Finding A Diet That Lasts (NAPSA)—If you want to make big changes in your diet, think small. That’s the advice from dieticians who say that while nearly one in four Americans diet for health reasons, many fail because they try to maketoo dras- tic a changeto their lifestyles. “The best way to improve your diet for the long haul is to make small, specific changes,” says American Heart Association vol- unteer spokesperson Rebecca Mullis, R.D., Ph.D. and head of the University of Georgia’s Food and Nutrition Department. “Fad diets are simply quick fixes and some can actually hurt you in the long run.” The American Heart Associa- tion offers these tips to dieters: e Fill your shopping cart with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, which are naturally low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Choose whole-grain products, including oatmeal, rice and wholegrain breads. e Select extra-lean protein sources such as skinless poultry, fish, legumes and lean meat. e Substitute low-fat, low-cholesterol snacks for traditional high-fat, empty-calorie snacks. Try baked tortilla chips and salsa or fruit and low-fat yogurt dip. e “Keep your eyes on serving size,” says Dr. Mullis, who recommends reading a product’s nutri- Making small, specific changes to your diet may help you lose weight. use more calories and build longterm heart health. The American Heart Associa- tion suggests eating a wide vari- ety of foods that are low in saturated fat and cholesterol to help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, the number one and three killers in this country. You can find those foods by using the association’s distinctive red heart with the white check mark logo. The heart-check mark can help you quickly and reliably find heart-healthy foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol. guideline for sources of protein is Then, continue reading the food label for information on calories, sodium, added sugars and more. To create your own grocery list of heart-healthy foods, log on to heartcheckmark.org. To learn more about reducing eat fewer calories than you burn stroke through good nutrition, visit americanheart.org, or call 1800-AHA-USAIfor your free copy tion facts list on its label for the suggested portion. A good-size a deck of playing cards. Get active. The only way to lose weight is by making sure to each day. Being physically active for 30 minutes daily can help you the risk of heart disease and of the “Shop Smart with Heart” brochure.
