How to Eat a Healthy Diet ?

If you are what you eat, it follows that you want to stick to a healthy diet is well balanced. "You want to eat a variety of foods," says Stephen Bickston, MD, AGAF, professor of internal medicine and director of the Center for the intestinal inflammatory disease in a health center Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. "You do not want to be overly restrictive in any one food group or eat too much of another."

Eat a healthy diet: Building Blocks
The best source for planning a meal for most Americans is the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) State of the United States Health and Human Services and the Ministry of the food pyramid. Pyramid, was completed in 2005, it suggests that a healthy diet every day should eat:

6-8 servings of grains. These include breads, cereals, rice, pasta, and at least three meals should be whole grain. A service of bread is one slice, while a meal of grain is 1/2 (cooked) to 1 cup (ready to eat). A service of cooked rice or pasta 1/2 cup (1 ounce dry). Remember fat laden baked goods such as croissants, muffins, and cakes to treat sometimes.
2-4 servings of fruit and 4-6 servings of vegetables. Most fruits and vegetables, low-fat, making them a great addition to your diet healthy. Fruits and vegetables, fiber, vitamins and minerals you need for the systems of the body to function at peak performance and availability. And fruits and vegetables also add flavor to a healthy diet. It is best to serve them fresh, steamed, or cut up in salads. Be sure to skip the calorie laden toppings, butter, mayonnaise, except in some cases. A service of cooked or raw vegetables equals 1/2 cup (1 cup of leafy greens); a meal of fruit or 1/2 cup of fresh fruit the size of a tennis ball.
2-3 servings of milk, yogurt and cheese. Choose wisely dairy products. Go to skim milk or low-fat or cheese. Milk substitute for sour cream in many recipes and no one will notice the difference. A service of dairy equals 1 cup of milk or yogurt or 1.5 to 2 ounces of cheese.
2-3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts. For a healthy diet, and the best ways to prepare beef, pork, veal, lamb, poultry, fish, bread, meat or grill them. Search for "loin" or the words "round" in the cuts of meat because they are smaller. Remove all visible fat or skin before cooking, season with herbs, spices, marinades and fat-free. A service of meat, fish, poultry or is 2 to 3 ounces. Some crossover foods such as dried beans, lentils, peanut butter can provide protein without animal fat and cholesterol you get from meat. ¼ cup cooked beans or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter equals 1 ounce of lean meat.
The use of fats and oils, and sweets in moderation. No diet should completely eliminate any one food group, even fats, oils, and sweets. It was fine to be included in your diet as long as it is sometimes, moderation, says Bickston.
Eat a healthy diet: eating right and proper amount
How many calories you need in a day depends on the sex, age, body type, and how your activity. Generally, active children aged 2-8 need between 1400 and 2000 calories a day. Girls and women in the active age of adolescence can consume 2,200 calories a day without gaining weight. Boys and men in the teen who is very active should consume about 3,000 calories a day to maintain their weight. If you're not active, you can drop the calories 400-600 calories per day needs.

The best way to figure out how much to eat is to listen to your body, says Donald Novey, MD, an integrative medicine physician with the Medical Group lawyer in Park Ridge, Illinois. "Pull away from the table when you are comfortable but not fully yet. Wait about 20 minutes," he says. "Usually, your body says," That's good. "If you're still hungry after that, you may want to eat a little more."

Eat a healthy diet: exercise is part of a plan
At the bottom of the Ministry of Agriculture's new food pyramid is the place to exercise. Exercise is an important component of a balanced diet and good nutrition. You can reap the "wonderful rewards," says Dr. Novey, only by exercising and eating "healthy diet of foods provided by nature."