A whole food diet plan limits the intake of refined flour and sugar, encourages the consumption of unprocessed foods, and includes moderate amounts of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Such a diet fulfills your daily nutritional requirements naturally.
A whole food diet plan can be beneficial for people suffering from:
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Elevated triglycerides
- Impaired glucose tolerance
As with any weight loss or fitness program, it is absolutely necessary to check with your doctor before you start, especially if you have any pre-existing medical conditions.
Basic components of a whole food diet
Eat and drink as much of the following foods as you need to satisfy your thirst and hunger:
- fresh fruit(except bananas) and canned fruit without any sugar or artificial sweeteners
- low-calorie juice
- Salads and fresh, non-starchy vegetables
- Egg whites
- Low-fat cheeses, such as cottage cheese
- Tea and coffee without sugar
- Condiments, such as sour pickles
Restrict consumption of carbohydrates
This is the key way in which a whole foods diet plan promotes healthy weight loss and decreased blood sugar and triglycerides levels.
A whole food diet allows for five carbohydrate (CHO) servings of 15 grams per day, such as:
- 2 slices of reduced-calorie or one slice of regular bread
- ½ cup of pinto beans, potatoes, corn, lima beans, green peas, or black-eyed peas
- ½ cup of spaghetti, oatmeal, macaroni, non-sugary breakfast cereal, or rice
- 3–4 fluid ounce of wine, 8–12 ounce of beer, or 1 ounce of any hard liquor
Other foods allowed on a whole food diet
- 6 servings of mono-saturated or poly-saturated fat per day
- 2 cups of either: low-fat milk; fat-free, sugar-free instant pudding mixed with low-fat milk; low-fat sugar-free yogurt; or sugar-free ice cream
While on a whole food diet, remember to
- Weigh yourself weekly
- Eat only 3 meals per day with only ‘green light’ snacks in between
- Increase physical activity
- Drink 8 glasses (8 fluid ounces, for a total of 64 ounces) of water
- Read labels in order to avoid processed foods
- Eat ‘green light’ foods to combat hunger instead of aiming for a certain number of calories
Check your progress
- Take stock of your present eating habits. This includes all crackers, chips, fast foods, cookies, snack foods, soft drinks, cakes and deserts. Be careful about the quality of the food that you buy and prepare apart from the amount of calories. Eat whole grains, lightly-cooked or raw fresh vegetables, fruits, low-fat or no-fat dairy products, and lean protein.
- Set a realistic weight loss goal. Losing pounds is a gradual process, so be patient.
- Try to follow your whole foods diet at least 90% of the time while treating your taste buds with your favorite foods every once in a while.
- Devise and stick with a healthy eating plan; you’ll soon find yourself in a better mood, with more energy, and sleeping soundly.
- The next time you visit your doctor, look for improvements in your cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.
So try this approach to eating and set your fitnessgoals. The right diet can set you and your family on the path to health for the rest of your life.