Better Health and You Better Health and You

WIN Weight-control Information Network

TIPS FOR ADULTS

Healthy Eating & Physical

Activity Across Your Lifespan
WIN Weight-control Information Network

Healthy Eating &

Physical Activity 

Across Your Lifespan

Better Health and You

❑	 Eat breakfast every day. People who eat

breakfast are less likely to overeat later

in the day. 

❑	 Choose whole grains more often. Try whole-wheat breads

and pastas, oatmeal, brown rice, or bulgur.

❑	 Select a mix of colorful vegetables each day. Different

colored vegetables provide different nutrients.

❑	 Eat three meals every day instead of skipping meals or

eating a snack instead of a meal.

❑	 Have low-fat, low-sugar snacks on hand at home, at work,

or on the go, to combat hunger and prevent overeating.

❑	 At restaurants, eat only half your meal and take the

rest home.

❑	 Visit museums, the zoo, or an aquarium. You and your

family can walk for hours and not realize it.

❑	 Take a walk after dinner instead of watching TV.

❑	 Get plenty of sleep.
Better Health and You

Index

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Healthy Eating

What is a healthy eating plan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Tips for Healthy Eating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Quick Breakfast Ideas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Easy Snack Ideas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

What is a healthy weight?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

What are the health risks of being overweight?. . . . . 7

What makes people overweight? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

If You Need to Lose Weight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Physical Activity

Getting Active . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Are you ready to be even more active?. . . . . . . . . . . 13

Be Good to Yourself. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Tips for Adults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Additional Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Additional Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2

Introduction

A balanced diet and regular physical activity

are the building blocks of good health. Poor

eating habits and too little physical activity can

lead to overweight and related health problems. By eating right and being active, you

can stay at or reach a healthy weight. Do it for

yourself and your family!

Better Health and You 1
Healthy Eating

What is a healthy eating plan?

A healthy eating plan is one that:

l Empasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and

fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.

l	 Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, bean, eggs, and

nuts.

l Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt

(sodium), and added sugars.

For more specific information about food groups and

nutrition values, visit: www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.

Tips for Healthy Eating

l Eat breakfast every day. People who eat breakfast are less likely to overeat later in the day. 

Breakfast also gives you energy and helps you

think and learn.

l Choose whole grains more often. Try wholewheat breads and pastas, oatmeal, brown rice, or

bulgur.

l	 Select a mix of colorful vegetables each day.

Vegetables of different colors provide different

2 Better Health and You
Healthy Eating

Better Health and You 3

nutrients. Choose dark, leafy greens such as

kale, collards, and mustard greens, and reds and

oranges such as carrots, sweet potatoes, red peppers, and tomatoes.

l	 Choose fresh or canned fruit more often than 

fruit juice. Fruit juice has little or no fiber.

l	 Use fats and oils sparingly. Olive, canola, and

peanut oils, avacados, nuts and nut butters, 

olives, and fish provide heart-healthy fats as well

as vitamins and minerals.

l	 Eat sweets sparingly. Limit foods and beverages

that are high in added sugars.

l	 Eat three meals every day instead of

skipping meals or eating a snack instead

of a meal.

l	 Have low-fat, low-sugar snacks on 

hand at home, at work, or on the go to

combat hunger and prevent overeating.
Healthy Eating

Better Health and You

Quick Breakfast Ideas

l	 low-fat yogurt sprinkled with low-fat 

granola

l	 oatmeal with low-fat or fat-free milk, or 

soy-based beverage

l	 whole-wheat toast with a thin spread of

peanut butter

l	 fruit smoothie made with frozen fruit, 

low-fat yogurt, and juice

l	 low-sugar cereal

with soy-based

beverage

4
Healthy Eating

Better Health and You 5

Easy Snack Ideas

l	 low-fat or fat-free yogurt

l	 rice cakes

l	 fresh or canned fruits

l	 sliced vegetables or baby carrots

l	 dried fruit and nut mix (no more

than a small handful)

l	 air-popped popcorn sprinkled

with garlic powder or other spices

l	 low-sugar cereal
Healthy Eating

Better Health and You

What is a healthy weight?

