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A balanced eating plan and regular physical
activity are the building blocks of good health.
Poor eating habits and physical inactivity may
lead to overweight and related health problems.
By eating right and being active, you may reach
or maintain a healthy weight. You may also
improve your physical health, mental well-being,
and set an example for others. Do it for yourself
and your family!
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Healthy Eating
What is a
healthy
eating plan?
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![Photo of woman buying vegetables at market.](better_health/womanbuyingveggies.jpg)
A healthy eating plan:
- Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk
products.
- Includes lean meats, poultry, fish,
beans, eggs, and nuts.
- Is low in saturated fats, trans
fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added
sugars.
For more specific information about food
groups and nutrition values, visit:
www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.
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Tips for Healthy
Eating
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- Eat breakfast every
day.People who eat breakfast are less
likely to overeat later in the day. Breakfast
also gives you energy and helps you get your
day off to a healthy start.
- Choose whole grains more
often. Try whole-wheat breads and
pastas, oatmeal, brown rice, or bulgur.
- Select a mix of colorful vegetables
each day.Vegetables of different
colors provide different nutrients. Choose dark
leafy greens such as spinach, kale, collards,
and mustar greens, and reds and oranges such as
carrots, sweet potatoes, red peppers, and
tomatoes.
- Choose fresh, canned, or frozen
fruit more often than fruit juice.
Fruit juice has little or no fiber, and the
calories may be high. Fresh, canned, or frozen
fruit is often better for you. If you eat
canned fruit, opt for fruit packed in water
rather than syrup.
- Use fats and oils
sparingly. Olive, canola, and peanut
oils, avocados, nuts and nut butters, olives,
and fish provide heart-healthy fat as well as
vitamins and minerals.
- Eat sweets sparingly.
Limit foods and beverages that are high in
added sugars.
- Eat three meals every day.
If you skip meals or replace a meal with a
snack, you might overeat later on.
- Have low-fat, low-sugar snacks on
hand. Whether you are at home, at
work, or on the go, healthy snacks may help to
combat hunger and prevent overeating.
Top
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Quick Breakfast Ideas
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![Photo of a bowl of cereal.](better_health/cereal.jpg)
- low-fat yogurt sprinkled with low-fat
granola
- oatmeal with low-fat or fat-free milk, or
soy-based beverage
- a slice of whole-wheat toast with a thin
spread of peanut butter
- fruit smoothie made with frozen fruit,
low-fat yogurt, and juice
- high-fiber, low-sugar cereal with soy-based
beverage or low-fat milk
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Easy Snack Ideas
![Photo of a piece of popcorn.](better_health/1pop.jpg)
![Photo of a piece of popcorn.](better_health/3pop.jpg)
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- low-fat or fat-free yogurt
![Photo of a piece of popcorn.](better_health/2pop.jpg)
- rice cakes
- fresh or canned fruits
- sliced vegetables or baby carrots
- dried fruit and nut mix (no more than a
small handful)
- air-popped popcorn sprinkled with garlic
powder or other spices
- high-fiber, low-sugar cereal
![Photo of woman and child enjoying a healthy snack.](better_health/womanchildsnack.jpg)
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Healthy
Weight
What is a healthy
weight?
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Body mass index (BMI) is one way to tell
whether you are at a healthy weight, overweight,
or obese. It measures your weight in relation to
your height.
A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is in the healthy range.
A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is overweight, and a BMI of
30 or greater is considered obese.
In the chart below, find your height in the
left-hand column and move across the row to find
your weight. If you are in the overweight or
obese range on the chart, you may be at risk for
certain health problems.
![Body Mass Index (BMI) chart](for_life/bmi2.jpg)
*
Without Shoes
**Without Clothes
Sources
George Bray, M.D.,
Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute’s Clinical Guidelines on
the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment
of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: The
Evidence Report.
Another way to find out if you are at risk for
health problems caused by overweight and obesity
is to measure your waist. If you are a woman and
your waist is more than 35 inches, or if you are
a man and your waist is more than 40 inches, your
risk of disease is higher.
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What are the
health risks of being overweight?
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Extra weight may put you at higher risk
for:
- type 2 diabetes (high blood sugar)
- high blood pressure
- coronary heart disease and stroke
- some types of cancer
- sleep apnea (when breathing stops for short
periods during sleep)
- osteoarthritis (wearing away of the
joints)
- gallbladder disease
- irregular periods
- problems with pregnancy, such as
gestational diabetes (high blood sugar during
pregnancy), high blood pressure, or increased
risk for cesarean section (c-section)
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Why do people
become overweight?
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Many factors may play a part in why people
gain weight.
