Food & Fitness

Today we know more about nutrition than ever before. There is a great deal of information out there and it can be hard to sort through sometimes. So how do we navigate it all? We’ve listed the general principles of healthful eating for you below:

• Eat more vegetables.
• Fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables are all options
• Choose a variety of types and colors
• Non-starchy vegetables have the fewest calories and carbs
• Buy canned and frozen vegetables labeled as having “no salt added” or “low sodium”
• Canned or frozen vegetables with sauces are higher in fat and sodium
• Eat more fruit.
  • Choose a variety of types and colors
  • Choose fresh, frozen, or canned fruits without added sugars
  • Choose canned fruits packed in juice
  • Dried fruit and fruit juice are also nutritious, but portion sizes are smaller so they may be less filling

More information on these food groups can be found in our "What Can I Eat?" section.

• Choose whole grain foods over foods made with refined grains and flours.
  • Try brown rice, whole wheat pasta, 100% whole wheat bread, and switch from sugary cereals to whole grain oatmeal or whole grain dry cereals
  • Pick grain foods with a whole grain listed as the first ingredient such as:
  • Whole wheat flour
  • Whole oats/oatmeal
  • Whole grain corn/corn meal
  • Popcorn
  • Brown rice
  • Whole rye
  • Whole grain barley
  • Wild rice
  • Buckwheat
  • Triticale
  • Bulgar
  • Millet
  • Sourghum
  • Quinoa
• Include dried beans (like kidney, pinto, navy, etc) and lentils as a lean source of protein in your meals.
  • If buying canned beans, look for low sodium, and always rinse thoroughly before eating
  • Choose refried beans that are fat-free
• Choose lean meats and meat substitutes.
• Cuts of beef and pork that end in “loin” such as pork loin and sirloin
  • Remove the skin from chicken and turkey
  • For hot dogs, sandwich meats, and other processed meats, choose those that have less than 3 grams of fat per ounce
• Include a variety of fish and shellfish in your meal plan 2-3 times a week.
• Choose low-fat milk.
  • 1% or skim milk; unflavored soy milk
  • Choose cheese with < 3 grams of fat per oz, cottage cheese, egg whites, and egg substitute
  • non-fat or low-fat yogurt (plain or sweetened with artificial sweetener)
  • low-fat cheese
• Choose healthy fats in moderation and limit unhealthy fats.
  • Healthy fats include vegetable oils, mayonnaise, trans-free margarine, margarine with plant sterols and stanols, avocado, olives, nuts, and seeds

Some additional guidelines:

• Cut back on high calorie snack foods and desserts.
• Reduce intake of chips, cookies, cakes, full-fat ice cream, etc.
• Watch your portion sizes.
• Eating too much of even healthful foods can lead to weight gain
• If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
• Men should have two or less drinks per day
• Women should have one or less drinks per day
• One drink is equal to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits
• Always have a healthy meal or snack when you drink alcohol to avoid a low blood glucose reaction

More information on these food groups can be found in our "What Can I Eat?" section.

Within each food group, there are foods that are the absolute best choices because of the nutrients they contain.

Use our tools to understand each food group and how to fit each into your meal plan. Think about the foods you usually eat and compare them to the choices listed on each page. Are you making the best choices most of the time or is there room for improvement?

As you can guess, for the most healthful eating plan, you’ll want to pick foods listed above when planning meals. Save sweets, salty snacks, and those that are less nutritious for special occasions.

You also need to watch portion sizes if you want to lose weight – even when you choose the healthy foods!

Check out our suggested shopping list to get you started next time you are at the grocery store.