What are the dietary guidelines for losing weight?
In general, follow these guidelines: Write down everything you eat and drink. This lets you see if you are eating a good variety of foods. Also, it allows you to count your daily calories, if you choose. Drink plenty of water each day. Choose unlimited amounts of vegetables and salads, but take care to add only small amounts of dressings and sauces to these foods. Choose: lean meats, poultry, fish, or soy protein baked or broiled meat, fish, or poultry salad dressing containing little or no oil. Include the following foods in your diet every day but in appropriate amounts: nonfat dairy products legumes (lentils, peas, and beans) unrefined carbohydrates (whole wheat bread, whole oats or oatmeal, whole grain cereals without sugar, brown rice, bulgur (cracked wheat), and low-fat popcorn) raw fruits and canned fruits in their own juices, water, or light syrup. Limit how much you eat of the following: refined sugar and foods containing high amounts of added sugar (Foods that have a lot of s