- Habits. Eating too many
calories may become a habit. You may also
develop a habit of doing sedentary activities
like watching TV instead of being physically
active. Over time, these habits can lead to
weight gain.
- Genes.Overweight and
obesity tend to run in families. Although
families often share diet and physical activity
habits that can play a role in obesity, their
shared genes increase the chance that family
members will be overweight.
- Illness. Some diseases may
lead to weight gain or obesity. These include
hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome, and
depression. Talk to your health care provider
if you think you have a health problem that
could be causing you to gain weight.
- Medicine. Some medicines
may lead to weight gain. Ask your health care
provider or pharmacist about the side effects
of any medication you are taking.
- The world around you. You
can find food and messages about food at home,
at work, at shopping centers, on TV, and at
family and social events. People may eat too
many foods high in fat, sugar, and salt just
because they are always there. On top of that,
our modern world—with its remote
controls, drive-in banks, and
escalators—makes it easy to be physically
inactive.
- Emotions. Many people eat
when they are bored, sad, angry, or stressed,
even when they are not hungry.
Although you may not be able to control all
the factors that lead to overweight, you
can change your eating and physical
activity habits. And by changing those habits,
you may be able to improve your weight and your
health.
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If You Need to
Lose Weight
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A weight loss of as little as 5 to 15 percent
of your body weight over 6 months or longer has
been shown to improve health. For example, if you
weigh 200 pounds, losing 5 percent of your body
weight means losing 10 pounds. Losing 15 percent
of your body weight means losing 30 pounds. A
safe rate of weight loss is 1/2 to 2 pounds per
week.
Try some of these ideas to support your
weight-loss efforts:
- Keep a food diary. To get started, see the
sample food diary below.
- Shop from a list and shop when you are not
hungry.
- Store foods out of sight, or do not keep
many high-fat, high-sugar foods in your
home.
- Dish up smaller servings. At restaurants,
eat only half your meal and take the rest home.
See the Weight-control Information Network
(WIN) brochure Just Enough for You: About
Food Portions for more tips on controlling
portion size.
- Eat at the table and turn off the TV.
- Be realistic about weight-loss goals. Aim
for a slow, modest weight loss.
- Seek support from family and friends.
- Expect setbacks and forgive yourself if you
regain a few pounds.
- Add moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical
activity to your weight-loss plan. Doing
regular physical activity may help you control
your weight.
SAMPLE FOOD
DIARY
Time
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Food
|
Feelings
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How I Can
Improve
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8:00 a.m.
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Coffee with sugar and cream, oatmeal
with low-fat milk and banana
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Hungry. Ate my usual breakfast.
|
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11:00 a.m.
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Low-fat yogurt
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Stomach starting to rumble.
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Adding fresh fruit or whole grains will
help keep me from overeating later.
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12:30 p.m.
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Roast beef and cheese sandwich on
whole-wheat bread, potato chips, can of
soda
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Probably ate more than I was hungry for
because of the “lunch deal” the
deli offered me.
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If I pack my lunch, I won’t be
tempted in the lunch line.
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2:30 p.m.
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1/2 chocolate bar from coworker, large
coffee with sugar and cream
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Feeling bored, not truly hungry.
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A snack like veggie slices with salsa is
more nutritious.
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7:30 p.m.
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Caesar salad, dinner roll, ravioli
(didn’t finish the whole serving),
1/2 slice of chocolate cake
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Out to dinner with friends, so we all
ate big portions! We split dessert,
which made me feel healthy.
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Next time, I’ll have a salad with
low-fat dressing. Sweet, fresh fruit is
good as a refreshing dessert.
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10:30 p.m.
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Decaf herbal tea
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Had trouble falling asleep.
|
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To keep a food diary, write down all the food
you eat in a day. Also write down the time you
eat and your feelings at the time. Writing down
your feelings may help you identify your eating
triggers. For example, you may notice that you
sometimes overeat when you are in a big group,
simply because everyone around you is eating. The
next time you find yourself in this situation, be
mindful of that eating trigger and try to limit
your portion sizes.
Top
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Physical
Activity
Getting
Active
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You do not have to be an athlete to benefit
from regular physical activity. Even modest
amounts of physical activity can improve your
health. Start with small, specific goals, such as
walking 10 minutes a day, 3 days a week, and
build up slowly from there. Keep an activity log
to track your progress. You can refer to the
sample activity log below.
Try these activities to add more movement to
your daily life:
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Make sure the stairs are well lit.
- Get off the bus one stop early if you are
in an area safe for walking.
- Park the car farther away from entrances to
stores, movie theaters, or your home.
