If you're as busy as I am, it's not always easy to keephealthy habits. But below are some simple guidelines that can help youstick with the program. No one's perfect, but if you follow these tipsmost of the time, you'll be healthier and slimmer.
1. Drink enough liquids. Good news! Youdon't have to drink just plain water to satisfy your thirst and stayhydrated -- many nonalcoholic beverages help fulfill your fluid needs.Just remember that many drinks are high in calories, so chooselow-calorie, low-sugar beverages most of the time.
2. Partake in daily physical activity.Instead of watching TV from a chair, hit the dance floor, jump in thepool for a swim, or just go for a stroll. It's the frequency andduration of physical activity that counts -- not the intensity.
3. Monitor your food choices carefully.What you eat and how much you eat are, of course, critical factors inmaintaining a healthy weight. If you need to lose weight, eat fewercalories by serving yourself smaller portions and eating slowly untilyou feel satisfied.
4. Eat a diet lower in fat. The Food andDrug Administration's dietary guidelines recommend consuming no morethan 25 percent to 35 percent of your calories from fat. So limit friedfoods, and substitute low-fat items for high-fat ones. This doesn'tmean that you'll never be able to have an enchilada again; justalternate your favorite foods with low-calorie, low-fat ones.
5. Consume more fruits and vegetables. Thenewly released dietary guidelines now recommend 9 1/2 cup servings offruits and vegetables a day. A serving of fruit or vegetable juice cancount as one of your nine daily servings.6. Start with a healthy breakfast. Nearly80 percent of successful dieters eat breakfast every day. If you skipbreakfast, you will be more likely to make up for the calories later onwith a poor eating decision that's fueled by hunger.7. Think smaller. Pay attention to what youare eating, and how much, and make sensible choices when it comes tomeal sizes. Stop eating when you feel full. Also, learn what counts asa serving according to the United States Department of Agriculture'snew food pyramid, and see if your servings fall into the recommendedrange. Check out the new pyramid at www.mypyramid.gov.8. Plan ahead. Meal plans are a great toolwhen it comes to healthy eating by helping you think ahead. Developingweekly meal plans and sticking to a shopping list helps keep you ontrack.9. Stop dieting. We all love the idea of aquick fix, but according to the American Dietetic Association, theproblem with fad diets is that they often do not teach balanced eatinghabits necessary for a lifetime of weight management and often excludevital nutrients. Create good habits and stick to them.
10. Fight hunger. It takes time for yourbody to tell you that you are full. So if hunger persists, have ahealthy drink and wait 15 minutes. Start meals with a glass of water ora beverage, as researchers have shown that drinking liquids rightbefore a meal helps you to eat less. Then eat slowly and savor thetaste of your food. Have a great conversation. And remember, you don'thave to eat everything on your plate.Refreshing, Delicious and Low-CalWhen thirst hits, you don't have to go to Margaritaville. There areequally refreshing low-calorie beverages out there. For example, youmight consider a light orange juice beverage, such Coca-Cola's MinuteMaid Premium Light Orange Juice, which has about the same nutrientcontent as regular full-calorie orange juice -- or Cadbury Schweppes'Mott's Plus Light, an apple juice beverage fortified with vitamins.Don't diet: Instead, create good habits and stick to them.Sylvia Melndez-Klinger, a registered dietician, headsHispanic Food Communications.Source: Hispanic. Powered byYellowbrix.
