How to Create a Healty Eating Plan for Yourself

Having a healthy eating plan is important for everyone, whether you are trying to lose weight or simply trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. A proper meal plan should include the right mix of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The United States Department of Agriculture provides dietary guidelines for Americans that can be used as a reference to create a properly balanced diet. Proper nutrition helps you manage your weight, gives you energy, reduces the risk of chronic diseases and promotes good health.

Instructions

• 1

  Realize no two people are the same. There are countless diets and nutrition programs on the market that claim that they have the answer to everyone's health problems. The truth is that no one eating plan will work for everyone. What foods you eat, what mix of protein, carbohydrates and fat and how much you should consume depends on many factors including body type, genetics, metabolism, health and fitness goals and the amount of daily exercise you do.

• 2

  Make gradual changes. Radically changing your diet all at once will increase the chance that your new eating plan won't last. Make gradual changes you know you can stick to, such as using olive oil instead of butter when you cook, slowly cutting salt out of your cooking, and switching from white to whole-grain pasta. To ensure success, create a healthy eating plan through small manageable steps, such as deciding to eat a salad once a day. Establish this pattern in your life before making any other changes.

• 3

  Eat breakfast. Breakfast provides your body with the nutrients and energy it needs after a night of fasting. During sleep, the body is working, repairing itself after a day of activity. Eating breakfast refuels your body and starts your metabolism. A healthy breakfast should include protein and complex carbohydrates. Avoid simple carbohydrates that contain white flour or white sugar, such as white bread. According to Helpguide.org, these foods will cause your blood sugar to rise rapidly and then drop quickly, which will leave you feeling hungry and tired an hour or two later.

• 4

  Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Eating five or six meals throughout the day instead of three large meals will keep your blood sugar steady and metabolism high, providing the body with a constant supply of nutrients and energy to use throughout the day. This way, you avoid crashes and short peaks of energy.

• 5

  Live in moderation. While most dieters completely cut out sweets, chocolate and chips, doing this can lead to discouragement and failure. It's likely that you will give in to that piece of cherry pie eventually. Start by reducing portion sizes and avoiding eating these unhealthy treats as often as you can, but allow yourself the occasional indulgence. Think moderation with alcohol as well.

• 6

  Eat smaller portions. Serving sizes have increased dramatically over the last few years, particularly in restaurants. Use smaller plates at home and use visual cues to tell you how much you should consume. Helpguide.org says a serving of meat, fish or chicken should be approximately the size of a deck of cards. A teaspoon of oil or salad dressing is all you need, and a slice of bread should be roughly the size of a CD case.

• 7

  Fill up on fruits and vegetables. These low-calorie foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, and should be included in every meal. They should be your first choice for a snack, too. The brightest-colored fruits and vegetables contain the highest concentration of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that help protect against certain types of cancers and other diseases.