When meal planning, use balance and moderation to control portions. This allows you to fit all foods into your meal plan.
Balance
Balance what you eat and drink with your activity level. Pay attention to the calories you are consuming. If you consume higher-calorie foods, balance this with lower-calorie foods.
Example: Higher calorie food = piece of fried chicken + Lower calorie food = steamed vegetables and/or a salad.
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Moderation
Learn how to eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. It takes twenty minutes for your stomach to send signals to your brain to notify you if you are still hungry, satisfied or stuffed.
Related: What to Make of Portions and Serving Sizes? [2]
Avoid extra helpings, splurging, ‘all-you-can-eat” buffets and slow down your pace of eating. Put down your utensils in between each bite, chew food thoroughly and sip water before, during and after your meal. Plate your meal in proper portions and take your time eating. Learn how to savor the aroma, texture, flavor and how it is feeding your body.
If you are still hungry after twenty minutes, consume a fresh piece of fruit and/or non-starchy vegetables (green beans, carrots, broccoli, asparagus, salad, etc.).
Variety
Choose a wide variety of foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry, seafood, eggs, beans, peas, nuts, seeds and low-fat dairy. This helps you to get all the nutrients your body needs.
- Vary the color: aim for more than one color on your plate
- Vary the flavor: sour, sweet, bitter and salty
- Vary the texture: crunchy, soft, smooth
- Vary the preparation method: cooked versus raw
Related: Focus on Color [3]
Allow these healthy habits to change over time. It will make life easier in the long run, when your family works together to live a healthy lifestyle.
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Christina Bartlett RD, LD is a Registered Dietitian and the owner of Everything In Moderation. Dedicated to providing nutrition information that is tailored to the individual.
Helpful Articles
- Most Popular Gluten Free/Casein Free Products and Where to Find Them [5]
- Do You Struggle With Planning Healthy Meals for Your Family? [6]
- Healthy Eating Options for Fueling Your Child [7]
- Easy School Lunch Ideas for Busy Parents [8]
- Expanding Food Options for the PICKY EATER [9]
- Dinner’s On: How to Cook Once and Feed All Eaters [10]
- My Baby Won’t Eat! Tips from a Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist [11]
- Health & Nutrition Apps for Family Fun [12]
- Nutrition Myths Debunked [13]
- Benefits of Fiber [14]
This post originally appeared on our July/August 2014 Magazine [15]