Maintaining a balanced diet means eating a wide range of foods to make sure you are getting all the components necessary for the body to function properly. Following a balanced diet is essential for maintaining good health. The tissues and organs of the body need to be nourished to perform their role correctly and effectively. Without an adequate diet, the body runs the risk of falling ill with various chronic diseases, including diabetes and hypertension. Our lives are increasingly hectic nowadays, so being able to maintain a balanced diet can be a real challenge.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Planning a Balanced Diet
Step 1. Plan your diet
Create a weekly diet plan that ensures you are getting all the nutrients you need to stay healthy. Plan meals and snacks in advance by including various foods from each food group each day.
- Find a free hour or two to write down your meal plan. In addition to the main meals, it also plans every snack and snack.
- At the end of each day, you need to make sure you are getting the nutrients from each food group. For example, check that your schedule includes a daily intake of dairy products and see how many servings of fruit and vegetables you have contemplated.
- If you have a busy life or are always on the go, plan quick meals (both to prepare and to eat) or look for recipes that can be cooked in advance and then frozen.
- Do some research online to find inspiration or even ready-made menus.
Step 2. Go shopping
Filling your refrigerator and pantry with healthy foods that belong to each food group will help you prepare balanced meals and maintain a balanced diet more easily. Once you've got your menus in writing, take the time to go to the grocery store to buy a wide variety of your favorite healthy ingredients.
- A well-stocked pantry is an excellent ally for anyone wishing to maintain a balanced diet. Stock up on long-term packaged foods for times when you are in a hurry but still want to guarantee a healthy and balanced meal: for example, canned vegetables and legumes (possibly without added salt), whole grains (such as pasta, rice, spelled, quinoa, etc.), tuna and almond or peanut butter.
- Stock up on frozen foods: veggies (no added seasonings), pre-cooked grains (like brown rice or quinoa), berries, low-calorie ready-made meals (for when you're incredibly in a hurry), chicken or fish (to guarantee you the right protein intake).
- Stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products (such as skim milk, yogurt, and cheese), and lean proteins (chicken, fish, or lean cuts of beef or pork).
Step 3. Keep a food diary
It will help you maintain a balanced diet by offering you a double benefit: you will be able to review what you have eaten in the previous weeks and understand if there are any deficiencies that require making changes; in addition, you will feel more motivated to respect the commitment you have made with yourself.
- Buy a new agenda or download one of the many apps available for smartphones. Make a note of as many meals as possible, then analyze the data collected to see if you are getting enough food for each of the five key food groups.
- Often we do not realize that we are consuming an excessive or, conversely, small amount of a food. Keeping a food diary allows you to bring these issues to light.
- Find out how you can improve your diet. For example, you may find that not being a big fan of vegetables you tend to almost never eat them as you consume copious amounts of the same ingredient every week, compromising your body's need for variety.
Step 4. Talk to your doctor or a dietician
Both can help you tailor a balanced diet tailored to you, based on your current and past health conditions. In addition, they will be able to provide you with additional tips that will help you improve your physical well-being.
- Ask your primary care physician for advice. Most likely, he knows your health conditions well, so he is able to provide you with general advice on foods that not only help you maintain a balanced diet, but also improve your well-being. If necessary, he will also be able to recommend an experienced dietician for further help.
- The dietician is a nutrition expert who can provide you with numerous tips to help you maintain a balanced diet and eat healthily. He will be able to tell you what are the benefits of a proper diet, will show you any deficiencies in your current diet and will provide you with multiple tips and a diet plan to follow.
- You can also find a dietician or nutritionist through a simple online search.
Part 2 of 3: Prepare Balanced Meals
Step 1. Eat foods that belong to all five food groups
The first rule to follow to eat in a balanced way is to consume ingredients that belong to all five food groups: proteins, vegetables, fruits, dairy products and cereals. Each group provides different nutrients that are essential for the body. You need to try to get enough food from each of these groups every day.
- Proteins are essential for every cell and process in the body; for example to repair and rebuild skin tissues or to produce substances such as enzymes and hormones. The ideal is to choose lean protein sources, such as poultry, eggs, lean cuts of beef, fish, nuts and legumes.
- Dairy products are also a source of protein, but their main prerogative is to provide the body with large amounts of calcium, potassium and vitamin D. Again, it is better to choose low-fat dairy products, such as yogurt, skim milk, fresh cheese or kefir.
- It is advisable to use a scale to accurately measure the meat before eating it. Alternatively, you can use one of the many tricks described on the web: for example, a 90g fillet steak is about the size of a deck of playing cards.
- Food groups of fruits and vegetables provide a wide range of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. In addition, they provide a small number of calories, so they are an essential part of a balanced diet. Eat different varieties of fruits and vegetables every day.
- The food group of grains can be divided into two sub-categories: whole grains (such as brown rice, quinoa, or oats) and refined grains (white pasta, rice or bread). At least half of the grains you eat every day should be whole grains. They contain high amounts of fiber, protein and other essential nutrients.
- Including the elements of all five food groups in one meal is not easy. It is easier to try to integrate them throughout the day. It is not necessary to include all five of them in every meal.
