Managing your weight with healthy eating

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A Balanced Diet


Know how many calories your body needs every day. Know what size portions your body needs. A balanced diet also includes avoiding too much of some foods and making sure you get enough of others.




Good sources of protein include turkey and chicken with the skin removed. Buffalo meat is also good.


Eat plenty of fish and shellfish.

Beans are also good sources of protein, including pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, lentils, split peas, and garbanzo beans.


Eggs are a good source of protein and low in saturated fat. But they are very high in cholesterol. Do not eat more than 4 eggs yolks per week. Or try eating dishes that only include egg whites.


Always choose fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) dairy products, and try to consume 3 cups per day. Cheese is also a healthy choice, but only in moderation.

Other good dairy choices are milk, buttermilk, and low-fat ice cream. Yogurt is best when it is fat-free or low-fat.




Grain products are made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain. Foods made with grains include pasta, oatmeal, breads, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits.

There are two kinds of grains: whole grains or refined grains. Choose mostly whole-grain foods. They are much healthier for you because they have the entire grain kernel. These include whole-wheat flour, bulgur (cracked wheat), oatmeal, whole cornmeal, and brown rice. Buy foods that have the words "whole grain" or "whole wheat" on the package.

Refined grains are changed to make them last longer. They also have a finer texture. This process removes fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. Refined grains include white flour, white rice, or de-germed cornmeal. Eat fewer foods that often have refined grains, such as flour and pasta.

Products with added bran, such as oat bran or bran cereal, are a good source of fiber. Just remember, they may not be whole-grain products.



Many healthy oils come from plants, nuts, olives, or fish. Healthy choices are canola, corn, cottonseed, olive, safflower, soybean, and sunflower oils.

Any fats that are solid at room temperature contain saturated fats. Saturated fats are much less healthy for you and are often high in cholesterol. Fats found in animals and some fish are higher in saturated fats.

Saturated fats may be found in some foods. Some vegetable oils also have saturated fats. These are coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils.

You can reduce saturated fats in your diet by eating only a small amount of egg yolks, hard cheeses, whole milk, cream, ice cream, butter, and fatty meats.


Avoid fried foods. Fried food absorbs the fats from cooking oils. This increases your fat intake. If you do fry, cook with polyunsaturated oils.






Be careful not to eat too many fruits. They do have calories. But try to eat 2 cups (4 servings) of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables (5 servings) per day for an average 2,000-calorie per day diet. You can always add more low-calorie vegetables to your diet.


Replace half of the cheese in your omelets with spinach, onions, tomatoes, or mushrooms. Replace 2 ounces of cheese and 2 ounces of meat in your sandwiches with lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, or onions.


When you feel hungry during the day, eat some baby carrots or an apple. Choose fresh fruit for dessert. Avoid cookies, cakes, or pudding.

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  • Last reviewed on 11/12/2012



This page was last updated: May 20, 2014

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