22| Nutrition Magazine October 20 1 5
6. Reduce,
don't eliminate certain foods.
Most people eat for pleasure as well as
nutrition. If your favorite foods are high in
fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderating how
much of these foods you eat and how often
you eat them.
Identify major sources of these ingredients
in your diet and make changes, if necessary.
Adults who eat high-fat meats or whole-milk
dairy products at every meal are probably
eating too much fat. Use the Nutrition Facts
panel on the food label to help balance your
choices.
Choosing skim or low-fat dairy products and
lean cuts of meat such as flank steak and beef
round can reduce fat intake significantly.
If you love fried chicken, however, you don't
have to give it up. Just eat it less often. When
dining out, share it with a friend; ask for a
take-home bag or a smaller portion.
7.
Balance your food choices over time. Not
every food has to be "perfect." When eating a
food high in fat, salt or sugar, select other
foods that are low in these ingredients. If you
miss out on any food group one day, make up
for it the next. Your food choices over several
days should fit together into a healthy
pattern.
8.
Know your diet pitfalls. To improve your
eating habits, you first have to know what's
wrong with them. Write down everything you
eat for three days. Then check your list
according to the rest of these tips. Do you
add a lot of butter, creamy sauces or salad
dressings? Rather than eliminating these
foods, just cut back your portions. Are you
getting enough fruits and vegetables? If not,
you may be missing out on vital nutrients.
9.
Make changes gradually. Just as there
are no "superfoods" or easy answers to a
healthy diet, don't expect to totally revamp
your eating habits overnight. Changing too
much, too fast can get in the way of
success. Begin to remedy excesses or
deficiencies with modest changes that can
add up to positive, lifelong eating habits.
For instance, if you don't like the taste of
skim milk, try low-fat. Eventually you may
find you like skim, too.
10.
Remember, foods are not good or
bad. Select foods based on your total
eating patterns, not whether any individual
food is "good" or "bad." Don't feel