, choose a protein source (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, tofu, cottage cheese, natural peanut butter, protein powder); generally the size of the palm of the hand and the same thickness. For breakfast, half a palm should suffice.
2. At each meal, eat a starch (bread, cereal, pita, cooked pasta or rice, potato, corn, dried beans); about the size of a clenched fist.
3. The third component of your meal should be a fruit and/or vegetable choice; I would encourage unlimited quantities of these.
4. The best beverage to accompany a meal is water; limit juice (unsweetened) to one cup daily. You could have milk or unsweetened soy beverage at meals but I prefer to incorporate these at snack time.
5. Meal timing. We should eat within 1 hour of waking and from that starting time try to eat every 3 hours; with preferably nothing after the evening meal. Try to allow three to four hours of no eating before getting to sleep.
6. Snacks. I suggest low glycemic snacks such as: fruit, fruit salad, unsweetened applesauce, dried fruit, raw vegetables, brothy soup with vegetables (no starch), yogurt, smoothies (milk, yogurt, fruit), decaf latte, milk (or chocolate 1% milk for chocolate lovers), milk puddings, V8 vegetable juice (one cup). You could substitute unsweetened soy beverages or rice beverages for the milk.
7. Instead of counting total calories, use the practical tools in points 1-3. Once we get into calories there can be significant error regarding estimating requirements, intake, and the difficulty of being able to sustain an approach to calorie counting. As well, if someone has been dieting for years, most formulations will likely overestimate their energy requirements, etc.
8. Ask yourself what your three most significant challenges are in achieving your weight loss goals. After you've identified those obstacles, you can focus on them. For example, someone might always snack while preparing or putting away a meal. Or, "I always eat when I can finally unwind in the late evening," or "I miss morning and afternoon snacks because I am out and about, which leads to overconsumption at meals." Or, "I have afternoon cravings for sweets," etc. (Eating off the kids’ plates when clearing the table is a problem for some.)
9. Another critical step is to keep food and fluid records for at least 7 days – longer is always better. A food record will help you assess imbalances in areas such as meal timing (e.g. too long between meals or no snacking); small lunch and huge dinner; lack of sufficient fluids (i.e. less than 48oz daily); too many sweetened beverages (slushy coffees, ice tea, juices, pop, slurpees, etc.); or too many sweets (reaching for mints, candies, etc.) that may be readily available. Often we only think about the food on our plate when we sit down (or not) to eat; the extras between meals are usually the culprit, not the meals. (Don’t eat in the car. Many people don’t count these meals then eat when they get home. Usually we don’t even taste them, much less enjoy what we’ve eaten and they are often very high in fat.)
10. Assessing body weight. I use two perspectives. One is to take a weight history. What is the lowest weight that someone has been stable at in the past for at least five years since the age of 25. For example, Kathy weighed 145 pounds for years and then shot up to 177 pounds. Thus we are aiming for 145 as a goal weight for her (regardless of height/weight tables).
Another method is to take 100 pounds for five feet in height and another five pounds per inch, (I’ve heard 10# per inch from a dr.) give or take 10 per cent. So at five feet, seven inches, the average person should be 100 + 35 = 135 pounds, or within a range of 123 to 148 pounds. If this number is unrealistic, go back to the first perspective of stable weights.
A third approach is to take your current weight and aim for a 10% weight reduction. For Kathy that would be to lose 17 to 18 pounds. Then we can re-evaluate and see if she can stand to lose another five to 10%. You know you are at a natural set point when you eat to satisfy, are not preoccupied with food thoughts, and enjoy a variety of foods without major restrictions or sacrifices. (first two numbers of the weight. 100=10, 150=15, etc.) After a 10% loss, shoot for another one. Or start small. 5% or even 1% or 5#. Write these goals down. Check them off as you lose.
Traffic made you late. The kids have soccer practice tonight. And you're starving. How do you fix dinner without giving into fast food or freezer-to-microwave mush? With the help of our cook's cheat sheet, you need look no further than your kitchen cupboard. A little creative pre-planning and a kitchen stocked with staples means delicious, healthy meals that are only minutes away.
Quick Cook's Crash Course
So let's get started. Prepare for nights like these by keeping the following tactics in mind:
Invest in the right cookware.
Good steamers, nonstick pans and microwave-safe dishes will always help you out in a pinch. Woks and large, nonstick skillets with lids are great for stir-frying. And slow cookers let soups, stews and chili cook all day when you're out.
Use quick, easy cooking methods.
Stir-frying, sautéing, steaming and microwaving are fast—they cut back on fat and help retain nutrients.
Keep it simple.
Use packaged products like pasta sauces and ready-to-eat salads, or create a buffet of leftovers when you're really in a hurry.
Prepare some items in advance.
As you're waiting for tonight's noodles to boil, slice up tomorrow night's flank steak. Place the beef in plastic bags with a marinade, and it'll be ready to grill when you get home.
Combine steps and save yourself time.
Make boiling water do double duty. First add pasta, then throw in frozen vegetables for the last few minutes. Or prepare chicken tenders and rice together in the same skillet.
Stock up on smart standbys.
Keeping all the right ingredients on hand will guarantee a nutritious meal, even on short notice. Make a list of frequently used items and attach it to your refrigerator door. Every weekend, check for items that you're running low on, and take a trip to the store to replace them. Here's our list to get you started:
In your refrigerator:
In your freezer:
How Can Kids Help?
10. Color & Texture. Fruits and veggies add color, texture … and appeal … to your plate.
9. Convenience. Nutritious in any form - fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100% juice, so they’re ready when you are!
8. Fiber. Fruits and veggies provide fiber that helps fill you up and keeps your digestive system happy.
7. Low in Calories. Fruits and veggies are naturally low in calories.
6. May Reduce Disease Risk. Eating plenty of fruits and veggies may help reduce the risk of many diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and some cancers.
5. Vitamins & Minerals. Fruits and veggies are rich in vitamins and minerals that help you feel healthy and energized.
4. Variety. Fruits and veggies are available in an almost infinite variety…there’s always something new to try!
3. Quick, Natural Snack. Fruits and veggies are nature’s treat and easy to grab for a snack.
2. Fun to Eat! Some crunch, some squirt, some you peel … some you don’t, and some grow right in your own backyard!
1.Taste Great!
Use these cuisine essentials to keep you on the path to eating right and staying slim. By Helen Racanelli
1. Cast iron frying pan
This is the original nonstick pan. It's a bit tricky to "season" it (click here for tips) -- in other words, to build up a natural nonstick surface by rubbing it with oil or grease and heating it. The upside: once it's seasoned, you need only a little bit of oil to cook meat, vegetables, etc. Plus, they're inexpensive -- starting from about $12. Your grandmother probably used one all the time!
2. Measuring cups
Are you really doling out a half-cup of spaghetti, or are you just eyeballing it and hoping for the best? If you're really serious about portion control, you'll want to measure what you're eating with proper measuring cups, at least in the beginning until you can better judge what's on your plate. Measure pasta and sauce separately and then if the rest of the family likes their’s mixed, mix it up before serving it to them. (Read the package for serving size.)
Whip up healthy smoothies, blend a light vegetable soup -- if you have an attractive blender in your kitchen in plain view, you'll be more tempted to use it and skip junky pops and sugary fruit blend juices. Blend yogurt, ice, & fruit. Blend milk (fat free) and fruit and ice. There’s many smoothie recipe books at the check out stands in the summer. Substitute low fat or fat free for the milk or yogurt or frozen yogurt for ice cream.
4. Small plates
Studies show that you'll eat less if you eat from a smaller plate. So use those oversize dishes as chargers underneath your place setting or as servingware, and switch to smaller side or salad plates for your meals. Kitchenstuffplus.com sells this small white salad plate for $2. Also try Goodwill or Wal-Mart
Sandwiches get boring fast. Use reuseable storage containers to bring your lunch to work -- every day. Bring salads in them, or fresh cut-up fruit so you won't be tempted by the vending machine. Freeze leftovers and pull them out of the freezer at a later date so you're not eating the same thing two days in a row. Say sayonara to greasy lunches and calorie-laden snacks and hello to a healthier, slimmer you!
5 ways to boost the metabolism naturally
1. Do not skip breakfast! Picture your metabolic rate shaped as an ice cream cone. In other words, starting at the top – it is at its highest in the morning and starts to decline on a gradual level as the day progresses. Unfortunately, most of us have a backwards approach to eating when it comes to weight loss and meals. We skip breakfast for a variety of reasons such as lack of hunger, a busy schedule or to save on calories. While this may seem to make sense from a pure “calories in, calories out” theory, research has demonstrated time and time again that this approach will result in weight gain. Whether it is a protein shake, a yogurt and granola parfait or slow-cooking oatmeal – you need something to start your day off right.
