Healthy eating and regular exercise lead to a healthy body and a healthy heart. There are no quick fixes in this world. You need to ensure that what you put into your body is healthy, provides the right amount of energy (kilojoules) for you to maintain a healthy body weight and is rich in nutrients.

A Few Rules for Eating

There are no BAD FOODS. You just need to eat some foods in moderation for a healthy heart and body.

Remember: You need to eat the right amount of kilojoules per day to maintain a healthy weight. (See section on weight)

You should:

• Eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as grain-based products such as bread and rice. These fill you up and are good for digestion. (As long as you don’t deep-fry them like some restaurants in the USA might!)
• Eat lean (non fatty) meats. Fish and chicken as well as beef and lamb are great if you remove the majority of the fat. Look for the heart smart mince at the supermarket for example. Of course, indulge once in a while, but don’t make it an everyday food.
• Limit your intake of saturated fats as these lead to heightened cholesterol levels. Eat deep fried food in moderation.
• Limit your intake of salt. Once you get used to tasting food without it, you will not miss it.
• Drink water and keep hydrated.

Diets vs. Healthy Eating

A lot of money can be made out of diets, but unfortunately up to 90% people who ‘diet’ tend to lose weight, only to put it back on again.

• Don’t listen to diet plans that tell you that you can only eat certain foods.  This is particularly true of ones that suggest you only eat fatty foods or ones that say carbohydrates are ‘bad’.  When you think about it, they are ludicrous, no matter how many ‘famous’ celebrities suggest they have worked.
• Do eat dairy products, but as the healthy food pyramid would suggest, have only enough in your diet to remain healthy.
• Do buy cookbooks that teach you how to cook healthily. The Heart Foundation website www.heartfoundation.com.au also has excellent advice in this regard.
• Do snack on fruit and nuts to help with hunger rather than chocolate biscuits and chips, but remember not to eat more kilojoules that you will burn in any day.
• Remember, NO FOOD IS BAD… There are just some foods that you shouldn’t eat all of the time.