A
balanced diet is a way of eating that allows you to consume all the nutrients
your body needs from a wide range of foods. Maintaining a balanced diet is
important to your health – your body's tissues and organs require proper
nutrition to work and function effectively. Without an adequate diet, you may
be at a higher risk for a variety of chronic health conditions like diabetes or
high blood pressure. As our lives become busier, maintaining a healthy,
balanced diet may be difficult.
1 Write a meal plan. Writing out a weekly meal plan can help
you make sure you're consuming a well-balanced diet. Plan meals and snacks
to have throughout the day so that you'll be eating each food group everyday.
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Take an hour or two of
your free time and write up your ideas for all meals and snacks.
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Try tallying up all
the food groups for each daily meal plan. Did you include dairy each day? How
about enough fruits or vegetables?
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If you're busy or on
the go, plan for meals that are quick, require little cooking or recipes that
you can freeze for easy-to-prepare meals.
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Search online for
sample meal plans and inspiration.
2 Go grocery shopping. Stocking your kitchen with healthy foods
from each food group will help make preparing balanced meals and maintaining a
balanced diet easy. After you write up your meal plan, make time to go grocery
shopping to stock up on a variety of your favorite healthy items.
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A well-stocked pantry
can be a great tool for maintaining a balanced diet.[4] Stock up on shelf-stable foods
for quick and easy balanced meals: canned beans, no-salt-added canned
vegetables, canned tuna or chicken, 100% whole grains (like quinoa, 100% whole
wheat pasta or brown rice) and nut butters.
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Stock up on frozen
items like: frozen vegetables (without sauces or seasonings), frozen fruit,
frozen pre-cooked grains (like brown rice or quinoa), low-calorie frozen
dinners (for busy nights) and frozen proteins (fish or chicken).
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Keep a supply of fresh
fruits, vegetables, dairy (like low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese and lean
proteins (chicken, fish, pork or lean beef).
3 Start a food journal. Keeping a food journal can help you
maintain a balanced diet in two ways. First, it can help you review your
current diet and allow you see what areas your diet is lacking. And second,
it's a great method to keep you on track long-term.
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Purchase a journal or
download a journaling app on your smartphone. Track as many days as you can.
Pay attention to the 5 food groups - are you consuming all of them each day?
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We are often unaware
if we are eating too much or too little of something. A food journal can bring
this information to light.
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When first starting,
note where you think you can make improvements or better choices. For example,
you're not a big vegetable fan and you typically skimp on this group, or you
eat a lot of the same foods each week without much variety.
4 Talk to your doctor or registered dietitian. Speaking to a doctor or registered
dietitian can help you tailor your balanced diet to your personal health and
medical history. They may be able to provide you with additional guidance or
recommendations to improve or maintain your current health.
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Speak with your
primary care doctor. Your doctor is most likely aware of your health and
medical conditions and may be able to give you general recommendations for
certain foods or a diet pattern that can help you achieve not only a balanced
diet, but one that may improve your overall health. They may also be able to
refer you to a local dietitian for additional help.
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A registered dietitian
is a nutrition expert that may give you a ton of guidance on balanced diets and
healthy eating. They will be able to educate you on the benefits of a balanced
diet, show you where your diet is lacking and be able to give you a meal plan
and tips to help you reach a more balanced diet.
Visit the EatRight
website and click on the orange "Find an Expert" button on the
top right to search for a dietitian in your area.
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