Eat Fruits, Veggies & Whole Grains

Consume fewer calories while enjoying a satisfying portion of food!

• If you maintain the usual volume of food you eat, yet lower the calories in each portion, you'll consume fewer calories and feel just as full.
• Foods can vary enormously in energy density.  for the same calories, you can eat 1/4 cup raisins or 1 2/3 cups grapes.  For the same calories, you can eat twenty times as much tomato by weight as pretzels!
• A high-fat diet promotes weight gain because it's high in energy density.  Just cutting fat won't help you lose weight, unless you also limit low-fat or fat-free foods that are high in energy density.
• Water that's incorporated into food plays a crucial role in controlling hunger.  To lower the energy density of your diet, eat more foods that are high in water, including cooked grains, fruits, vegetables, soups and stews.
• You don't have to change your entire diet.  By eating more meals and snacks that are lower in energy density, you can still enjoy reasonable portions of your favorite energy-dense foods while controlling calories.
• Lowering your diet's overall energy density, as part of an integrated program of exercise and behavioral management, can result in significant weight loss that is sustained over time.