Eat the right amount of calories. Everyone has a personal calorie limit. Staying within yours can help you get to or maintain a healthy weight. People who are successful at managing their weight have found ways to keep track of how much they eat in a day, even if they don't count every calorie.
Enjoy your food but eat less. Get your personal daily calorie limit at www.ChooseMyPlate.gov and keep that number in mind when deciding what to eat. Get acquainted with serving sizes. Use the serving size and portion guides to keep your meals under control.
Build a healty plate. Before you eat, think about what goes on your plate or in your cup or bowl. Foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein foods contain the nutrients you need without too many calories. Try some of these options.
Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
Switch to skim or 1% milk.
Make at least half your grains whole.
Vary your protein food choices.
Nutrition programs are available in Clermont County. These programs assist residents in meeting their nutritional needs in many ways.
WIC (Women, Infant, and Children) WIC is a nutrition education and supplemental food program for Women, Infants, and Children. The program’s mission is to improve the nutritional status of mothers, infants, and children during critical stages of growth and development. To participate in WIC, individuals must meet income guidelines. Many working families qualify to receive WIC benefits. WIC is not a welfare program. Appointments are coordinated to meet the needs of all family members. Participants visit the WIC office every 3 months to pick up coupons for free foods from local grocery stores and, during summer months, from local farmers’ markets. Ohio State University ExtensionOhio State University Extension classes help participants learn best practices in food shopping, food safety, and meal planning and preparation to maximize their food resources to prevent hunger and encourage health and physical activity. Programs are offered to individuals and families in community settings and the workplace. Among the programs offered are the Family Nutrition Program (FNP) and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP); walking programs; Dining with Diabetes; and Jump into Food and Fitness, which is designed to help youth develop healthy eating and physical fitness habits. OSUE also offers Master Gardener and Junior Master Gardener classes that teach “garden to table” benefits.
Child and Adult Care Food Program4C for Children is the designated child care resource and referral agency for Southwest Ohio, the Miami Valley and Northern Kentucky. It is the hub of information on early care and education programs and is a sponsoring organization for family child care providers who choose to participate in the CACFP with the children in their home child care programs. The CACFP is a meal reimbursement program administered by the Ohio Department of Education and funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The objective of the program is to improve the diets of children under 13 years of age by providing the children with nutritious, well-balanced meals and by developing good eating habits that will last through adult life. If you provide child care in your home and would like to participate in this nutrition program, please visit our website for more information. www.4cforchildren.org