Step 2. Eat healthy fats
Some types of fats are known to be "good for the heart" - omega-3 or monounsaturated fatty acids, for example. Studies have shown that they have several health benefits: for example, they regulate and improve blood lipid levels and promote brain development in children.
- It is recommended that you eat a serving of healthy fats at least 2-3 times per week.
- Foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids include: salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, tuna, walnuts, and flax seeds.
- Monounsaturated fats come from ingredients such as extra virgin olive oil, avocado, olives and hazelnuts.
Step 3. Eat at least three meals a day
To maintain a balanced diet, you don't have to pay attention only to the ingredients that make up your meals. It is very important to balance the amount of food you eat throughout the day. Eating frequent meals at regular times is beneficial for the health of the body.
- Eating three or more meals a day or including snacks simplifies the need to consume the recommended amount of essential nutrients for the body. Skipping meals puts you at risk of not being able to get the beneficial substances you need to stay healthy.
- Eating frequent, regular meals and a few snacks helps ensure a constant flow of energy to the brain. Correct blood sugar levels also promote good brain function.
- Skipping meals often is highly discouraged. It is not necessary to stick to the three main meal rule "breakfast, lunch and dinner" all the time, but it is still important to try to eat something every 3-5 hours.
- An example of a balanced daily diet could be: scrambled eggs with cheese and vegetables for breakfast, wholemeal piadina stuffed with turkey and cheese accompanied by a few raw carrots for lunch, an apple and a small piece of cheese as a snack, and a hearty salad prepared with baby spinach and other raw vegetables plus 120g of grilled salmon for dinner.
Step 4. Drink about two liters of fluids per day
To maintain a balanced diet, you should drink at least eight glasses of water. Just because liquids don't fall into any food group doesn't mean they don't play an essential role in the diet.
- As an alternative to water, you can drink sugar-free tea or herbal tea.
- Use a graduated bottle to accurately track your daily fluid consumption.
Step 5. Dose the portions correctly
To maintain a balanced diet, it is important to consume each food in adequate portions. This way you can be sure that you are consuming enough, and not too much, for each food group.
- In general, portions of fruit and vegetables should be larger than those of other food groups - cereals, for example. Vegetables are both low in calories and high in nutrients so they should make up about 50% of every meal or snack.
- Foods that belong to the cereal group, such as pasta, rice or bread, should be eaten in moderation. It is easy to risk exceeding the components of this group, consequently unbalancing the entire diet. 100 g of rice or pasta or 30 g of bread correspond to one serving.
- Dairy and protein-rich foods are very nutritious and should be included in most meals and snacks. In this case, one serving corresponds to about 30 g of dairy products or 90-120 g of meat, fish, eggs, etc.
Part 3 of 3: Indulge with Moderation
Step 1. Limit your consumption of sugars and saturated fats
Foods that are high in sugar and fat are also generally very high in calories. As if that weren't enough, they tend to provide only a few nutrients, such as minerals and vitamins. Taking too much can mean you can't maintain a balanced diet.
- Eating in a balanced way doesn't mean you have to completely give up some of your favorite foods, such as biscuits or four cheese pizza.
- The important thing is to indulge only occasionally and in moderate amounts.
- Think about the meaning of the word moderation. In general, you should indulge in a serving of dessert no more than once a week and go to fast food at most twice a month.
Step 2. Limit your consumption of alcohol and sugary drinks
Since they are high in calories and sugar, they could quickly put your diet at risk. Keep an eye on the quantities, but also the frequency with which you consume in particular beer, wine, cocktails, fizzy drinks, iced tea and sugary fruit juices.
- The completely natural fruit juices bring various beneficial substances to the body; however, they should be taken in moderation because they contain a rather high amount of sugar. You can drink around 160-180ml, but only occasionally.
- Avoid carbonated and sugary drinks. If you want to benefit from the invigorating effect of caffeine, have a cup of tea or coffee.
- Limit alcohol too: women should drink a maximum of one drink per day, men no more than two.
- Drinking a glass of wine or a cup of sugary tea from time to time is permissible. The important thing is not to overdo it in terms of quantity or frequency.
Step 3. Exercise
Physical activity is a fundamental part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle. While not directly affecting your diet, staying active helps you stay healthy and maintain your current weight even on occasions when you indulge in your favorite foods.
- You should do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio exercise per week. Activities like running, biking, or swimming are a good option.
- Two days a week you should do some exercises to train muscle strength. For example, you can try weight lifting or sign up for a Pilates class.
Advice
- Avoid eating in front of the TV; when you are distracted, you risk eating more than you need without realizing it.
- Don't avoid an entire food group unless you've been diagnosed with an allergy or advised by your doctor.
- Better to avoid self-diagnosis or to believe in the promises of passing fads that require abstaining from entire food groups. For example, unless you've been diagnosed with celiac disease by a doctor, whole grains that contain gluten are fine.
- Avoid weight-loss or healing diets that suggest staying away from entire food groups or that impose a restricted number of foods.
- Being healthy doesn't necessarily mean being thin.
- Combine a balanced diet with exercise for even greater health benefits.
