The guidelines are:
- Eat 5 fruits and vegetables servings each day
- Eat whole grains when possible
- Get 2 servings of milk products each day
- Get 2 teaspoons of healthy oils (olive oil, canola, sunflower, safflower, or flaxseed)
- Eat 2 servings (at least) of lean meats, skinless poultry, fish, beans, soy products, and lentils
- Limit added sugar and alcohol
- Drink at least 6 8-ounce glasses of liquid each day -- water is the best.
- Take a multivitamin each day
- Do 30 minutes of intentional exercise most days.
So, why is it so hard to do those things? I'll be honest -- my adherence to the Good Health Guidelines is spotty.
I usually eat enough fruits and vegetables, but it's a struggle.
I choose whole grains when I can, though it would not be incredibly difficult to make the change to whole grains all the time --not doing so is just laziness, I guess.
Getting two servings of dairy every day is difficult for me. I tend to get my dairy from cheese products, which are full of fat, even when they are part-skim (because what's the point of eating fat-free cheese?) I don't particularly like yogurt, though I do like Greek-style better.
Healthy oils are really hard for me. I've been trying.
I choose lean meats whenever I can -- the beef we eat is all at least 90% lean, with the very occasional (non-lean) yummy steak thrown in. We eat a lot of chicken breast and turkey and some seafood, but only rarely eat beans and lentils -- and never soy!
I very, very rarely drink alcohol -- mostly because it's just not part of my lifestyle and I don't think of drinking -- also, I hate the taste of beer. Limiting sugar can be more difficult -- I do love baked goods.
I sometimes drink enough liquids -- though rarely confine my choices to water -- I like diet sodas and iced and hot tea.
I don't take a multivitamin because they make me choke (bad memories of prenatal vitamins!)
Intentional exercise is not every day -- usually 2 to 3 times per week for 40 minutes to an hour.
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