2. Eat more protein! The hormone glucagon is released in response to dietary protein, such as egg whites, low-fat cheese, lean meats, chicken, fish and protein powder. Glucagon signals fat cells to release fat into the blood, thereby promoting its use. In other words, more fat is burned and more weight is lost when you eat more protein.
3. Say good-bye to refined grains. Products made from refined grains, such as many breads, pastas, cookies and cakes, cause most people to oversecrete the hormone insulin. Insulin has the opposite effect of glucagon. Of its many functions, insulin is secreted from the pancreas to facilitate the uptake of glucose from the bloodstream into the cells.
Glucose (a.k.a. blood sugar) is derived from carbohydrates and is the main source of fuel for the body. When too many of the wrong types of carbohydrates are consumed, such as refined white sugar and/or white flour, excess insulin is secreted to deal with the sugar. In short, excess insulin = excess fat.
4. Stick to low glycemic index carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains (breads and pastas) and beans. Do not be scared of eating bread! Research demonstrates very clearly that whole grains are beneficial for weight loss and the prevention of type II diabetes, colon cancer and constipation. (make sure the first ingredient is whole wheat flour.)
5. Go for green! Instead of your morning coffee, opt for some green tea. Green tea has many health benefits, from helping to fight diseases such as cancer and heart disease, to aiding in weight loss. Studies show that catechins, the antioxidants in green tea, help increase fat burning. Research also shows that green tea may lower blood sugars by inhibiting enzymes that allow the absorption of starches, and it may reduce the absorption of fat from the intestine. Typical dosage is three or four cups per day or a 300 to 400 mg capsule of green tea extract daily.
Take home point: Your total metabolic rate is not fixed. In fact, there is a certain part of it that is flexible and when given the proper foods, hydration, exercise and supplements can rev up and help you slim down naturally. Bon appetit!
5 Quick tips for getting the right vitamin
1. Eat a healthy diet. A multivitamin provides some insurance against deficiencies but is far less important for health than the healthy food patterns described on this website. Choose a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and healthy oils, and low in red meat and unhealthy fats—let the Healthy Eating Pyramid be your guide.
2. Choose a daily multivitamin. A daily multivitamin is an inexpensive nutrition insurance policy. Try to take one every day.
3. Think about D. In addition to its bone health benefits, there’s growing evidence that getting some extra vitamin D can help lower the risk of colon and breast cancer. Aim for getting 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day—this likely will require an extra vitamin D pill, in addition to your multivitamin. For more information, see the vitamin D section of The Nutrition Source.
4. Say no to “megas.” In general, avoid mega-dose vitamins. Higher doses of vitamin E may help to prevent heart disease, but in general, the amount in a standard multivitamin is enough to have health benefits. Vitamin D is an exception, as many people need more than the RDA.
5. Avoid “super” supplements. Don’t be swayed by the wild health claims of the many health supplements advertised on TV and the Internet. If they sound too good to true, you can be sure they are. Save your money for healthy food and a good vacation.
5 Quick tips for choosing healthy fats
1. Use liquid plant oils for cooking and baking. Olive, canola, and other plant-based oils are rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Try dressing up a salad or spring vegetables with a delicious, olive oil-based vinaigrette, such as this recipe for fresh mint vinaigrette.
2. Ditch the trans fat. In the supermarket, read the label to find foods that are trans free. In restaurants, steer clear of fried foods, biscuits, and other baked goods, unless you know that the restaurant has eliminated trans fat. Read more about how to spot trans fats—and how to avoid them.
3. Switch from butter to soft tub margarine. Choose a product that has zero grams of trans fat, and scan the ingredient list to make sure it does not contain partially hydrogenated oils.
4. Eat at least one good source of omega-3 fats each day. Fatty fish, walnuts, and canola oil all provide omega-3 fatty acids. Read more about omega-3 fatty acids and why they are so important to good health.
5. Go lean on meat and milk. Beef, pork, lamb, and dairy products are high in saturated fat. Choose low-fat milk, and savor full-fat cheeses in small amounts; also, choose lean cuts of meat.
