What would be an example of a day’s worth of healthy eating? -Baylee
It’s nearly impossible to have only one day’s food exactly meet all nutritional recommendations, so it’s important to note the following are EXAMPLES of balanced eating that are nutrient rich for healthy adults. I’ve tried to incorporate typical American foods that are familiar to most readers.
| 1500 Calories | 2000 Calories | |
| Breakfast | 1 Cup bran flake cereal, 1 Tbsp. almonds, ½ Cup 1% milk, 2 scrambled eggs, ½ grapefruit | 2 low fat whole grain waffles, 1 Tbsp. peanut butter, 12 fl. oz. 1% milk, 1 banana |
| Lunch | 3 oz. grilled chicken breast, ½ Cup coleslaw, 1 cob corn | 2 Cup spinach, 1 Cup diced veggies, 3 oz. grilled chicken breast, ½ Cup white beans, 2 Tbsp. reduced-fat salad dressing |
| Dinner | 3 oz. halibut, 1 Cup green beans, 1 Cup wheat noodles | 4 oz. salmon, 1 Cup broccoli, 1 Cup cooked brown rice |
| Snacks | 3 Cup light popcorn C. plain low-fat yogurt + ½ C. berries | 1 oz. mozzarella cheese + 6 rye crackers¼ C. mixed nuts + 1 Cup melon |
| breakdown | 28% Protein, 28% Fat, 44 % Carbohydrate Protein 104 grams, Fiber 25 grams | 22% Protein, 32% Fat, 45% Carbohydrate Protein 111 grams, Fiber 38 grams |
See full seven-day sample menus 2000 Calorie food patterns from the USDA at http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/MyPyramid/print%20materials/MyPyramidSampleMenu.pdf
For a vegetarian sample menu, please see our article on The Benefits and Basics of Going Vegetarian by clicking HERE.
– Debbie J., MS, RD
Do you have a question about your diet or nutrition?
Ask our dietitian by submitting your question to nutrition@lafitness.com or simply ask it in the COMMENTS section below. To learn how to follow the “Ask Our Dietitian” Q&A CLICK HERE!
Could you recommend a good book for weight loss and diet control? I am at the gym at least 5 days per week. I am not looking to bulk up, just maintain a healthy lifestyle. I have always said that I go to gym so I can eat and drink what I want, when I want. Over the last year I have seen my weight gradually increasing to the point that I am 20 lbs over my ideal weight which seems to have collected on my stomach. I realize I need to change my diet and looking for some good resources. I have tried calorie counters but find they are not great for home cooked meals where I am guessing at calorie counts. Looking for a good book or other resources.
If you’re cooking at home, your best approach will be healthy recipes and portion control. Any of the cookbooks by the American Diabetes Association or Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics would be good for weight management. For controlling portions in the past, I’ve used the Portion Doctor plate and it worked great. Now there are several options, some in porcelain and look more like regular dishes. Your choice as long as it reflects 1/2 plate vegetables, 1/4 protein, 1/4 starch!
While changing your food choices and how much you eat has great merit, don’t overlook the way you interact with food. Eating behaviors are sometimes subtle and go beyond the plate. Since you say you’ve eaten and drank what you WANTED, a mental shift might be in order. You need to start thinking about food as an ingredient to a happy body, not just a happy mind. That said, books and resources geared toward cognitive strategies would help you modify your behaviors.