I have talked about the need for a proper diet and maintaining a healthy weight but I don't think I really got in to what might that diet might look like. Well I will not break it down in percentages of fat, protein etc... I will provide some links to help you determine how to adjust your diet. There are also some free online tracking sites that you can enter your daily meals and they will help you keep track of your progress. I also find that eating 5-6 small meals through the day has helped me combat the munching which kills a diet.
The latest fade diets, Atkins, South Beach etc... are fine but they are poor examples IMHO because they are not balanced properly and certainly are not designed for long term dieting like some of us require. They also do not take in to consideration caloric intake, at least not in any reading I have done on them.
What's the point in going on a diet if you do not watch the calories. I mean I could eat all the prime rib in the world and not a single carb, but if you are eating 3500 calories a day and not exercising you won't lose squat. Likewise, I could eat 1600 calories a day of with a heavy carb load and lose weight.
Your diet can be tailored to your needs and can include anything you want, provided it is done in moderation. Below is some information from The American Heart Association which breaks down caloric intake versus fat intake. The one thing it dose not have is the percentage of protein a diet should have as well as carbohydrates etc... Like I said though, that combined percentages versus caloric intake is a big part of a diet plan. If you are an active person your intake will be much higher then a sedentary person. So watch not only what you eat, but how much you eat.
Most people know that a diet low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium is better for their heart and overall health. But few people understand why. Even fewer know what quantities of these substances actually qualify as "low" or healthy.
It's especially important for people with heart failure and other heart conditions to understand the terms associated with a "heart-healthy" diet. This section will help you learn what saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium are; where we get them; why too much is unhealthy; and what the recommended limits are.
Fat
What It Is: Fatty acids are found in plants and animals and are essential for the body's proper growth and functioning. There are three kinds of fats in the foods we eat: saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature, while polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. Polyunsaturated oil is liquid at all temperatures. Trans-unsaturated fatty acids are found in hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils and some animal products.
Where We Get It: Most foods contain all three types of fat, but in varying amounts. We mainly get saturated fats by eating animal foods such as beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, butter, cream, whole milk, cheeses and other whole-milk dairy products. Coconut, palm and palm kernel oils are also high in saturated fat. Trans fat, which comes primarily from hydrogenated fat, acts as saturated fat in the body. We get unsaturated fats mainly through vegetable oils. Polyunsaturated fats are found in safflower, sunflower, corn and soybean oils. Monounsaturated fats are found in canola and olive oils.
Why Too Much Is Unhealthy: Eating too much saturated fat can raise your blood cholesterol level, which increases the risk of coronary artery disease (clogged arteries) and heart attack. In moderation, unsaturated fats may actually help to reduce blood cholesterol, especially when substituted for saturated fats. However, it's important to control total fat intake because fats have more than twice as many calories as protein and carbohydrates.
Recommended Limits: The average person should adjust their total fat intake to meet their caloric needs. Diets for weight reduction should contain no more than 30 percent of total fat. (Daily calorie intake depends on gender, height and weight. A doctor or registered dietitian can make recommendations for you.) Of that amount, no more than 7 to 10 percent should be saturated fat and up to 25 percent unsaturated fat. The following table converts these values into grams to make it easier to read food labels or use a nutrition counter.
*Note that the American Heart Association recommends lower amounts of saturated fat (less than 7 percent of total calories) for people with heart failure or high cholesterol levels.
Daily Calorie Intake Total Fat (grams) Saturated Fat (grams)
1,200 40 or less 11–13
1,500 50 or less 13–17
1,800 60 or less 16–20
2,000 67 or less 18–22
2,200 73 or less 20–24
2,500 83 or less 22–28
3,000 100 or less 27–33
Cholesterol
What It Is: Cholesterol is a soft, waxy, fat-like substance in your bloodstream and in all your body's cells. It's used to form cell membranes, some hormones and other tissues.
Where We Get It: Our bodies produce cholesterol, mainly in the liver. Foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol — such as meats, poultry, fish and dairy products — can raise your blood cholesterol levels, too.
Why Too Much Is Unhealthy: When blood cholesterol levels are high, cholesterol and other fatty substances are more likely to collect in the inner walls of blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits can restrict or even block blood flow to the heart. This buildup is associated with developing coronary artery disease, which can lead to heart attacks.
Recommended Limits: The average person should consume less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day. People with a heart condition or who have high cholesterol levels may need to limit their intake to less than 200 milligrams. They should check with their doctor.
Sodium
What It Is: A mineral necessary in small amounts for many body processes.
Where We Get It: We consume most of our sodium in the form of salt, which is made up of sodium and chloride. High-sodium foods include cheeses, lunch meats, cured meats, breads, cereals, prepared foods like canned and frozen products, and baked goods made with baking soda or baking powder.
Why Too Much Is Unhealthy: In some people, too much sodium causes blood pressure to rise. High blood pressure constricts the arterioles, making them resistant to blood flow. This makes the heart work progressively harder to pump enough blood to the body's tissues and organs. High sodium levels also cause the body to retain fluid, which increases the heart's workload. People with heart failure and other heart conditions need to be especially careful not to put this extra strain on their heart.
Recommended Limits: Most people should limit daily sodium intake to no more than 2,400 milligrams.
Some other resources for diet planning can be found at the USDA website, for which you will need Adobe Reader as well as theFDA's website.
I love to eat and I really do not like to miss out on the foods I really love. By planning my meals around a proper diet I am able to include everything I want to, especially this time of the year as my Girl Scout cookies arrived yesterday. Thin Mints are the best cookies on the market.
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