Nutrition Made Simple

Nutrition is pretty basic at its core. (Eat more fruits and vegetables; eat fewer bacon cheeseburgers.) But you have so many options these days, they can confuse you. Here are four simple tips that will make eating easier.

1. One day a week, go vegetarian. Forsaking meat just one day a week will introduce you to new, healthful foods, and over time you even may develop a hankering for vegetarian fare( which tends to be high in fiber and low in fat).

2. Pop a multivitamin. Unless you have special medical needs, replace your motley collection of vitamin and mineral tablets with a daily multivitamin that covers all of your nutritional bases. If you are already eating a balanced diet, this should give you extra insurance.

3. Chop up your plate. If you are having a hard time trying to calculate whether your dinner breaks down into the ideal ratio of carbohydrate/protein/fat, use this easy rule. About one-quarter of your plate should be covered with a protein food (lean red meat, chicken, or fish) and the rest should be filled with vegetable and complex carbohydrates (such as whole-grain bread, rice or potatoes).

4. Be a nibbler. When very hungry, people tend to eat fast food or a bunch of cookies, and not the fruits and vegetables that help to protect health. Keep your appetite satisfied with several light, healthful snacks throughout the day, and you to can be healthy and start to get fit.

John Soules