Diet and exercise are the key components of maintaining a healthy weight and protecting against chronic disease. According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, eating smart and being active have similar effects, including reducing risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, some cancers, and diabetes. In addition, these healthy living strategies can improve personal appearance and can improve overall well-being, helping people live longer and maintain their independence.

People may wonder how to eat better when faced with many diets, each of which promises great results. Navigating the options can be confusing, and there is no magic formula to eating better. Common sense can come into play when attempting to eat better, and individuals also can consider the following strategies to make a diet work for them as they seek to live healthier.

- Eat colorful, varied, nutritionally dense foods. Medical News Today says each meal should be 50% fruit and vegetables, 25% whole grains, and 25% protein. Select an array of colorful foods that will provide most of the nutrients needed.

- Choose fiber-rich foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes are good sources of fiber. Fiber helps people maintain digestive health and can help a person to feel fuller longer, reducing the potential for overeating, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

- Note how you feel after eating. Create a food journal where you jot down notes about how you feel after eating certain foods. If you notice that certain foods or ingredients trigger adverse reactions, it may be worth avoiding that type of food or looking for an alternative. Stomach upset or bloating after eating dairy, for example, may indicate an intolerance for lactose.

- Explore the Mediterranean diet. While it's wise to avoid fad diets that often produce short-term but unsustainable results, the Mediterranean diet has stood the test of time. According to the authors of a study published in JAMA Network Open in October 2023, middle-aged and older adults who were overweight or obese and had metabolic syndrome lost visceral fat (belly fat) and showed a greater reduction in the percentage of total fat while adhering to a Mediterranean diet. They also had delayed loss of lean body mass, which often comes with aging. Mediterranean diets prioritize legumes, seafood, vegetables, and healthful fats like olive oil.

- Control portion sizes. Sometimes it's not what a person eats but how much he or she eats that affects health. Weighing and measuring food can help a person control portions and understand how many calories he or she is consuming each day. The National Institutes of Health says eating plans that favor 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day for women and 1,500 to 1,800 for men are good targets to lose weight at a healthy pace when combined with moderate exercise.

- Focus on adding healthy foods to your diet rather than on trying to avoid detrimental foods. The greater quantity of healthy foods are eaten, the more unhealthy ones will fall by the wayside. Focusing on the positive can help people feel less restricted by healthy eating plans.

Balanced eating is a major component of a healthy lifestyle. While there are many fad diets, eating plans with a proven track record that are supported by the medical community may be the best bet.