General Information:
Weighing too much is not good for your health. You may get heart trouble, high blood pressure, diabetes, or other problems if you are overweight. A calorie is a unit of energy that your body gets from food. If you eat more calories than you need, they are stored as fat. The best way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories and become more active. You burn more calories with regular exercise. Fewer of these calories are then stored as fat.
Instructions:
Below are tips that may help you lose weight. Ask your caregiver for the best diet plan for you.
- Eat foods from all 6 food groups each day:
Breads & Grains / Milk & Dairy / Fruits
Vegetables / Fats / Protein: Meat, Fish & Poultry - Do not try a crash or fad diet that suggests you eat less than 1200 calories each day.
- Weigh yourself each week. Do not be worried about small daily changes in your weight. You should not lose more than 1 to 2 pounds a week. There may be weeks when you do not lose weight. This is normal. But, stay on your diet and you will again start to lose weight.
- Eat high fiber and starchy foods such as breads, pasta, or potatoes. Other high fiber foods are cooked dried beans and whole grain foods.
- You should eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day. The vegetables may be eaten raw or steamed. Eat cooked vegetables without sauces and with little margarine. Vegetables are a healthy snack food instead of high fat or high calorie foods.
- Do not drink lots of fruit juice because it has many calories.
- Bake, roast or broil your food instead of frying. Remove all fat from meats and skin from poultry before cooking.
- You should not eat more than 4 eggs a week.
- Use low fat and fat free dairy products, salad dressings and cheeses.
- Stay away from foods high in sugar, such as candy, cookies and pastries.
- Avoid high fat snacks such as nuts, chips and chocolate foods.
- Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day.
- Limit how much alcohol you drink. Alcoholic drinks have many calories and little else.
- Enjoy your food by sitting down and eating slowly. Do not skip meals. Mealtime should be relaxing and enjoyable.