The Good Health Guidelines guide you
toward healthy choices as you lose
weight. These guidelines ensure you are
getting the nutrients, vitamins and
minerals you need to boost your health
while losing weight. Check off your
“Healthy Checks” as you meet them each
day in the PointsPlus® Tracker.
The Good Health Guidelines
1. Eat at least five servings of vegetables
and fruits each day, (nine servings if you
weigh over 350 pounds.)
2. Choose whole-grain foods, such as
brown rice and oats, whenever possible.
3. Include two servings of milk products –
low fat (1%) or fat-free – each day. If
you’re a nursing mom, teenager, over 50
years old, or weigh more than 250
pounds, you should have three servings of
milk products each day.
4. Have 2 teaspoons of healthy oils (olive
oil, canola, sunflower, safflower or
flaxseed) each day.
5. Ensure that you are getting enough
protein by choosing at least a serving or
two of lean meats, skinless poultry, fish,
beans, soy products, and lentils.
6. Limit added sugar and alcohol.
7. Drink at least 6 8-ounce glasses of
liquid a day. Water is the best choice.
8. Take a multiple vitamin-mineral
supplement each day.
What's a serving size?
1. Fruits, vegetables and leafy greens
Serving sizes are 1 cup for leafy greens
and 1/2 cup for all other vegetables and
fruits. The lettuce alone in a large salad
may well count for 2 or more vegetable
servings. The default portion for most
fruits and vegetables in the Plan Manager
is one cup.
2. Packaged whole grains
Use the nutrition label to determine the
serving size of packaged whole grain
foods.
3. Milk and dairy
If you are more than 50 years old or are a
teenager or a nursing mom, increase milk
servings to three each day. Examples of
one milk serving include 1 cup of milk or
yogurt or 1 1/2 ounces of many cheeses.
4. Healthy oils
Having 2 teaspoons of healthy oil each
day ensures that you get the vitamin E
and essential fatty acids that your body
needs. Use the oil on salads, in cooking or
as an ingredient in a mixed dish. Two
teaspoons of oil is not even 1 tablespoon,
so be careful to measure, since each
additional teaspoon counts as another
PointsPlus value of 1.
5. Lean meat and fish
A serving of lean meat or fish is generally
3 to 4 ounces, about the size of a deck of
cards.
6. Water Six 8-ounce glasses of water is
just 3 standard 16-ounce bottles.