Healthy Eating for Lifetime

GRAINS
Make half your grains whole
Eat at least 3 ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta every day
1 ounce is about 1 slice of bread, about 1 cup of breakfast cereal, or 1/2 cup of cooked rice, cereal or pasta
Eat 6 ounces every day

VEGETABLES
Vary your veggies
Eat more dark-green veggies like broccoli, spinach, and other dark leafy greens
Eat more orange vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes
Eat more dry beans and peas like pinto beans, kidney beans, and lentils
Eat 2-1/2 cups every day

FRUITS
Focus on fruits
Eat a variety of fruit
Choose fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit
Go easy on fruit juices
Eat 2 cups every day

MILK
Get your calcium-rich foods
Go low-fat or fat-free when you choose milk, yogurt, and other milk products
If you don't or can't consume milk, choose lactose-free products or other calcium sources such as fortified foods and beverages
Get 3 cups every day; for kids aged 2 to 8, it's 2 cups

MEAT & BEANS
Go lean with protein
Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry
Bake it, broil it, or grill it
Vary your protein routine -- choose more fish, beans, peas, nuts and seeds
Eat 5-1/2 ounces every day

For a 2,000-calorie diet, you need the amounts listed above from each food group.

Find balance between food and physical activity

Be sure to stay within your daily calorie needs.
Be physically active for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
About 60 minutes at day of physical activity may be needed to prevent weight gain.
For sustaining weight loss, at least 60 to 90 minutes a day of physical activity may be required.
Children and teenagers should be physically active for 60 minutes every day, or most days.
Know the limits on fats, sugars and salt (sodium)

Make most of your fat sources from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
Limit solid fats like butter, margarine, shortening, and lard, as well as foods that contain these.
Check the Nutrition Facts label to keep saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium low.
Choose food and beverages low in added sugars. Added sugars contribute calories with few, if any nutrients.