UFit Volume 1 Issue 1 | Page 11

“By changing one meal at a time, I don’t feel like I’m on a diet. I actually feel better!”

According to Michaels, a healthy balance of protein, fruits, and vegetables, along with whole-grains, is the heart of healthy every meal.

Changing just one meal a day to start can make a big difference. Following the basic pyramid guidelines, from mypyramid.gov, will set anyone up for health-success.

My Pyramid’s website offers customizable meal plans for everyone based on their height, weight, gender, age, and exercise activity level. Trying to meet the basic goals of more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products guarantees healthier choices in anyone’s diet.

small steps

“Once you learn the basics of how to change your diet, it becomes easier to make healthy substitutions,” says Whittemore.. "The simplest change begins

Cafeteria Swaps:

Instead of this: Fried chicken, French fries, whole milk

Try this: Grilled chicken, baked (sweet or white) potato, skim milk

Late night study snack:

Instead of this: Kraft macaroni and cheese

Try this:

Cut up vegetables

and hummus

Chinese Take-out:

Insetad of this: Sweet and sour chicken, egg rolls, pork-fried rice

Try this: Steamed chicken and broccoli, miso soup, steamed brown/white rice

Pizza delivery:

Instead of this: Small pepperoni

pizza, mozzeralla sticks, Coca-Cola

Try this: Side garden salad,

turkey sub with lettuce and

tomato on wheat bread, water

Swap Smart

with swapping white bread out for whole grains. Whole grains offer more nutrition and healthier, complex carbohydrates, which burn more calories in the body just by digesting them.

Another simple trick is adding fruits and vegetables to every meal. They not only offer higher nutritional values, but they fill you up longer than those “empty” calories, such as sugars and fats, which have no nutritional value.

Of course, it’s unrealistic (and unfair!) to expect a young woman to give up all desserts and bread. “Keeping a balance is ideal for ultimate success. Depriving yourself will only lead to binging later,” says Ellsworth.

Remember Julia Child’s motto, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.”