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- Nutrition Basics
Nutrition Basics
1) What Should You Eat? How Often? How Much?
These questions often cause a lot of confusion for people. Keeping in line with our goal to provide you with easy-to-use information about nutrition, Oldways developed the Latin American Diet Pyramid. The pyramid is a visual guide, that uses ‘real food’, to help you figure out what foods to eat and how often.
You start at the bottom of the pyramid and work your way up. You can eat 5-7 servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans/legumes per day; 2-3 servings of dairy, seafood, eggs, and poultry per day; and only 1-2 servings of red meat and sweets a week.
Below is a sample of a balanced diet for 1 day:
Breakfast: whole grain toast and a banana (whole grain + fruit)
Mid morning snack: peach (fruit)
Lunch: whole grain pasta and shrimp sautéed in garlic (whole grain + seafood)
Afternoon snack: handful of spicy nuts (nuts)
Dinner: Chicken breast, steamed veggies, and black beans (poultry, veggies, and beans)
The thing to keep in mind is to try to eat a wide variety of foods and always eat small portions.
2) Physical Activity. What if I Can’t Go to the Gym?
Daily physical activity is the base of the pyramid because it is the foundation of a healthy life. Most people think of exercising as going to the gym but there are so many things you can do that will help you keep moving on a daily basis.
- When going to the supermarket or store, park far away from the entrance. The longer walk there and back counts as exercise.
- Skip the elevator; take the stairs.
- Use public transportation. Those extra steps to the bus or train station make a difference, and you will also be helping the environment.
- When cleaning your house or apartment, turn on your favorite music, and dance while you clean. It will get your heart racing and will make cleaning a fun chore.
- For a safe and comfortable walk, invite a friend to go to your local mall and just walk around the inside a few times.
These are only a few suggestions on incorporating small bouts of exercise into your daily routine.
3) How Can I Manage My Calories?
Imagine calories filling us each time that we eat or drink. If we overeat one day, we should eat fewer calories the next time. This will help us keep our week in balance.
4) What Does a Balanced Plate Look Like?
A balanced plate will have:
½ vegetables or fruit
¼ grains, starches, or potatoes
¼ beans, poultry, fish, meat or nuts
There are some ‘optical illusions’ that can help us feel more satisfied. For example:
Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate
Use a taller glass instead of a wider one