Cut Down on your Calories, but not on your Nutrients

Acquire Essential Nutrients & Relinquish Unnecessary Calories

Healthy weight management is relative to energy balance which means eating smarter and moving more. During the process of weight loss, most of the busy individuals tend to restrict the very foods they need the most. Given here are some tips to acquire some of the essential energizing nutrients needed by your body while cutting back on unnecessary calories at the same time. If you are interested in a healthy weight loss diet that includes these nutrients, the best people to guide you would be the nutritionists/dietitians at www.firsteatright.com.

Carbohydrates

Low-carb diets usually deny your body of its preferred energy source. Minimize your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, candy and other foods which contain added sugars to cut back on calories from carbohydrates.  To boost energy levels and long-term health, choose nutrient-rich carb sources such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and peas.

Protein

You can control your weight while eating, with lean protein included in every meal of yours. Low-fat dairy foods, eggs, lean meats, poultry, seafood, nuts and beans are few options to choose from. A breakfast that includes protein is specifically useful as you will not feel hungry any time before lunch. Also, you won’t be tempted to try any of the high-fat, sugary mid-morning snacks.

Iron

Inadequate iron intake affects any individual, especially women. Anemia, a serious problem due to iron deficiency, is very common in premenopausal women and children. To get away from this trap and also prevent fatigue, women between the ages of 19 and 50 should get 18 milligrams of iron per day. Consume lean red meat and iron-fortified cereals which are two of the best sources of iron. Other good sources include poultry, fish, beans and leafy green vegetables. Along with these foods, try to eat foods rich in vitamin C as this vitamin helps your body to absorb the iron content quickly. Strawberries and tomatoes are notable sources of vitamin C.

Calcium

Further to maintaining strong bones and teeth, calcium helps to keep your heart and muscles strong and helps to prevent high blood pressure and colon cancer too. These are more than enough reasons to enjoy high-calcium foods such as low-fat dairy, calcium-set tofu, green leafy vegetables including kale, collard greens and broccoli and calcium-fortified 100-percent fruit juice. Target for at least 1,000 milligrams per day (more if you are younger than 18 and older than 50).

Folic Acid

Women, during their childbearing age, need 400 micro grams of folic acid every day to eliminate the risk of neural tube birth defects by 75 percent. Folic acid is also essential to elevate immune function by producing white blood cells, which are disease-fighting bacteria. Folic acid is contained in foods such as whole grains, green leafy vegetables, oranges, berries, nuts, beans and enriched grain products.