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Dieting vs Nutrition?

A nutritious plan is one of the major components for good health and weight control. We all have some kind of knowledge that a nutritional eating plan will definitely improve your chances of weight loss. Even better, avoiding fad diets or any type of eating plan that restricts us to certain foods is not the answer. The difference between dieting and nutrition is taking two steps back for every one forward.

The answer "is" the question. Choose a healthy calorie-controlled diet rich in fruit and vegetables, moderate in protein and low in saturated fat or trans fatty acids, with foods from all main food groups. This helps to improve metabolism, maintain a stable appetite and eliminate cravings. Which makes weight reduction easier and faster, and future weight gain less likely.

Example of Dietary Guidelines to Three Different Calorie-Controlled Diets

Food Group	1200 Calorie Diet	1600 Calorie Diet	2000 Calorie Diet
Vegetables Food Serving Sizes: 1 cup chopped raw or cooked vegetable, 1 cup vegetable juice, 2 cups leafy salad greens.	3 servings	4 servings	5 servings
Fruits Food Serving Sizes: 1 cup chopped raw or cooked fruit, 1 cup fruit juice.	2 servings	3 servings	4 servings
Grains Food Serving Sizes: These each count as 1 ounce-equivalent (1 serving) of grains: half cup cooked rice, pasta, or cooked cereal; 1 ounce dry pasta or rice; 1 slice bread; 1 small muffin (1 oz); 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal flakes.	4oz	5oz	6oz
Dairy Foods Food Serving Sizes: These each count as 1 cup (1 serving) of milk: 1 cup fat-free milk or yogurt, 1.5 ounces natural cheese	2 cups	3 cups	3 cups
Meats/Meat Substitute Food Serving Sizes: These each count as 1 ounce-equivalent: 1 ounce lean meat, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; quarter cup cooked dry beans or tofu; 1 Tbsp peanut butter; half ounce nuts or seeds.	3oz	5oz	5.5oz
Fats/Oils Representing the amounts that are added to foods during processing, meal-preparation cooking, or at the table. Note: Maintain your total intake of fats/oils at between 20-35 percent of calories, with most fat coming from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat, such as oily fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.	17g	22g	27g
Discretionary Calorie Allowance The discretionary calorie allowance is the remaining amount of calories in each food pattern after selecting the specified number of nutrient-dense forms of foods in each food group. The number of discretionary calories assumes that food items in each food group are selected in nutrient-dense forms (that is, forms that are fat-free or low-fat and that contain no added sugars). If as part of your eating plan you choose foods with a higher fat or sugar content than those recommended, these extra calories should be taken from your remaining calorie allowance.	171 Calories	132 Calories	267 Calories