Healthy Eating for Life: Nutrition 101 Losing weight and keeping it off means changing your relationship with food and embracing healthier habits. For optimum health and well-being, your daily diet should consist of the correct amounts of three essential nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Protein Protein is in every cell in your body. To stay healthy and lose weight, your diet needs to include the right amount of this nutrient. Protein helps your body:
• Heal • Preserve lean muscle mass, which also helps you burn fat
• Build and maintain healthy bones • Maintain healthy hair, nails, and skin
Protein also makes you feel full longer than other types of foods, which can help you eat less. After surgery, it is especially important to eat enough protein to help your body heal. Please note: Too much protein can be converted into fat, so do not overeat protein.
See the table below for high quality sources of protein.
Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are your body’s principal source of energy. They include starches and sugars that the body breaks down into glucose to fuel the multiple activities that take place in your cells that keep you alive and healthy. Starches that are good for you include high-fiber vegetables and
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