Body mass index (BMI) is one way to tell whether

you are at a healthy weight, overweight, or obese. It

measures your weight in relation to your height. A BMI

of 18.5 to 24.9 is in the healthy range. In the chart

below, find your height in the left-handed column and

move across the row to find your weight. If you are in

overweight or obese range on the chart, you are more

likely to have certain health problems.

Sources

■ George Bray, M.D.,

 Pennington Biomedical

 Research Center. 

■ National Heart, Lung, 

 and Blood Institute’s 

Clinical Guidelines

on the Identification,

 Evaluation, and

 Treatment of

 Overweight and

 Obesity in Adults: 

 The Evidence Report.

BMI (Body Mass Index)

Weight in Pounds **

Find your weight on the bottom of the graph. Go straight up

from that point until you come to the line that matches your

height. Then look to find your weight group.

* Without Shoes

**Without Clothes

6
Healthy Eating

Better Health and You 7

Another way to find out if you are at risk for health

problems caused by overweight and obesity is to

measure your waist. If you are a woman and your

waist is more than 35 inches, or if you are a man and

your waist is more than 40 inches, your risk of disease

is higher.

What are the health risks of being 

overweight?

Extra weight can put you at higher risk for:

l	 type 2 diabetes (high blood sugar)

l	 high blood pressure

l	 heart disease and stroke

l	 some types of cancer

l	 sleep apnea (when breathing stops for short

periods during sleep)

l	 osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints)

l	 gallbladder disease

l	 irregular periods

l	 problems with pregnancy, such as high blood

pressure or increased risk for cesarean section

(c-section)
Healthy Eating

Better Health and You

What makes people overweight?

People gain weight when the number of calories they

eat is more than the number of calories their bodies

use. Many factors can play a part in weight gain.

l	 Habits. Eating too many calories can become

a habit. So can choosing activities like watching

TV instead of being physically active. Over time,

these habits can lead to weight gain.

l	 Genes. Overweight and obesity tend to run in

families. Although families often share diet and

physical activity habits that can play a role in obesity, their shared genes increase the chance that

family members will be overweight.

l	 Illness. Some diseases can lead to weight gain

or obesity. These include hyphothyroidism,

Cushing’s syndrome, and depression. Talk to your

health care provider if you think you have a health

problem that could be causing you to gain weight.

l	 Medicine. Some medicines can lead to weight

gain. Ask your health care provider or pharmacist

about the side effects of any medication you are

taking.

l	 The world around you. You can find food and

messages about food at home, at work, at shopping centers, on TV, and at family and social

events. People may eat too much just because

8
Healthy Eating

Better Health and You 9

food is always there. On top of that, our modern

world—with remote controlled televisions, drive-in

banks, and escalators—makes it easy to be physically inactive.

l	 Emotions. Many people eat when they are bored,

sad, angry, or stressed, even when they are not

hungry.

Although you may not be able to control all the factors

that lead to overweight, you can change your eating

and physical activity habits.
Healthy Eating

If You Need to Lose Weight

Losing as little as 5 to 15 percent of your body weight

over 6 months or longer can do much to improve your

health. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, losing 5 percent of your body weight means losing 30

pounds. A safe rate of weight loss is 1/2 to 2 pounds

per week.

Try some of these ideas to support your weight-loss

efforts:

l	 Keep a food diary.

l	 Shop from a list and shop when you are 

not hungry.

l	 Store foods out of sight.

l	 Dish up smaller servings. At restaurants, eat only

half your meal and take the rest home. See the

Weight-control Information Network (WIN) brochure Just Enough for You: About Food Portions

for more tips on controlling portion size.

l	 Eat at the table and turn off the TV.

l	 Be realistic about weight-loss goals. Aim for a

slow, modest weight loss.

l	 Seek support from family and friends.

l	 Expect setbacks and forgive yourself.

10 Better Health and You
Healthy Eating

l	 Add physical activity to your weight-loss plan. 

Doing regular physical activity can help you

control your weight.

F O O D D I A R Y

Date

Time Food Feelings

Write down all the food that you eat in a day. Also write down the 

time you eat and your feelings at the time.

