Importance of Balanced Diet in Weight Loss

You have probably been hearing about a balanced diet ever since you were a small child. But most people do not really know what it is all about. A balanced diet means a diet that has food items from all the major food groups. There are five major food groups which are grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy and meat and meat alternatives.

A balanced diet strikes a balance amongst these five food groups and gives the body the right amount of nutrients that it needs for overall good health. Eating a balanced diet is not about having one good meal. It is about creating healthy eating habits and maintaining it over a period of time. It is not at all an easy thing to do.

I mean, try and eat 6 to 11 servings of grains, 3 to 5 servings of vegetables, 2 to 4 servings of fruit, 2 to 3 servings of dairy products and 2 to 3 servings of meat or meat alternatives on a daily basis and you will know what difficulty is all about.

Some diet tips

Irregular eating habits can have small, mediocre to devastating side effects on the human body. The most common problem with western eating habits is that people eat three large meals in a day and a lot of snacks in between to end those hunger cravings. Now most of these snacks are processed food. These contain a high amount of fats and chemical preservatives used to preserve the food. It simple terms, it is unhealthy.

People fail to recognize the effects of these mid meal snacks. They think that, I am having just three meals a day and I am still gaining weight. But eating less doesn't necessarily mean that you will lose weight. On the other hand, it is much better if you eat five to six moderate meals everyday.

For best results, consult a dietitian before you embark on any diet program