Make healthy eating a habit   First, think about your reasons for healthier eating. Do you want to improve your health? Do you want to feel better? Are you trying to set an example for your kids? Healthy eating starts with learning new ways to eat, such as adding more fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and cutting back on foods that have a lot of fat, salt, and sugar. A change to healthier eating also includes learning about balance, variety, and moderation.

 
•   Aim for balance Most days, eat from each food group-grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, and meat and other proteins, including beans. Listen to your body. Eat when you're hungry. Stop when you feel satisfied. 

•   Look for variety Be adventurous. Choose different foods in each food group. For example, don't reach for an apple every time you choose a fruit. Eating a variety of foods each day will help you get all the nutrients you need. 

•   Practice moderation Don't have too much or too little of one thing. All foods, if eaten in moderation, can be part of healthy eating. Even sweets can be okay.   

Healthy eating will help you get the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. It will help you feel your best and have plenty of energy. 

Healthy eating is not a diet. It means making changes you can live with and enjoy for the rest of your life.

Diets are temporary. Because you give up so much when you diet, you may be hungry and think about food all the time. And after you stop dieting, you also may overeat to make up for what you missed. 

Eating a healthy, balanced variety of foods is far more satisfying. And if you match that with more physical activity, you are more likely to get to a healthy weight-and stay there-than if you diet.         

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Pyramid guidelines for healthy eating   

Here is a brief guide for making healthy food choices. To have a balanced diet, make healthy choices from each of the food groups, in appropriate serving sizes.

•  Breads, cereals, pasta, and rice group Make half of the grains you eat every day whole-grain. Choose whole-grain breads, cold and cooked cereals and grains, pasta (without creamy sauces), hard rolls, or low-fat or fat-free crackers. Limit foods that have added fats and sugars, such as croissants, pastries, granola, store-bought muffins, snack crackers, and chips. Try to eat at least 6 ounces of grains (half of those should be whole grains). A slice of bread is 1 ounce, for example. 

•  Vegetables Eat plenty of these They contain little if any fat and lots of nutrients that help protect against heart disease. Try to eat 2 to 3 cups of vegetables every day. 

•  Fruits Eat plenty of these. They also contain very little fat but lots of nutrients. They make a sweet ending to a meal. Try to eat 1½ to 2 cups of fruit every day. 

•  Meat and meat alternatives Most adults need 5 to 6½ ounces each day. A 3-ounce serving of meat is the size and thickness of a deck of cards. For many people, cutting back on meat has the biggest impact on how much fat they eat. Choose fish and lean poultry more often and red meat and fried meats less often. Meat alternatives like dried beans, tofu, and nuts are also good protein sources. 

•  Milk and milk products Choose low-fat or fat-free products from this food group. Most adults need 3 cups of milk and milk products a day. If you have problems digesting milk, try eating cheese or yogurt instead, since these foods are low in lactose. 

•  Fats and oils Limit fats and oils, including those used in cooking. When you do use fats, choose oils that are liquid at room temperature (unsaturated fats), such as canola oil and olive oil. Avoid hydrogenated oils (trans fat) and foods that contain them. Choose soft margarines that have no trans fat and come in a tub or squeeze bottle.

•  Sweets and high-fat snacks Most of these foods are high in fat and sugar. Eat them less often. When you do eat these foods, pay a lot of attention to the taste, eat them slowly, and savor them. This is how to enjoy them the most and not overdo it. Choose fruit instead of sweets as often as you can.