How Do I Personalize My Own Healthy Diet?

Now that you're starting to look at food in a new light, I hope you will also be reforming some ideas about what you want for your personal diet.  I'm not going to write you your own personal diet because, like I said in my last post, no one magical diet will be right for everyone.  So, instead I'm going to give you 4 legs to stand your new diet on.  These legs will keep your diet sturdy and, hopefully, healthy.

1) Balance

A balanced diet is one that contains foods from all of the food groups.  Just as a refresher, the foods groups are

• Grains
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Meat and Beans
• Dairy

You don't need to get all of the food groups in one meal, but you do need to get them all at some point in the day.

2) Variety

It is important to eat a variety of different foods in your diet in order to get all of the nutrients that you need.  If you are consistently eating the same foods everyday for a long period of time, chances are that you are missing out on one or two vitamins or minerals.  Mix it up!  Try out different things.  Add in a couple of foods you don't normally eat.  For example, you can eat an apple a day and probably be pretty healthy.  It would be even better, though, to eat and apple one day, strawberries the next, and maybe some peaches and melon the next days.  Do the same thing within each of the food groups and you will have variety in your diet.

A variety of healthy food to choose from.

3) Moderation

Everything is better in moderation, and that includes your diet.  There is room for all of the food groups and even some of your favorite sweets in your diet, BUT you need to eat proper portion sizes.  For example, one person has 3 oz of meat, 1/4 cup veggies, 1/4 cup fruit, a glass of milk, a roll, and a small cookie for a meal.  Another person has 16 oz of meat, 2 cups veggies, a whole bowl of fruit, 3 rolls, 2 glasses of milk, and a dozen cookies.  Sure, they both fit in all of the food groups and a treat, but one person OBVIOUSLY overate, while the other ate in moderation.  Eating in moderation is not restrictive because you will always feel better physically when you eat a proper portion size.

4) Personalization

I believe that, while it is important to eat healthily, it is also important to enjoy your diet.  That's why personalization of your diet is one of the 4 legs necessary for keeping your diet steady.  You personalize your diet through your Discretionary Calories.  These are the extra calories that you need each day for energy that you don't need to use toward getting enough vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients.  Basically, these are YOUR CALORIES to do with them however you please.  Most people get about 200 of these discretionary calories a day (this number varies depending on how many calories you need to eat per day to maintain energy balance. Most women need between 2000-2400 calories, and most men between 2200-3000 calories).  So, this is where you throw in the ice cream, candy, chocolate, fries, movie theater popcorn, and whatever else may be your diet sin of choice.  Keep it within the discretionary calorie limit, and you have successfully personalized your diet.

Here is a -link- to a recipe for the perfect apple pie in honor of our discretionary calories :)

 Okay, now it's your turn to go for it!  Try out these simple diet guidelines and see how they work for you.  I hope you will see and feel a difference.  Best of luck!

-Kamie

Facts from Wardlaw's Perspectives in Nutrition, 8th Edition (a college textbook).