- Take a short walk around the block with
family, friends, or coworkers.
- In bad weather, walk around a mall.
- Rake the leaves or wash the car.
- Visit museums, the zoo, or an aquarium. You
and your family can walk for hours and not
realize it.
- Take a walk after dinner instead of
watching TV.
SAMPLE ACTIVITY
LOG
Date
|
Activity
|
Total
Time
|
How I
Felt
|
Mon, Mar 1
|
Walking
Free weights at home
|
2 x 15 minutes
20 minutes
|
I had more energy after I walked than I
did before!
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Tues, Mar 2
|
Walking
Stretching
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30 minutes
15 minutes
|
Stretching felt great.
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Wed, Mar 3
|
Extra walking at work—used the
stairs 3 times
Yoga video at home
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About 20 minutes total
20-minute video
|
I was busy, so I just tried to move more
all day.
Yoga helped me relax.
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Thurs, Mar 4
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Walking
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15 minutes at lunch and 15 minutes after
work
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Walking with my coworker was fun and
relaxing.
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Fri, Mar 5
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Walking
Free weights at home
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30 minutes at lunch
20 minutes
|
My coworker and I picked up the pace
today!
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Sat, Mar 6
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Water aerobics class
Stretching
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45-minute class
15 minutes
|
This class is fun but exhausting.
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Sun, Mar 7
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Gardening
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60 minutes
|
A surprisingly good workout.
|
Top
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Are you ready
to be even more active?
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As you become more fit, slowly increase your
pace, the length of time you are active, and how
often you are active. Before starting a
vigorous physical activity
program, check with your health care provider if
you are a man over age 40 or a woman over age 50,
or if you have chronic health
problems.![Photo of man running.](better_health/manrunning.jpg)
For a well-rounded workout plan, combine
aerobic activity, muscle-strengthening exercises,
and stretching. Do at least 30 minutes a day of
moderate-intensity physical activity on most or
all days of the week. Add muscle-strengthening
activities to your aerobic workout two to three
times a week.
If you are trying to lose weight or maintain
your weight loss, you may need to do more
activity. Aim for 60 to 90 minutes on most
days.
To reduce the risk of injury, do a slow
aerobic warm-up, then stretch before aerobic or
strengthening activities. Follow your workout
with a few more minutes of stretching. See
WIN’s brochure Walking...A Step in the
Right Direction for stretching
exercises.
Aerobic activityis any
activity that speeds up your heart and breathing
while moving your body at a moderate or vigorous
pace. (See below for examples.) If you have been
inactive for a while, you may want to start with
easier activities, such as walking at a gentle
pace. This lets you build up to more intense
activity without hurting your body.
Regular aerobic activity may help:
- Control weight. Aerobic
activity burns calories, which may help you
manage your weight.
- Prevent coronary heart disease and
stroke. Regular aerobic activity can
strengthen your heart muscle and lower your
blood pressure. It may also help lower
“bad” cholesterol and raise
“good” cholesterol.
- Maintain strong bones.
Weight-bearing aerobic activities that involve
lifting or pushing your own body weight, such
as walking, jogging, or dancing, help to
maintain strong bones.
- Improve your outlook.
Aerobic exercise relieves tension and decreases
stress. It may also help build your confidence
and improve your self-image.
Choose aerobic activities that are
fun. People are more likely to be active
if they like what they are doing. It also helps
to get support from a friend or a family member.
Try one of these activities or others you
enjoy:
- brisk walking or jogging
- bicycling
- swimming
- aerobic exercise classes
- dancing (square dancing, salsa, African
dance, swing)
- playing basketball or soccer
Strengthening activities
include lifting weights, using resistance bands,
and doing push-ups or sit-ups. Besides building
stronger muscles, strengthening activities may
help you:
- Use more calories. Not
only do strengthening exercises burn calories,
but having more muscle means you will burn
slightly more calories throughout the
day—even when you are sitting still.
- Reduce injury. Stronger
muscles improve balance and support your
joints, lowering the risk of injury.
- Maintain strong bones.
Doing strengthening exercises regularly helps
build bone and may prevent bone loss as you
age.
Strengthening exercises
should focus on working the major muscle groups
of the body, such as the chest, back, abdominals,
legs, and arms. Do exercises for each muscle
group two or three times a week. Allow at least 1
day of rest for your muscles to recover and
rebuild before another strengthening workout. (It
is safe to do aerobic activity every day.)
Lifestyle activities are the
day-to-day activities that you do. These
activities can really add up and increase the
number of calories you burn each day. They may
also boost your energy and mood by getting your
blood and muscles moving. Examples of lifestyle
activities include:
- Taking the stairs instead of the
elevator.
