Make Wise Food Choices Most of The Time

What you eat has a big impact on your health. By making wise food choices, you can help control your body weight, blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

• Keep track of what you eat and drink. People who keep track are more successful in losing weight. You can use the Daily Food and Drink Tracker form on page 14 to write down what you eat and drink.
• Take a close look at the serving sizes of the foods you eat. Limit serving sizes of main courses (such as meat), desserts, and other foods high in fat. Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables at every meal.
• Limit your fat intake to about 25 percent of your total calories. Your doctor or nutritionist can help you figure out how many grams of fat to have every day. You can check food labels for fat content. For example, if your food choices add up to about 2,000 calories a day, try to eat no more than 56 grams of fat. See page 9 for ways to lower the fat in your meals and snacks.
• Cut down on calories by eating smaller servings and by cutting back on fat. People in the DPP lifestyle change group lowered their daily calorie total by an average of about 450 calories. Your doctor or nutritionist can work with you to develop a meal plan that helps you lose weight.
• Choose healthy commodity foods (items provided by the government to help people consume a nutritious diet), including those lower in fat.
• When you meet your goal, reward yourself with something special, like a new outfit or a movie.

Food and Sensible Serving Sizes

Amount of food	Types of food	Size of one serving
3 ounces	meat, chicken, turkey, or fish	the palm of a hand
1 cup	cooked vegetables salads casseroles or stews, such as chili with beans milk	an averaged sized fist
1/2 cup	fruit or fruit juice starchy vegetables such as potatoes or corn pinto beans and other dried beans rice or noodle scereal	an averaged sized fist
1 ounce	snack food	one handful
1 Tablespoon	salad dressing	the tip of a thumb
1 teaspoon	margarine	a fingertip
1 teaspoon	margarine	a fingertip

How to keep Blood Glucose at Healthy Level

• Eat about the same amount of food each day.
• Eat your meals and snacks at about the same times each day.
• Do not skip meals or snacks.
• Take your medicines at the same times each day.
• Exercise at about the same times each day.

Why should eat about the Same Amount at the Same Times each day

Your blood glucose goes up after you eat. If you eat a big lunch one day and a small lunch the next day, your blood glucose levels will change too much. Keep your blood glucose at a healthy level by eating about the same amount of carbohydrate foods at about the same times each day.


Healthy Eating Tips

• Eat foods that are low in fat, salt, and sugar and high in fiber such as beans, fruits and vegetables, and grains
• Take your time when you eat. Wait 15 minutes before eating second helpings. It takes about that amount of time for your stomach to tell your brain that you are full.
• Eat the right amounts of food and with right serving sizes
• Don’t skip meals.
• Pack a lunch of healthy foods. Make a sandwich with turkey or lean beef. Use mustard or a little low-fat mayonnaise. Add fruit instead of chips.
• Choose healthy snacks such as a small bowl of cereal with nonfat or low-fat milk or a piece of fruit.
• When eating out, order kid-sized meals and drink water, nonfat or low-fat milk, or diet soda. Split a larger meal with a friend.
• Fill up half of your plate with salad or vegetables. Use small amounts of margarine or salad dressing.

Small amounts of foods that contain sugar can be part of a healthy meal plan.

Drink water, sugar-free soda pop, and sugar-free fruit drinks if you are thirsty

These are good carb choices. They have lots of fiber.

- Whole grain foods
- Fresh fruits and vegetables from every color of the rainbow—red, orange, yellow, white, green, blue, and purple.

Choose these carbs less often

- White bread
- White rice
- Sweetened fruit drinks
- Sweets and desserts.


Protein foods help to build strong muscles and bones. Protein foods do not make the blood glucose go up like some carbs do. Having protein in your meal can help you feel less hungry.

Fats are a good source of fuel for the body and help you grow. Fat does not make blood glucose go up but too much fat can make you gain weight.

It’s best to spread your food out over the day and eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner and a couple of snacks as well. You will have a ready supply of energy and you won’t get too hungry.

If you take in more food than your body burns, you will gain weight. If you take in less food than your body burns, you will lose weight. Being active and eating smaller amounts of food and fewer sweet or fatty foods can help overweight kids lose weight in a healthy way. You will keep your heart healthy, too.


The Healthy Plate

1. vegetables and fruit make up half the plate.
2. Protein foods (fish, chicken, meat, beans, nuts) make up one quarter of the plate.
3. Carbohydrate foods (whole grain bread, pastas, cereals, brown rice, tortillas and potatoes) make up the remaining quarter of the plate.
Things to remember

• Include vegetables and fruit at every meal
• Choose low fat dairy foods.
• Drink plenty of water