What Is A Diet?

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What Is A Diet?

The word " diet " probably brings to mind meals of lettuce and cottage

cheese. By definition, " diet " refers to what a person eats or drinks

during the course of a day.

A diet that limits portions to a very small size or that excludes

certain foods entirely to promote weight loss may not be effective

over the long term. Rather, you are likely to miss certain foods and

find it difficult to follow this type of diet for a long time.

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Instead, it is often helpful to gradually change the types and

amounts of food you eat and maintain these changes for the rest of

your life. The ideal diet is one that takes into account your likes

and dislikes and includes a wide variety of foods with enough

calories and nutrients for good health.

How much you eat and what you eat play a major role in how much you

weigh. So, when planning your diet, you should consider:

What calorie level is appropriate?

Is the diet you are considering nutritionally balanced?

Will the diet be practical and easy to follow?

Will you be able to maintain this eating plan for the rest of your

life?

The following information will help you answer these questions.

Calorie Level

Most weight-loss diets provide 1,000 to 1,500 calories per day.

However, the number of calories that is right for you depends on

your weight and activity level. At these calorie levels, diets are

referred to as low-calorie diets. Self-help diet books and clinical

and nonclinical weight-loss programs often include low-calorie diet

plans.

The calorie level of your diet should allow for a weight loss of no

more than 1 pound per week (after the first week or two when weight

loss may be more rapid because of initial water loss). If you can

estimate how many calories you eat in a day, you can design a diet

plan that will help you lose no more than 1 pound per week. You may

need to work with a trained health professional, such as a

registered dietitian. Or you can use a standardized low-calorie diet

plan with a fixed calorie level.

The selected calorie level, however, may not produce the recommended

rate of weight loss, and you may need to eat more or less.

Good Nutrition

Make sure that your diet contains all the essential nutrients for

good health. Using the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts

Label that is found on most processed food products can help you

choose a healthful diet. The pyramid shows you the kinds and amounts

of food that you need each day for good health. The Nutrition Facts

Label will help you select foods that meet your daily nutritional

needs. A healthful diet should include:

Adequate vitamins and minerals. Eating a wide variety of foods from

all the food groups on the Food Guide Pyramid will help you get the

vitamins and minerals you need. If you eat less than 1,200 calories

per day, you may benefit from taking a daily vitamin and mineral

supplement.

Adequate protein. The average woman 25 years of age and older should

get 50 grams of protein each day, and the average man 25 years of

age and older should get 63 grams of protein each day. Adequate

protein is important because it prevents muscle tissue from breaking

down and repairs all body tissues such as skin and teeth. To get

adequate protein in your diet, make sure you eat 2-3 servings from

the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group on the Food

Guide Pyramid every day. These foods are all good sources of protein.

Adequate carbohydrates. At least 100 grams of carbohydrates per day

are needed to prevent fatigue and dangerous fluid imbalances. To

make sure you get enough carbohydrates, eat 6-11 servings from the

bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group on the Food Guide Pyramid every

day.

A daily fiber intake of 20 to 30 grams. Adequate fiber helps with

proper bowel function. If you were to eat 1 cup of bran cereal, 1/2

cup of carrots, 1/2 cup of kidney beans, a medium-sized pear, and a

medium-sized apple together in 1 day, you would get about 30 grams

of fiber.

No more than 30 percent of calories, on average, from fat per day,

with less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat (such as

fat from meat, butter, and eggs). Limiting fat to these levels

reduces your risk for heart disease and may help you lose weight. In

addition, you should limit the amount of cholesterol in your diet.

Cholesterol is a fatlike substance found in animal products such as

meat and eggs. Your diet should include no more than 300 milligrams

of cholesterol per day (one egg contains about 215 milligrams of

cholesterol, and 3.5 ounces of cooked hamburger contain 100

milligrams of cholesterol).

At least 8 to 10 glasses, 8 ounces each, of water or water-based

beverages, per day. You need more water if you exercise a lot.

These nutrients should come from a variety of low-calorie, nutrient-

rich foods. One way to get variety -- and with it, an enjoyable and

nutritious diet is to choose foods each day from the Food Guide

Pyramid.

Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney

Diseases