Main Page> Nutrition> What To Eat There are so many diets out there. The current fad is high protein, low carbs. The previous fad was low fat, high carbs. We've all heard of things like the cabbage diet. With all these different ways of eating, we wonder which way is right. Since food is fuel for our body, what we need to eat depends greatly on our everyday activities and our current health condition. By eating properly, we can help avoid everyday ailments, like colds, heartburn and cramps. It is easy to eat badly. It takes effort to eat well, but your efforts will pay off in the short term and the long term. You will have more energy, look and feel healthier and be stronger. There is no one diet that is perfect for everyone. You have to do some research to determine what kind of food you need to accomplish your goals. An endurance athlete needs a diet higher in carbohydrates, someone trying to build muscle needs to eat more protein, a person trying ot lose weight needs to focus on healthier, lower calorie eating. Certain things need to be common among all diets. Studies have shown time and time again that the best way to prevent cancer and other everyday problems is to eat your veggies. Eat lots of veggies. The greener the better. Vegetables have tons of vitamins that your body needs to stay strong. Try to eat as many servings as you can each day. Before you eat anything, eat some vegetables. Fresh and frozen ones are best. A well balanced diet is also important. Watch your serving sizes. Look at your plate before you eat. Does it look like it contains something from most of the food groups? (protein, grains, dairy, fruit/veg.) Does it look healthy? This is where you should be adjusting what you are eating to suit your specific needs. For example, if you are trying to lose weight, your portion sizes should be slightly smaller. There are some foods that should be avoided in almost every diet, such as fried foods and foods high in sugar. You're body doesn't need these at all, so they should not be eaten. Look for foods low in saturated fat. The fat in your diet should come from unsaturated fats. The carbohydrates in your diet should come from whole grains such as brown rice, not simple sugars like cookies or many white breads and pastas. Protein should come from sources rich in vitamins and low in fat. Chicken, turkey and EXTRA lean ground beef are some good sources. Try to borrow some ideas from vegetarians as well. Beans and legumes are excellent for our health! Your diet should keep you feeling good, keep you satisfied but not full and be full of variety. Keep to foods "close to nature". Try to avoid canned, boxed or pre-made frozen meals. These tend to be higher in sodium and have less nutritional value. Most of your food should come from the outer section of your grocery store. This is where most of the fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, fish and breads are stored. The grocery store aisles usually contain food with lower nutritional value. Eating healthy can be difficult at first. Figure out how you want to eat and how it will fit into your lifestyle. Give it time and eventually eating well will become second nature to you. Questions or Comments? Please e-mail me at bestrong_ca@yahoo.com