Feature Articles: Food, Fitness and Eating Well
Eating Well: Variety, Balance & Moderation
Janet Hackert, Regional Nutrition Specialist, Northwest Region, University of Missouri Extension
Weeks have passed since New Year’s resolutions were made.
Perhaps the most popular was the promise to go on a diet.
Though good intentions may be waning, there is no reason to
give up on eating well. One main difference between eating
well and dieting is the stress of a diet and the
difficulties in maintaining the rigors imposed by most
diets. Eating well means using variety, balance and
moderation in what we choose to eat daily.
Variety, in the context of eating right, means eating
different foods from the 5 major food groups of the Food
Guide Pyramid. Variety is also about eating different foods
within each food group. When a mother says, “Eat your
broccoli” it’s good advice because broccoli is full of
important nutrients and phytochemicals. But for the lycopene
punch needed to help protect against some forms of cancer,
tomato products are what’s needed. And for alpha- and
beta-carotene that are so important for eye health, carrots
are the ticket. But not just carrots: eating pumpkin,
butternut squash, mango, apricots and cantaloupe will also
add to your alpha- and beta-carotene intake.
Balance really has to do with mixing and matching the
types of food we eat to make sure we get enough of the
nutrients we need plenty of, and not too much of the ones we
tend to overdo. By using a balanced eating plan, we get just
the right amount of the vitamins, minerals, protein,
carbohydrates, water and fat that our bodies need -- and no
more. This also helps us get the calories needed for
day-to-day activities, but not excessive calories beyond our
bodies’ needs.
Variety and balance are important attributes of a
healthful eating plan. Perhaps the hardest component of all,
though, is moderation. In this world where we are bombarded
with the questions: “would you like to super-size that?” and
“would you like the Combo meal?” eating a moderate amount of
food can be very challenging. One of the keys to moderation
is recognizing and honoring the body’s hunger and fullness
cues.
We eat for lots of reasons:
- Because it is time to eat or because “it’s there!”
- Because we are angry/frustrated/upset/sad/anxious
- Because we are happy/excited/nervous
- Because, for some reason, we feel we “have to”
Eating when our bodies don’t really require food can easily
lead to overeating. And overeating can lead to health
problems related to being overweight.
Recognizing hunger and fullness cues can be learned.
Think about some of the signs your body gives you when
you’re hungry. Perhaps it’s a growl coming from your middle,
or maybe just an empty feeling. When people are very hungry,
they can even experience headache, an upset stomach or
fatigue. When the body signals its hunger, feed it. Then
during the meal or snack, try taking a short time-out to
again check in with your body. Ask yourself if the food
still tastes good. Do I want more? Am I still hungry? If the
answer is yes, keep eating. But when the answer is no, stop.
Your body knows how much and what kinds of foods it needs.
All you have to do is pay attention. And that’s easier said
than done, until you’ve had some practice. You may even
surprise yourself that when you listen to your body’s cues,
you can get “too much of a good thing.”
Learn your hunger and fullness cues, they are as individual as your personality. Then eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full. You may never have to say, “I ate so much (fill in this blank with your favorite food) that I made myself sick!”
Last update: Tuesday, May 05, 2009
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