Better Health and You 11
Physical Activity

Getting Active

You do not have to be an athlete to benefit from regular physical activity. Even modest amounts of physical

activity can improve your health. Start with small, specific goals such as walking 10 minutes a day, 3 days a

week, and slowly build up from there. Keep an activity

log to track your progress.

Try these activities to add more movement to your

daily life:

l	 Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Make sure 

the stairs are well lit.

l	 Get off the bus one stop early if you are in an area

safe for walking.

l	 Park the car farther away from entrances to

stores, movie theaters, or your home.

l	 Take a short walk around the block with family,

friends, or coworkers.

l	 In bad weather, walk around a mall.

l	 Rake the leaves or wash the car.

l	 Visit museums, the zoo, or an aquarium. You and

your family can walk for hours and not realize it.

l	 Take a walk after dinner instead of watching TV.

12 Better Health and You
Physical Activity

Are you ready to be even more active?

As you become more fit, slowly increase your pace,

the length of time you are active, and how often you

are active. Before starting a vigorous physical activity

program, check with your health care provider if you

are a man and over age 40 or a woman and over age

Week 8

Week 7

Week 6

Week 5

Week 4

Week 3

Week 2

Week 1

Example

Example

Example

Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

ACTIVITY LOG

Write in the number of minutes you are active each day

Better Health and You 13
Physical Activity

50, or have chronic health problems.

For a well-rounded workout plan, combine aerobic activity, muscle-strengthening exercises, and stretching. 

Do at least 30 mintues a day of moderate-intensity

physical activity on most or all days of the week. Add

muscle-strengthening activities to your aerobic workout two to three times a week.

To reduce the risk of injury, do a slow aerobic warmup, then stretch before aerobic or strengthening activities. Follow your workout with a few more minutes of

stretching. See WIN’s brochure Walking...A Step in 

the Right Direction for stretching exercises.

Aerobic activity is any activity that speeds up your

heart and breathing while moving your body at a

regular pace. (See the next page for examples.) If

you have been inactive for a while, you may want to

start with easier activities, such as walking at a gentle

pace. This lets you build up to more intense activity

without hurting your body.

Regular aerobic activity can help:

l	 Control weight. Aerobic activity burns calories,

which may help you manage your weight.

l	 Prevent heart disease and stroke. Regular

aerobic activity can strengthen your heart muscle

and lower your blood pressure. It may also help

lower cholesterol, a type of fat in your blood.

l	 Maintain strong bones. Weight-bearing aerobic

activities that involve lifting or pushing your own

14 Better Health and You
Physical Activity

body weight, such as walking, jogging, or dancing,

help to maintain strong bones.

l	 Improve your outlook. Aerobic exercise relieves

tension and decreases stress. As you get fit, it can

help you build confidence and improve your selfimage.

Choose aerobic activities that are fun. People

are more likely to be active if they like what they

are doing. It also helps to get support from a

friend or a family member. Try one of these activities or others you enjoy:

l	 brisk walking or jogging

l	 bicycling

l	 swimming

l	 aerobic exercise classes

l	 dancing (square dancing, salsa, African

dance, swing)

l	 playing basketball or soccer

Strengthening activities include lifting weights, using resistance bands, and doing push-ups or sit-ups. 

Besides building stronger muscles, strengthening

activities may help you to:

l	 Use more calories. Not only do strengthening

exercises burn calories, but having more muscle

means you will burn more calories—even when

you are sitting still.

Better Health and You 15
Physical Activity

l	 Reduce injury. Stronger muscles improve balance and support your joints, lowering the risk 

of injury.

l	 Maintain strong bones. Doing strengthening

exercises regularly helps build bone and may

prevent bone loss as you age.

Strengthening exercises should focus on working the

major muscle groups of the body, such as the chest,

back, and legs. Do exercises for each muscle group

two or three times a week. Allow at least 1 day of rest

for your muscles to recover and rebuild before another

strengthening workout. (It is safe to do aerobic activity

every day.)

