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How to Develop a Personalized Heart Healthy Menu
From your Guide
The way to heart health is through your stomach. Here's how
you can devise your own program and eat your way to health.
Difficulty Level:
Easy
Time Required:
1 week
Here's How:
- Analyze the problem. Try and find out how you feel about food and eating.
- Identify the challenges you face in developing and sticking to a healthy
eating program.
- Record your current eating habits. Prepare a daily log sheet to jot down
what you eat.
- On the log sheet, write down the meal, the exact items eaten, the number
of servings and the category of food eaten (fat, carbohydrate or protein).
- After 3 days, review your log sheet. Look for patterns and habits of eating.
- Compare your average intake with a standard chart of recommended daily requirements
for persons of your age, weight and other physical characteristics.
- Set goals and targets for the future.
- Remember to personalize your goals based on what you like to eat or cook,
your family's needs and other constraints.
- Plan actual menus for each meal, for many days or even weeks.
- List out some 'energy-snacks' that cut fat, sodium and cholesterol but are
still tasty.
- You might follow some standard eating plans, like the DASH diet, for guidance.
- Check labels on foodstuffs you buy.
- Make changes every 2 or 3 months to avoid getting into a rut.
- Once in a while, reward yourself! Go on and splurge - one meal won't do
you in.
Tips:
- Moderation and overall balance in eating is the target to aim for.
- Practice 'portion control', resist temptation to overeat.
- Variety is the spice of life. Be creative in making changes often.
Related Information:
More How To's from your Guide
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