| Eating a balanced diet is a vital factor in any weight loss program. |
 Graphic courtesy of USDA. The original is here. To achieve a balanced, healthy diet, you should select foods from the six basic food groups of the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid. This includes:-
- 2 to 4 servings of fruit
- 3 to 5 servings of vegetables
- 6 to 11 servings of breads and cereals
- 2 to 3 servings of meat
- 2 to 3 servings of milk products a day
- fats, oils and sweets should be used sparingly
You can see the food Pyramids here:-
National Agriculture Library: The Interactive Food Guide Pyramid
The Food Guide pyramid for Young Children
Do not go on a starvation diet. Most people require approximately 1200 claories per day as an absolute bare minimum. The amount of daily calories required also depends on your weight, height, age and gender. There is absolutely no substitute for a properly planned and balanced diet which includes all the necessary food groups and the required intake of vitamins and minerals. We recommend that you visit a professional dietitan or nutritionist. They will review your case on a personal basis and design an eating plan that will fit your budget and lifestyle.
Spread your meals out over the day. For example you could eat three well balanced meals and two nutritious snacks in between. This will help eliminate the binge eating that often happens when meals are skipped. Drink plenty of water. Eating high fiber foods will help give you a full feeling without adding extra calories.
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| Calorie values of foods:- |
You can find out how many calories are in just about every conceivable food by clicking on the link below.
USDA Nutrient Values
The information is provided by the USDA (US Department of Agriculture).
Look for the words:- "You can search this index. Type the keyword(s) you want to search for"
Fill in whatever food you are looking for and press enter and you will get the calorie values for that particular food. |
| Vitamins, minerals and supplements:- |
We are often asked if vitamins and/or supplements are necessary. If you are eating a properly planned diet including food from all six groups, particularly the fruits and vegetables, a vitamin supplement should not be required. The exception would be if one of the pills you are taking is a vitamin stripper. If you are under stress or engaged in heavy physical activity and you are not on a balanced diet planned by a professional, a multi vitamin supplement is generally a good idea.
Some of our suppliers offer a free supply of vitamins with your prescription. We also have a set of links going to vitamin and supplement pages here. |