Be Good to Yourself

Many people feel stress in their daily lives. Stress can

cause you to overeat, feel tired, and not want to do

anything. Regular physical activity can give you more

energy. Try some of these other ideas to help relieve

stress and stay on track with your fitness and nutrition

goals:

l	 Get plenty of sleep.

l	 Practice deep breathing and relaxing your 

muscles one at a time.

l	 Take a break and go for a walk.

l	 Take short stretch breaks throughout the day.

l	 Try taking a yoga or a tai chi class to energize

yourself and reduce sress.

16 Better Health and You
Physical Activity

l	 Try a new hobby, like a pottery class or any activity that sparks your interest.

l	 Surround yourself with people whose company

you enjoy.

A balanced eating plan, regular physical activity, and

stress relief can help you stay healthy for life.

Tips for Adults

l Eat breakfast every day. People who eat breakfast

are less likely to overeat later in the day.

l Choose whole grains more often. Try whole-wheat

breads and pastas, oatmeal, brown rice, or bulgur.

l Select a mix of colorful vegetables each

day. Vegetables of different colors provide 

different nutrients.

l Have low-fat, low-sugar snacks on hand at home,

at work, or on the go to combat hunger and prevent overeating.

l At restaurants, eat only half your meal and take

the rest home.

l Visit museums, the zoo, or an aquarium. You and

your family can walk for hours and not realize it.

l Take a walk after dinner instead of watching TV.

l Get plenty of sleep.

Better Health and You 17
Additional Reading

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department

of Health and Human Services, 2005.

Phone: 1-888-878-3256

Internet: www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines

Exercise and Weight Control

The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and

Sports

Internet: www.fitness.gov

Healthy Weight, Healthy Living

Shape Up America!

Internet: www.shapeup.org

Walking...A Step in the Right Direction

Weight-control Information Network, 2001.

Phone: 1-877-946-4627

Internet: www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/walking.htm

Internet: www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/caminar.htm

18 Better Health and You
Additional Resources

American Dietetic Association

120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000

Chicago, IL 60606-6995

Phone: 1-800-877-1600

Internet: www.eatright.org

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Phone: 1-800-575-9355

Internet: www.nhlbi.nih.gov

National Diabetes Education Program

Phone: 1-800-438-5383

Internet: www.ndep.nih.gov

The President’s Council on Physical Fitness 

and Sports

Department W

200 Independence Avenue, SW

Room 738-H

Washington, DC 20201-0004

Phone: (202) 690-9000

Internet: www.fitness.gov

Shape Up America!

Internet: www.shapeup.org

Better Health and You 19
Food and Nutrition Information Center 

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Research Service

National Agriculture Library, Room 105

10301 Baltimore Avenue

Beltsville, MD 20705-2351

Phone: (301) 504-5719

Internet: www.nal.usda.gov/fnic

20 Better Health and You
Weight-control Information Network

1 WIN Way

Bethesda, MD 20892-3665

Phone: (202) 828-1025

FAX: (202) 828-1028

Toll-free number: 1-877-946-4627

Email: WIN@info.niddk.nih.gov

Internet: www.win.niddk.nih.gov

The Weight-control Information Network (WIN) is a

service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National

Institutes of Health, which is the Federal GoverneBetter Health and You 21
ment’s lead agency responsible for biomedical research on nutrition and obesity. Authorized by Congress (Public Law 103-43), WIN provides the general

public, health professionals, the media, and Congress

with up-to-date, science-based health information on

weight control, obesity, physical activity, and related

nutritional issues.

Publications produced by WIN are reviewed by both

NIDDK scientists and outside experts. This publication

was also reviewed by Roland Weinsier, M.D., Dr.P.H.,

Professor and Director, Clinical Nutrition Research

Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Rena

Wing, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Human

Behavior, Brown University; and F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer,

M.D., M.P.H., Director, Obesity Research Center, St. 

Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center.

This publication is not copyrighted. WIN encourages

users of this brochure to duplicate and distribute as

many copies as desired.

This publication is also available at

www.win.niddk.nih.gov.

22 Better Health and You
National Institute of Diabetes and 

Digestive and Kidney Diseases

NIH Publication No. 04-4992 

Updated August 2006

U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services

National Institutes of Health RAPED

MT ENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES • USA