There’s no “one size fits all” diet for a healthy weight. The best nutrition plan for you is based on things like your age, food allergies or intolerances, goals, environment, and medical history, as well as your likes and dislikes.
In the WebMD webinar “Eating for a Healthy Weight,” Carolyn Newberry MD, of Weill Cornell Medicine of Cornell University and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, explained the basics of a healthy diet and how to create yours.
“The best diet for you is one that meets your personal needs and health needs. It’s the one that you can stick to,” she said. “It doesn't really help if we tell you to eat a lot of things that you simply don't like to eat.”
Poll Questions
Over 2,700 webinar attendees were asked about diet goals and challenges.
Out of this group, 80% said weight loss is their dieting aim. Over 10% said their goal is managing a health condition like diabetes or heart disease.
About half find it hardest to avoid processed food, and over a third said eating enough fruits and vegetables is the most difficult part of healthy eating.
What to Avoid When Eating for Your Health
Studies show the Mediterranean diet has a lot of benefits for lower heart disease risk and longer life. This plant-based nutrition plan has a lot of fruits, vegetables, heart-healthy fats, and whole grains.
Think of it less like a “diet” and more of a healthy overall way of eating.
But fad diets can be dangerous for your journey to a healthier weight.
“These are the types of diets that have really severe macronutrients restriction,” said Newberry. “They include really low fat diets, really low carbohydrate diets, and really low calorie diets. While these may help in losing a lot of weight at first, strict diets are really hard to follow long-term. They can lead to nutritional deficits and weight regain.”
It’s important to talk to your doctor before you start a diet. They can help you find a less aggressive and more effective way to reach your goals.
How to Create the Diet That’s Best for You
To get the most out of your food, your doctor can help you find a good plan for your specific medical needs. To achieve a healthy weight, make sure you get a balance of the three main macronutrients: protein, fats, and carbohydrates.
Protein helps you build muscle. Animal proteins can be a great source. But plant-based protein options usually have less fat. Get a good mix of animal and plant proteins. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, ask your doctor or dietitian about other ways to get proper protein.
Fats help you build cells and create hormones and enzymes. You need fat in your diet, but many people get too much. Aim to have fat make up only 20% to 35% of your daily calories.
Unsaturated fats, those not from animal products and liquid at room temperature, are usually healthier. But you can still have a small amount of saturated fats, like red meat or butter, in your diet.
Carbohydrates are very important. But again, people tend to eat too many of these. They should make up 45% to 65% of your overall daily calories. Focus on whole grains instead of white bread and natural sugars (like fruit) instead of processed sugars.
Viewer Questions
What are the best foods to snack on? What foods or diets are best for combating belly fat?
Are raw fruits and vegetables always better for you than frozen ones?
What are your tips for eating healthy at restaurants?
A higher-protein snack can help you feel fuller longer. A snack with protein and a bit of fat and carbohydrate gives you that balanced ratio and allows you to not feel hungry again until your next meal.
Unfortunately, there is no food that can make belly fat go away. In general, food habits that lead to weight loss overall are good ways to try to target belly fat loss.
It’s good to be aware of foods that are "low sugar" or "low fat." There are some good products out there, but sometimes they can have more additives and sweeteners.
Some studies find that sugar substitutes can actually trick your brain into thinking you're getting fewer calories than you actually are. You may not feel as full, which causes you to eat a bigger portion of food. This could lead to weight gain.
A great snack idea includes fruits and vegetables. Frozen or canned ones with minimal preservatives are just as good as fresh fruits and vegetables. Depending on what you have access to at your local grocery store, you absolutely do not need to be eating only fresh fruits and vegetables to get health benefits.
When you eat out, the same things that guide your choices at home can help.
Look for meals with a good protein source, some whole grains, and more unsaturated fat types. In restaurants, they’ll tend to give you large portions of food. Because it's sitting there in front of you, you may feel the desire to eat it even if you’re not hungry.
Listen to your body. If it's a lot of food, wrap up half the meal at the beginning and take it home with you.
Drink lots of water with your meal to help feel full. It's also important to add some fruits or vegetables. They also help with fullness, and they’re a great source of fiber and vitamins.
Should the daily amount of protein to eat be based on current weight or ideal weight?
What are tips for not overeating, even if the food is healthy?
Does someone's "ideal" weight change as they age?
How can diet help postmenopausal women return to premenopause bodies and weight?
In general, we use your current weight to figure out how much protein you need to eat. Studies show the amount you need to support muscle maintenance is 0.5 grams per pound of body weight. Maybe that doesn't reflect everybody's protein needs, but this is a minimum protein amount if you’re a young, healthy person.
It’s important to know your ideal amount of protein, fat, and carbohydrates so that you can portion your meals properly.
If you’re trying to lose weight. you need to be in a calorie deficit. This means the total amount of calories you eat each day is less than the amount of calories you burn.
Even if you're eating really “healthy” foods, large portions can go against your goals. People usually do well with small, frequent, and balanced meals throughout the day. It’s important to define your goals with your health care provider to understand what’s realistic and needed for you to stay healthy.
A healthy body mass index (BMI) changes as you get older. The body starts to have a little more fat buildup and a little bit of muscle mass loss as you age. In terms of what’s ideal and healthy, that absolutely changes as we age because of hormonal changes, biology, and physiology.
You may never be the same weight and size as you were before menopause, and that’s completely normal. We expect that as a part of aging.
But if you feel like you’ve had hormonal changes that affect your appetite, cravings, and food choices, it’s important to go back to the basics: aim to eat a balanced diet, get protein in your snacks, choose all of the macronutrients in your meals, and limit processed sugars and processed foods in general.
If there’s a concern about hormonal imbalance and extra weight gain, talk to your doctor so they can take a better look.
What about apple cider supplements to curb overeating?
Are diabetes drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic safe to use for weight loss if you don't have diabetes?
There are a lot of supplement options that people use to help with appetite suppression or digestion. But there isn't a lot of scientific data to say if they work or not.
Talk to your doctor before you start any type of supplement. There isn't a lot of scientific data to say that supplements, like an apple cider vinegar, are going to make a huge difference in your ability to feel fuller longer or lose weight.
We do use medications as a treatment tool for people that have excess weight to lose. But weight loss is different for everyone. You should talk to your doctor about the best options for you.
The best ways to lose weight include dietary changes, exercise, and increasing your physical activity. Medications may also be an option for you, depending on your health history and amount of weight you have to lose.
Watch a replay of the WebMD webinar “Eating for a Healthy Weight.”
Watch other free WebMD webinars by leading experts on a variety of topics.
