How to Follow the American Heart Association Diet

The American Heart Association diet recommendations suggest people should follow a basic diet low in fat and sodium to reduce their odds for medical conditions like heart disease and strokes. The American Heart Association states that people avoid fad diets and use a simple tailored approach to diet that includes eating well and exercising more.

Follow the steps below to follow the American Heart Association diet.

Instructions

• 1

  To follow the American Heart Association diet, make sure to burn as many calories as you take in each day. It's simple math. If you're consuming 1800 calories a day, make sure you're burning at least 1800 calories a day. The best way to stay even with calories is to exercise. The American Heart Association recommends that people get at least thirty minutes of moderate activity each day. For more information about how to count calories, see the article about how to count calories in the resource section below.

• 2

  According to the American Heart Association's recommendations for diet, people should eat vegetables and fruits to control blood pressure, they should eat unrefined whole grain foods to lower cholesterol, and they should eat fish high in omega-3 fatty acids to lower the risk of death from coronary artery disease.

• 3

  The American Heart Association recommends that people avoid foods and beverages that are high in calories and have low nutrient values. The best way to do this is to limit foods with saturated fat, trans fat cholesterol and high amounts of sodium. Consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. Eat less than 300 mg of cholesterol. Avoid foods with saturated fat. Make sure to read labels for fat, sodium, and cholesterol content.

• 4

  Eat lean meats, fish and poultry without the skin to follow the American Heart Association diet.

• 5

  Follow the American Heart Association diet by choosing 1 percent or low-fat dairy products.

• 6

  Limit alcohol consumption. According to the American Health Association men should have no more than two drinks a day, and women should have no more than one drink a day.

• 7

  Keep an eye on food portions, especially when eating out.