Enjoy Eating Healthy

Why do so many of life's simple pleasures end up in our waistline or belly? Why are donuts so good and so unhealthy at the same time?

If you're like me you already know the effects of these little joys. Those useless calories in every beer. The trans fat hidden in our favorite baked goods.

We can exercise until we drop and we'll never lose those that belly if we don't watch what we eat.

A few tips to help you stay on track with your healthy eating plan:

Don't skip meals. Skipping meals may cause your metabolism to slow down or lead you to eat more high-calorie, high-fat foods at your next meal or snack.

Select high-fiber foods like whole-grain breads and cereals, beans, vegetables, and fruits. They may help keep you regular and lower your risk for chron­ic diseases, such as coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Choose lean beef, turkey breast, fish, or chicken with the skin removed to lower the amount of fat and calories in your meals. As you age, your body needs fewer calories, especially if you are not very active.

Have three servings of vitamin D-fortified low-fat/fat-free milk, yogurt, or cheese every day. Milk products are high in calcium and vitamin D and help keep your bones strong as you age. If you have trouble digesting or do not like milk products, try reduced-lactose milk products, or soy-based beverages, or tofu. You can also talk to your health care provider about taking a calcium and vitamin D supplement.

Choose foods fortified with vitamin B12. Many adults over the age of 50 have difficulty absorbing adequate amounts of this vitamin. Therefore, they should get this nutrient through fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals, or from a dietary supplement. Talk with your health care provider to ensure that you are consuming enough vitamin B12.

Keep nutrient-rich snacks like dried apricots, whole-wheat crackers, peanut butter, low-fat cheese, and low-sodium soup on hand. Eat only small amounts of such foods as dried apricots and peanut butter because they are high in calories. Limit how often you have high-fat and high-sugar snacks like cake, candy, chips, and soda.

Drink plenty of water or water-based fluids. You may notice that you feel less thirsty as you get older, but your body still needs water to stay healthy. Exam­ples of water-based fluids are caffeine-free tea and coffee, soup, and low-fat or skim milk.

You can drop those unwanted pounds. The best way to lose belly fat is vigorous exercise and eating healthy foods! Cutting calories is not that hard.