Eat From All the Food Groups

When people talk about the food groups, what they mean is this:

lean protein
fruits and veggies
lean dairy and dairy substitutes
whole grains
healthy fats

Chocolate is not a food group, and neither is wine.  Those are extras and indulgences that you might work into your plan.  Make no mistake about it--we all benefit from balancing our intake based on this old-fashioned yet still relevant breakdown. 

There has been a lot of confusion from marketers about what "healthy" really means.  In fact, there was a major misunderstanding in the weight loss world that "fat free" meant good news.  However, that wasn't entirely true.  We don't benefit from a completely fat free intake because we need healthy fats which are UNsaturated fats, found in salmon, avocado, nuts, nut butters, olive, canola, sunflower, safflower and flaxseed oil.  On the other hand, SATurated fats and sugar are what leads to overweight and obesity.  Limiting those fats is smart because they are prohibitively high in calories, and it's hard to discern when you are full when you are eating SATurated fat filled foods like potato chips and cake.  I can tell when I've had enough salmon. 

Butter and cream are 100% SATurated fat.  You may love them, and you may be working them into your plan which is your choice.  Just don't forget about the UNsaturated fats that are heart healthy, full of vitamin E, good for your brain, hair, skin and nails.  That's part of being a healthier new you.