Consumer Focus

Healthy Eating for Weight Loss

Losing weight sensibly and safely requires an all-around approach that includes setting reasonable weight-loss goals, changing eating habits, and getting adequate exercise. A lifestyle based on healthy eating and regular physical activity can help you look better, feel better and have more energy.

Some weight-related health problems include diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, osteoarthritis and sleep apnea. The more overweight you are, the more likely you are to have health problems. Weight-loss can help improve the harmful effects of being overweight.

Should you lose weight? The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a weight-for-height chart and shows healthy and not-so-healthy weight ranges. It is a reliable tool to estimate your body fat and health risks associated with being overweight. If you are overweight, losing as little as 5 to 10 percent of your body weight may improve many of the problems linked to being overweight.

Develop an Eating Plan

Once a realistic weight goal has been determined, devise an eating plan based on moderation, variety and balance. In selecting your diet, follow the five basic food groups and the recommended number of servings from each as mentioned in the Food Guide Pyramid. Increase the amount of fiber in your diet since it increases your feeling of fullness and be sure to drink plenty of water - your body will need more water if you exercise a lot.

• Moderation - Don't eat too much or too little of a particular food or nutrient.
• Variety - Eat as wide a variety of foods as possible from each of the five basic food groups (see the Food Guide Pyramid).
• Balance - This is achieved by following moderation and variety, as well as the balance of calories consumed versus calories expended.

A word of caution: Just because something is fat-free or low-fat does not mean you can eat as much as you want. Many low-fat or nonfat foods are also high in calories. Be sure to check the Nutrition Facts panel on the food package and eat everything in moderation.

Does your daily intake comply with the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans? Visit the USDA's Interactive Healthy Eating Index (IHEI) to see the overall quality score of your diet for the day. Information on total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and the amount of sodium in your diet is also provided.

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Exercise

Don't forget to include exercise in your weight-loss plan. The number of calories expended should be greater than the number of calories consumed in order to lose weight. Regular exercise is not only important for losing or maintaining weight, but for one's overall health as well.

Make time in your day for some form of physical activity. Simple things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking at the far end of the parking lot is a good beginning. Other activities can include anything from dancing and gardening to moderate sports exercise or brisk walking. Physical activity increases the number of calories your body uses and promotes the loss of body fat instead of muscle and aerobic activity can help make your heart stronger and more efficient.

Change Your Habits to Lose Weight

• Set realistic goals
• Curb calorie density
• Boost your physical activity
• Shrink your servings
• Think healthy, not just skinny

How you manage your weight plays a large roll in your long-term success. Set sensible goals for yourself, maintain healthy-eating habits and exercise!

Other Resources

This is just a brief overview. For more information on healthy eating and weight loss, check out these resources on the World Wide Web:

• Action Guide to Healthy Eating
• Staying Healthy at 50+
• Weight Loss: Finding a Weight Loss Program that Works for You
• Using the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• Ways to Win at Weight Loss

• Publications available for ordering from our Food Page
• Publications available for ordering from our Health Page

Web Sites*:

• American Dietetic Association (ADA)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• International Food Information Council (IFIC)
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• Weight-control Information Network (WIN)
• Nutrition.Gov

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