Healthylife® Weigh
Part 3
Every meal does not have to include every food group.
Combine at least three food groups at every meal, and at least two food groups at every snack. For example, combine an apple and peanut butter to get one serving of protein and one serving of fruit. This will help you feel full and give you long-lasting energy.
Here is an example that includes three meals and two snacks.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Healthylife® Weigh
Part 2
MyPlate, developed by the USDA, shows how different food groups should take up space on a plate. The nutrition guidelines in HealthyLife® Weigh are based on MyPlate and the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
* Make ½ of your plate fruits and vegetables.
* ¼ of your plate should be lean protein.
* ¼ of your plate should be a whole grain or high-fiber starch.
* Drink low-fat dairy or consume other calcium-rich foods and beverages.
While this graphic is far from a complete nutrition guide, the basic principle of having HALF of your plate fruits and vegetables, a QUARTER of your plate grains or starches, and a QUARTER of your plate a quality protein is a good rule of thumb.
* How often does your plate look like the one above?
* Which section is the fullest in your current diet?
* Which section is the emptiest in your current diet?
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Healthylife® Weigh
Part 2
1. Select a healthy eating plan based on the calorie needs you identified. Or, follow these guidelines:
– Plan A: best suited for women who are currently less active and want to lose more than 10-15 pounds. This calorie level is generally too low for men.
– Plan B: best suited for women who are moderately active and for men who are less active and want to lose more than 10-15 pounds.
– Plan C: best suited for men and for women who are very active and need to lose less than 10 pounds.
2. Learn how much to eat from each food group. Meet, but don’t go over, your goals for each food group.
3. Make healthier choices within each group. Choose nutrient-dense foods that meet your body’s needs.
4. Make changes, as needed, to your plan. Meet your goals while having enough energy to do your favorite activities.
5. Plan activity: Be physically active for at least 2 ½ hours (150 minutes) per week. You can do this for 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30 minutes at a time.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Healthylife® Weigh
Menus & Recipes
1. Select a healthy eating plan from the chart below based on these guidelines:
a. Plan A: Best suited for women who are currently less active and want to lose more than 10-15 pounds.
b. Plan B: Best suited for women who are moderately active and for men who are less active and want to lose more than 10-15 pounds.
c. Plan C: Best suited for men and for women who are very active and need to lose less than 10 pounds.
2. Learn how much to eat from each food group and make healthier choices within each food group. Over time, you may decide to make some changes to your plan to best suit your needs and your own eating style.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Healthylife® Weigh
Part 2
This activity will go through each part of MyPlate.
* Learn how eating certain foods can help your body, energy level, and mood. Learn new ways to prepare foods.
* Enjoy foods that taste good to you. Eat new things that you want to try. Avoid eating foods just because you think you “should” eat them. Explore different ways to prepare and eat foods. Celebrate cultural traditions and foods that are special to you.
* Allow some room in your diet for less nutritious foods. Make this a small part of your diet. If you have too many less nutritious foods, it will be more difficult to manage weight.
The chart on “Plan a Balanced Day” gives a whole day’s servings of different food groups. Write amounts from these groups from the plan you selected. Write them on a blank plate. Remember, these are totals for the day.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine