Take Action!
Making small changes in your eating habits can make a big difference in your life. Here are some tips and tools to get you started.
Keep a Food DiaryStarting today, write down:
When you eat
What you eat
How much you eat
Where you eat
How you’re feeling when you eat
For example:Tuesday 3:30 pm, 2 chocolate chip cookies, at work, feeling stressed
When you know what your eating habits are, you can make plans to change them. Use this food diary or make your own.
Plan AheadPlanning your meals for the next week can save you time and money. These tools can help you find healthy meals that are easy to make and taste great:
The Interactive Menu Planner
MyPyramid Menu Planner
Keep the Beat: Heart Healthy Recipes
If you are looking for ethnic foods, vegetarian choices, or special recipes for people with food allergies, try these tools:
Heart Healthy Home Cooking African American Style
DASH eating plan
MyPyramid food guide
Shop Smart at the Grocery StoreHere are some tips for the next time you go shopping:
Never go to the grocery store hungry!
Always use a shopping list.
Buy a variety of fruits and vegetables in different colors.
Look for the low-sodium or "no salt added" brands of canned soup, vegetables, and beans.
Try the low-fat or non-fat brand of your favorite milk products like yogurt or cheese.
Choose 100% whole wheat or whole grain bread and crackers.
Buy foods when they are on sale or in season to save money.
Get more tips on Healthy Food Shopping.

Read the LabelDon’t forget to read the Nutrition Facts label. Be sure to look at the serving size and the number of servings per package. Then look at the percent Daily Value (%DV) column.
Try to keep saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium at 5% or less.
Look for foods that have 20% or more of fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, and vitamins A and C.
Eat Healthy When you are Away From HomeIt’s important to make smart food choices wherever you are – at work, in your favorite restaurant, or running errands. Try these tips:
At lunch, have a sandwich on whole-grain bread.
Choose fat-free or low-fat milk, water, or diet drinks.
In a restaurant, choose steamed, broiled, or grilled dishes instead of fried foods.
On a long drive or shopping trip, pack some fresh fruit, unsalted nuts, or low-fat string cheese sticks to snack on.
Get more tips for eating healthy when dining out

the benefits for healthy eat

The Benefits
Eating a healthy diet can help keep your body strong and fit. It feels good to know you are making healthy choices that can change your life.
A healthy diet can help protect you from:
Heart disease
Bone loss
Type 2 diabetes
High blood pressure
Some cancers such as colorectal cancer
What if I am Overweight?If you eat foods high in calories, sugar, and fat and don't get enough exercise, you could become overweight or obese. That means you have too much body fat. To stay a healthy weight, you need to balance the calories you eat with the calories you use up. Use this Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator to learn if you are at a healthy weight.
If you are overweight or obese, losing just 10 pounds may lower your risk of:
Heart disease
Type 2 diabetes
High blood pressure

Eat healthy

The Basics
Am I Eating a Healthy Diet?Your body needs the right vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to stay healthy. A healthy diet means that you are eating:
Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat milk products
Fish, poultry, lean meats, eggs, beans, and nuts
Stay away from:
Cholesterol, sodium (salt), and added sugars
Trans fats – trans fats may be in foods like cakes, cookies, stick margarines, and other fried foods
Saturated fats – these fats come from animal products like cheese, fatty meats, whole milk, and butter.