Healthy Eating 101

Three principles to eating healthy for good.

Have you ever eaten something knowing that it wasn’t good for your body? If you're nodding your head YES in agreement, then this is for you.Over half of Americans report that they are trying to lose weight, and of those, about 90% desire to increase vegetable and fruit intake. The reasons for this healthy eating dilemma can be greatly elaborated on, but some common obstacles include accessibility, convenience, unhealthy cravings and lack of motivation. Although eating healthy can certainly be easier said than done, it STILL can be done! That’s is why I would like to offer three easily applicable principles to keep you focused with total ease on your healthy eating habits.

Principle ONE80/20 ruleThis rule states: 80% of the time you should choose to fuel with all the foods you would be proud to say you ate, while 20% of the time you can feel totally guilt-free to splurge a little. To put this into perspective, let’s think about your day. Draw a line down the center of a blank sheet of paper. In the left column make a list of all the healthy foods you ate and drank today: fresh veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, water and so on. Now in the right-side column, make a list of the less healthy or unhealthy choices you made. For example, you added sugar to your morning coffee, had a sub on white bread, drank two beers with dinner, had dessert after lunch, etc.In comparison, your right-side column should have only two choices for every eight in the left-side column. Principle TWOThis is not a diet. This is my lifestyle.No one diets for a lifetime. The best approach is to find the healthiest eating habits and meal planning that what works for you. The new nutritional standards and MyPlate tool provides a good starting point for you to begin making healthy choices at each meal without the major dietary restrictions encouraged by various fad-diets.

RELATED: MyPlate - The Government Standard of NutritionPrinciple THREE Macros. Macros. Marcos.There is no healthy eating plan without the appropriate balance of macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fats). The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recommended dietary allowance for the average healthy adult is 45 to 65 grams of carbohydrates, 10 to 30 grams of protein and 25 to 35 grams of fat. Percentage-wise, this is about 45-65% carbohydrates, 10-35% protein and 20-35% fats. A balance of macronutrients is key to any healthy eating plan for life. In summary, here's what you need to remember: