Sometimes, it seems like there are nearly as many fancy weight-loss diet programs as there are people trying to lose weight. While it’s true everybody’s diet will look a little different depending on preferences and needs, your diet doesn’t have to be complicated — especially if your goal is to get in better shape.   

Having a balanced diet based on some basic principles is one of the best ways to lose weight. Generally, ½ – 2 pounds per week is a healthy rate of weight loss, and losing the weight steadily will provide more satisfaction while making the weight easier to keep off over the long term.

Below you’ll find some easy suggestions about how to eat with weight loss in mind.  

Pay attention to these food groups.

Fruits & Vegetables: These are your new best friends. Aim for at least five servings per day, and feel free to have more. Eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables will help you get in all of the nutrients they can provide as well as help prevent boredom in eating.

Dairy: Everyone over eight years old should aim for three servings of dairy per day. Choose skim or 1% milk and reduced-fat cheese and yogurt products to cut back on the amount of unhealthy fat and calories consumed.

Protein/Meat: Choose from a variety of protein options such as beef, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, seeds and soy. When selecting meats, look for lean cuts: those with 4.5 grams of saturated fat or less per serving.

Grains/Bread: Whole grain options (whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, etc.) provide a wide variety of nutrients including fiber, B vitamins and protein. Strive to make at least half of your grain choices whole grains.

Fats: Our bodies need fat for joint lubrication, temperature control, hormone production, organ protection and many other functions. Choose heart-healthy unsaturated fats from sources such as oils, avocados, nuts and olives more often than saturated fats found in butter/margarine/shortening, mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese and fried foods.

Extras: This includes added sugars, soft drinks, sauces, condiments and dips. These are the foods we often overindulge on. You don’t have to cut them out of your diet, but you may need to cut down on them.

Watch your portion sizes.

Even when eating healthy foods, you can have too much. Be aware that a single serving of some common foods includes:

• 1 cup of raw vegetables or fruit
  • ½ cup cooked vegetables
  • ¼ cup dried fruit
  • ½ cup ice cream or frozen yogurt
  • 1 ½ oz. cheese
  • 3 oz. meat/poultry/fish
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  • ½ cup oatmeal, rice or pasta (cooked)
  • 14”-diameter pancake

Pay attention to your meal patterns.

It’s been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day – and that’s true – but lunch, dinner and a couple healthy snacks are also important. Though skipping meals at first sounds like a reasonable way to cut calories, it can slow metabolism and/or lead to binge eating due to feeling starved.

Stay hydrated.

Water helps keep you feeling full without excessive calories, keeps your metabolism running smoothly, increases energy and blood flow and detoxifies your body. Any calorie-free beverage counts for fluid, but water is the gold standard.

Keep a food journal.

Nobody knows what you eat better than you do, but sometimes, even that knowledge is incomplete. Especially when trying to lose weight, writing down what you eat can significantly improve your success rate. Studies show that people who use a food journal lose more weight and are more faithful to diet goals than those who don’t.

Keeping a food journal is simple, though it isn’t easy at the beginning. It’s not intuitive to write down everything you eat, but developing this habit will exponentially help you fulfill your nutrition goals.

A food journal also allows additional freedom because you can see and plan how to include some less healthy foods as long as they fit within your calorie goals. Because calorie goals vary widely based on age, weight, height, activity level and other factors, be sure to talk with a registered dietitian, who can help you determine an appropriate goal for your individual needs. And if you’re looking for more tips on how to stay healthy, be sure to sign up for our newsletter at Hendricks.org/BeWell.