1. Look beyond the dairy aisle. Limit milk and dairy foods to no more than 1 to 2 servings per day. More won’t necessarily do your bones any good—and less is fine, as long as you get enough calcium from other sources. Calcium-rich non-dairy foods include leafy green vegetables and broccoli, both of which are also great sources of vitamin K, another key nutrient for bone health. Beans and tofu can also supply calcium.
2. Get your vitamin D. Vitamin D plays a key role along with calcium in boosting bone health. Look for a multivitamin that supplies 1,000 IU of vitamin D per day. If your multi only has 400 IU of vitamin D, consider taking an extra supplement to get you up to 1,000 IU or 2,000 IU per day. Some people may need 3,000 or 4,000 IU per day for adequate blood levels, particularly if they have darker skin, spend winters in the northern U.S., or have little exposure to direct sunlight. If you fall into these groups, ask your physician to order a blood test for vitamin D. Read more about vitamin D in the vitamins section of The Nutrition Source.
3. Get active. Regular exercise, especially weight-bearing exercise such as walking or jogging, is an essential part of building and maintaining strong bones.
4. Be careful about getting too much retinol (vitamin A). Don’t go overboard on fortified milk, energy bars, and breakfast cereals, all of which can be high in bone-weakening vitamin A. Many multivitamin makers have removed much or all retinol and replaced it with beta-carotene, which does not harm bones.
5. Help your kids build strong bones. Youth and young adulthood is the period when bones build up to their peak strength. Helping youth lead a bone-healthy lifestyle—with exercise, adequate calcium, and adequate vitamin D—can help them keep strong bones through all their adult years.
5 Quick tips for choosing high fiber foods
1. Go with whole fruit instead of juice. Whole apples and whole oranges are packed with a lot more fiber and a lot fewer calories than their liquid counterparts.
2. Break the fast with fruit. Get off to a great start by adding fruit, like berries or melon, to your breakfast every day.
3. Check the label for fiber-filled whole grains. Choose foods that list whole grains (like whole wheat or whole oats) as a first ingredient. Bread, cereal, crackers and other grain foods should have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. Read "Health Gains from Whole Grains" for a list of whole grains and their benefits.
4. Eat more beans. It's easy to forget about beans, but they're a great tasting, cheap source of fiber, good carbs, protein, and other important nutrients.
5. Try a new dish. Test out international recipes that use whole grains, like tabouli or whole wheat wheat pasta, or beans, like Indian dahls.
5 Quick tips for stocking a healthy kitchen
Healthy eating begins in the kitchen, whether it's in a home, restaurant, dining hall, or other venue. To get the most out of the recipes you prepare, keep your kitchen stocked with ingredients from the Healthy Eating Pyramid.
1. Produce. Choose locally grown vegetables and fruits whenever you can. Keep on hand garlic, onions, dark salad greens like spinach and romaine, carrots, and apples. When you shop, select produce that looks good, or what's on sale.
2. Grains. Trade in white rice for the bounty of great whole grains: barley, cracked wheat (bulgur), oat berries, quinoa, brown rice, and a host of others. Try whole wheat pasta or one of the whole wheat blends now on the market.
3. Protein. Rely on healthy protein packages such as fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, and a variety of beans and nuts. And move away from the traditional mealtime paradigm of a large portion of meat at the center of your plate. Instead, build a healthy plate with equal servings of protein, whole grains, and vegetables.
4. Fats and oils. Use liquid vegetable oils whenever possible for sautéing vegetables, stir-frying fish or chicken, and as the base of salad dressings. Good choices include canola, sunflower, corn, soybean, peanut, and olive oil. A dash of a specialty oil, like extra-virgin olive oil, walnut or pistachio oil, sesame oil, or truffle oil, can make steamed vegetables come alive. Mashed avocado, rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, makes a fabulous topping for sandwiches.
5. Other essentials. Learn what chefs have known for a long time: A small amount of a high-quality ingredient goes a long way toward boosting flavor. Stock your kitchen with good-quality tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, fresh and dried herbs, dried cherries or cranberries, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and a variety of unsalted nuts (such as walnuts, almonds, and pistachios).
5 Quick tips to getting more physical activity
1. Choose activities you like. Pick activities you enjoy. A lot of different things count as exercise: dancing, walking, gardening, playing basketball. Choose whatever gets you moving.
2. Try a pedometer. Pedometers are cheap and easy to use. Best of all, they help you keep track of how active you are. Build up to 7,000 steps a day—or more.
