Everyone is thinking about diet this time of year. Time to think about bathing suit weather. To have a healthy diet, consume your food from the four basic food groups. Think about eating them in proper proportions and you will lose weight. If you are an average person, not too large or too small, you will most likely consume about 2000-2500 calories a day. The best proportions are 50% of your calories will be carbohydrates, 30% will come from fat (some fat is good for you) and 20% will come from lean proteins.

Everyone has heard about carbohydrates. But they are not all bad. Carbs are your main source of energy. From simple sugars like glucose and fructose, that rapidly break down in your system. Your body starts processing sugar minutes after you eat it. It is complex carbs you want to have in your diet. Starches, like a nice potato, take longer to break down and are healthy in moderation.

Fats are chemically similar to carbohydrates, and contain fatty acids essential to health. Proteins are lysed (split) to make amino acids, that are then recombined to form proteins used in muscles and other structures.

Meat is a valid and healthy source of protein for almost everyone. About 3 ounces per meal is about right for the average sized person. A cup of pasta is a good source of carbohydrates. Two cups of leafy green vegetables supply fiber, minerals and vitamins.

So a basic balanced meal is easy to fix. You can make it up simply from a serving of meat or other protein source, starchy carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, corn or potatoes, and fruit. Just go easy on the butter and condiments, like cheese, sauces and other sources of sugar or fat.

Fat contains nine calories per gram, which is double than other energy sources. Thus, you need to keep those foods high in fat down to modest levels. That also helps control cholesterol levels.

Carbohydrates have four calories per gram. You will find your favorites among fruits (strawberries, apples, pears), nuts (pistachios, macadamia, walnuts. Try to avoid fatty peanuts or cashews) and grains (they supply fiber and minerals).

The fat and sugar content in candy is why it is bad for you, if you are on a diet. If you want to consume then you must only eat very modest portions. I have a bag of individually wrapped snickers in my drawer and eat one, at the most two per day. Since candy is designed as high in fat and sugar, its biggest drawback is that it also is lower in helpful nutrients. So they provide enormous calories and fewer other nutrients.

Making a list of items you consume will show you the relative amounts of helpful nutrients - and how many calories each contains. Putting a little arithmetic into your diet plan will help you reduce the number you obsess over - your weight.

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