How to make a Diet ?

As previously stated in the Energy Balance section above, the quantity of food and drink consumed by an individual plays a very important role in weight management. Additionally, the types of food and drink a person consumes are also very important to weight management. Not only is it important to eat a well-balanced diet in order to get the proper amount of vitamins and nutrients each day to prevent illness, but it is also important to be aware that certain qualities of foods and drinks (for example energy density, palatability, sugar content) can have profound effects on weight by affecting hunger and satiety in different ways. For example, sugary drinks like sodas are very palatable and contain a significant number of calories but do little to affect satiety. In other words, drinking sugary drinks does not help get rid of hunger but still adds many calories to a person's diet which can lead to overeating, positive energy balance, and weight gain.

Diet Food

The United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Health and Human Services attempt to provide evidence-based recommendations for the types and amounts of certain foods people should eat to maintain a healthy diet in a document called The Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These recommendations are updated every 5 years and the most recent version (2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans) recommends the following:

Eat a diet that is primarily composed of:

* A diverse selection of vegetables – like dark and leafy greens, red and orange vegetables, legumes (beans and peas)

* Whole fruits

* Whole grains

* Low fat and fat-free dairy products – like milk, yogurt, and cheese

* Foods high in protein like lean meats, seafood, poultry, eggs, and legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy products

Avoid or limit the following items:

* Trans fats

* Saturated fats – should not exceed 10% of total daily calories

* Added sugars – should not exceed 10% of total daily calories

* Salt – should consume less than 2,300 mg of salt per day

* Alcohol – limited to 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks a day for men

Some of these recommendations have been called into question since they were released; however, most health professionals agree that a diet that is primarily composed of vegetables, leans meats, whole fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds is ideal for maintaining a healthy weight and overall health.