The first thing to be aware of is the Basic Four: 1) Milk (dairy products), 2) Meats (including beans/legumes), 3) Fruits and vegetables, and 4) Breads and Cereals. A serviceable way to include these food groups in your diet is by using the 6-5-4-3-2 system:

    6= 6 servings of grains per day
    5= 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day
    4= 4-7 ounces of lean meats, or alternatives per day
    3= 3 servings of beans per week
    2= 2 low or nonfat dairy products, 3 for women per day

Serving sizes are:

    Grains = 1 half cup, or 1 slice of bread
    Fruits and Vegetables = 1 half cup or 1 piece 
    Meats  = 3 ounces
           = 4 eggs/week
           = 1 half cup of dried beans, cooked; or 3/4 ths cup bean soup
    Dairy  = 1 half cup yogurt or milk, or 1 and 1/2 oz of lowfat cheese

Another way to think about nutritional balance is 60-20-20 (60% carbohydrates, 20% fat, and 20% protein). Recommendations on these percentages vary among experts; some say 30% fat is acceptable, some say that 10-15% protein is sufficient; but in all cases the bulk of one's diet should be in the form of carbohydrates.

It is important to note that fat calories, rather than total calories, are most important in terms of weight management. That is not to say that total calories are not important. And of the fat calories you do eat, it is important to avoid saturated fat as much as you can (no more than 10% of your fat calories should be saturated fat).

Carbohydrates (complex, e.g., whole wheat bread, not Twinkies) are particularly important in anyone's diet. They are "brain food." The brain must have glucose (carbs) for fuel, and, if it gets used up (inadequate diet, or super intense activity), the body will cannibalize itself to get more. Muscle tissue will be broken down and the proteins converted to glucose for use as fuel.

A person may have huge fat stores, but it cannot burn without the presence of carbohydrates, hence the five-hour rule. Because one's carbohydrate stores are typically burned up in 4-6 hours, it is highly recommended that people don't go more than five hours without eating. Meal skippers beware. Breakfast should never be skipped - a little toast, a cup of milk, some oj - that's enough to get you going, and isn't time-consuming.

Another thing to consider is that there are six components of a healthy diet: carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. Water is important to proper functioning of a healthy body; and for people concerned with weight control, drinking a lot of water keeps the stomach full, so you don't have to keep going for the munchies.

One last item. A person should take at least 20 minutes to eat a meal. It takes the brain about that long to realize that the body is "full." By wolfing down food, one can end up stuffed to overflowing. Chew and swallow each bite - one-at-a-time.

Happy Eating!