What is Healthy Eating?

Normal Eating

Normal eating is being able to eat when you are hungry and continue eating until you are satisfied. It is being able to choose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it—not just stop eating because you think you should.

Normal eating is being able to use some moderate constraint on your food selection to get the right food, but not being so restrictive that you miss out on pleasurable foods.

Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad or bored, or just because it feels good.

Normal eating is three meals a day, or it can be choosing to munch along. It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful when they are fresh.

Normal eating is overeating at times: feeling stuffed and uncomfortable. It is also undereating at times and wishing you had more.

Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating.

Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life.

In short, normal eating is flexible. It varies in response to your emotions, your schedule, your hunger and your proximity to food.

Balanced Diet

A balanced diet consists of a balance between:

Consistency - 3 balanced meals or several small balanced meals or snacks
Conscious and Thoughtful Eating - hungry? packed with nutrients?
Health - choose lots of veggies and fruits, moderate amounts of whole grains, lean meats, legumes, and dairy

and

Variety - have some fun!
Pleasure and Taste - eating should be enjoyable and food delicious
Social - sharing food and meals builds healthy relationships

A diet out of balance can be:
Food obsessed
Restrictive
Boring
Overly rigid
Not in touch with hunger
Too much fat and/or sugar
Unconscious eating
Always dieting

Nutrition Tips

At least 5 fruits and vegetables a day
30 minutes of physical activity daily
At least 5-6 servings grain (3 whole grain) daily
1000 mg calcium
Protein foods 2-3 times a day
Some fat at each meal (5-10 grams minimum)
6-8 cups fluids
General outline:
- Breakfast - grain, fruit, dairy
- Lunch - 2 grain, protein, veggies, dairy, fruit
- Dinner - 2-3 grains, protein, veggies, fruit
- Snacks - fruit/dairy, grain/ dairy, grain/fruit, veggies
Dining out - 1/2 portion size
Fast foods - avoid supersizing