- Walking to your coworker’s office
instead of using the phone or email.
- Gardening and doing household chores.
- Walking inside the bank rather than using
the drive-through window.
- Parking farther from store entrances and
walking the extra distance.
- Taking short breaks at work to get up,
stretch, and walk.
- Playing with your children, nieces and
nephews, and pets.
Top
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Be Good to
Yourself
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Many people feel stress in their daily lives.
Stress can cause you to overeat, feel tired, and
not want to do anything. Regular physical
activity can give you more energy. Try some of
these other ideas to help relieve stress and stay
on track with your fitness and nutrition
goals:![Photo of couple walking.](better_health/couplewalking1.jpg)
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Practice deep breathing while relaxing your
muscles one at a time.
- Take a break and go for a walk.
- Take short stretch breaks throughout the
day.
- Try taking a yoga or tai chi class to
energize yourself and reduce stress.
- Try a new hobby, like a pottery class or
any activity that sparks your interest.
- Surround yourself with people whose company
you enjoy.
A balanced eating plan, regular physical
activity, and stress relief can help you stay
healthy for life.
Top
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Tips for
Adults
|
- Eat breakfast every day. People who eat
breakfast are less likely to overeat later in
the day.
- Choose whole grains more often. Try
whole-wheat breads and pastas, oatmeal, brown
rice, or bulgur.
- Select a mix of colorful vegetables each
day. Vegetables of different colors provide
different nutrients.
- Have low-fat, low-sugar snacks on hand at
home, at work, or on the go to combat hunger
and prevent overeating.
- At restaurants, eat only half your meal and
take the rest home.
- Visit museums, the zoo, or an aquarium. You
and your family can walk for hours and not
realize it.
- Take a walk after dinner instead of
watching TV.
- Get plenty of sleep.
Top
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Additional Reading From
the National Institutes of Health and the
Weight-control Information Network
|
Aim for a Healthy Weight
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Internet:
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/
Diabetes Prevention and Control
Publications
National Diabetes Education Program
Internet:
www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/pubs/catalog.htm
Just Enough for You: About Food
Portions
Phone: 1–877–946–4627
Internet:
www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/just_enough.htm
Tips to Help You Get Active
Phone: 1–877–946–4627
Internet:
www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/tips.htm
Walking...A Step in the Right
Direction
Phone: 1–877–946–4627
Internet:
www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/walking.htm
Internet:
www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/caminar.htm
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Additional
Reading From Other Organizations
|
2005 Dietary Guidelines for
Americans
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services
Phone: 1–888–878–3256
Internet: www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines
Exercise and Weight Control
The President’s Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports
Internet: www.fitness.gov
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Additional
Resources
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American Dietetic Association
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60606–6995
Phone: 1–800–877–1600
Internet: www.eatright.org
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
P.O. Box 30105
Bethesda, MD 20892–0105
Phone: 1–800–575–9355
Internet: www.nhlbi.nih.gov
National Diabetes Education Program
1 Diabetes Way
Bethesda, MD 20814–9692
Phone: 1–800–438–5383
Internet: www.ndep.nih.gov
The President’s Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports
Department W
200 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 738–H
Washington, DC 20201–0004
Phone: (202) 690–9000
Internet: www.fitness.gov
Food and Nutrition Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service, National
Agricultural Library
10301 Baltimore Avenue, Room 105
Beltsville, MD 20705–2351
Phone: (301) 504–5719
Internet: www.nal.usda.gov/fnic
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Weight-control Information
Network
1 WIN Way
Bethesda, MD 20892–3665
Phone: (202) 828–1025
Fax: (202) 828–1028
Toll-free number:
1–877–946–4627
Email: win@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: www.win.niddk.nih.gov
The Weight-control Information Network (WIN)
is a service of the National Institute of
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
(NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health,
which is the Federal Government’s lead
agency responsible for biomedical research on
nutrition and obesity. Authorized by Congress
(Public Law 103–43), WIN provides the
general public, health professionals, the
media, and Congress with up-to-date,
science-based health information on weight
control, obesity, physical activity, and
related nutritional issues.
Publications produced by WIN are reviewed by
both NIDDK scientists and outside experts. This
publication was also reviewed by Rena Wing,
Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Human
Behavior, Brown University, and F. Xavier
Pi-Sunyer, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Obesity
Research Center, St. Luke’s Roosevelt
Hospital Center.
This publication is not copyrighted. WIN
encourages users of this brochure to duplicate
and distribute as many copies as desired.
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
NIH Publication No. 08–4992
June 2004
Updated March 2008
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