3. Piece your workout together. You don't need to get all your exercise at one time. Ten minutes morning, noon, and night can give much of the same benefit as 30 minutes all at once.
4. Exercise with a friend. Finding a workout partner can help keep you on track and motivate you to get out the door.
5. Take lunch on the move. Don't spend your lunch time sitting. Grab a quick meal and hit the gym or go for a walk with coworkers.
5 Quick tips for adding good carbs to your diet
1. Start the day with whole grains. Try a hot cereal, like old-fashioned oats, or a cold cereal that lists a whole grain first on the ingredient list.
2. Use whole grain breads for lunch or snacks. Confused about how to find a whole-grain bread? Read "Separating the Whole Grain from the Chaff" to learn how to spot whole grains in the supermarket.
3. Bag the potatoes. Instead, try brown rice, bulgur, wheat berries, whole wheat pasta, or another whole grain with your dinner. Read "Health Gains from Whole Grains" for a list of whole grains and their health benefits.
4. Choose whole fruit instead of juice. An orange has two times as much fiber and half as much sugar as a 12-ounce glass of orange juice.
5. Bring on the beans. Beans are an excellent source of slowly digested carbohydrates as well as a great source of protein.
5 tips for choosing healthy protein foods
1. Mix it up. Most reasonable diets provide enough protein for healthy people. Eating a variety of foods will ensure that you get all of the amino acids you need.
2. Go low on saturated fat. Beans, fish and poultry provide plenty of protein, without much saturated fat. Steer clear of fatty meats and use whole-milk dairy products sparingly. For more information on saturated fat, read "Fats and Cholesterol: Out with the Bad, In with the Good."
3. Limit red meat—and avoid processed meat. Research suggests that people who eat more than 18 ounces a week of red meat have a higher risk of colon cancer. So make red meat—beef, pork, lamb—only an occasional part of your diet, if you eat it at all. And skip the processed stuff—bacon, hot dogs, and deli meats—since that's also been linked to higher cancer risk.
4. Eat soy in moderation. Tofu and other soy foods are an excellent red meat alternative. But don't go overboard; 2 to 4 servings a week is a good target. And stay away from supplements that contain concentrated soy protein or extracts, such as isoflavones, as we just don't know the long term effects.
5. Balance carbs and protein. Cutting back on highly processed carbohydrates and increasing protein improves levels of blood triglycerides and HDL, and so may reduce your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other form of cardiovascular disease. It may also make you feel full longer, and stave off hunger pangs. For tips on how to choose high quality carbs, check out the Carbohydrates section of Nutrition Source.
5 Quick tips on eating more fruits and veggies
1. Keep fruit out where you can see it. That way you'll be more likely to eat it. Keep it out on the counter or in the front of the fridge.
2. Get some every meal, every day. Try filling half your plate with vegetables at each meal. Serving up salads, stir fry, or other vegetable-rich fare makes it easier to reach this goal. Bonus points if you can get some fruits and vegetables at snack time, too.
3. Explore the produce aisle and choose something new. Variety is the key to a healthy diet. Get out of a rut and try some new fruits and vegetables.
4. Bag the potatoes. Choose other vegetables that are packed with more nutrients and more slowly digested carbs. Read the "Carbohydrates" section of The Nutrition Source to learn how to add good carbs to your diet.
2. If you do drink, drink in moderation—and choose whatever drink you like. Wine, beer, or spirits—each seems to have the same health benefits as long as moderation's the word (no more than one drink per day for women, and no more than two drinks per day for men). To read more about whether the type of alcohol consumed has any effect on health, read "Is Wine Fine, Or Beer Better?"
3. Take a multivitamin with folic acid. Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, a B vitamin that may help lower the risk of heart disease and cancers of the colon and breast. Those who drink may benefit the most from getting extra folate, since alcohol moderately depletes our body's stores. The amount in a standard multivitamin—400 micrograms—is enough, when combined with a healthy diet. To learn more about folate, check out the vitamins section of The Nutrition Source.
4. Ask your doctor about your drinking habits. If you (or your friends) think you may have a problem with drinking, talk to a doctor or other health professional about it. He or she can help.
5. Pick a designated driver. Alcohol and driving do not mix. If you've been out drinking cocktails and it's time to head home, hand your car keys to someone who's been sipping seltzer all night.