Keep dried fruits such as apricots, raisins, and cranberries on a prime pantry shelf for a quick snack or to add to salads and other recipes.
Mix up a fruit smoothie for breakfast or for an after-work snack while you’re getting dinner together. Place 1 cup of frozen or fresh berries or a frozen banana into a high-speed blender with ½ cup of Greek yogurt (if you’re using fresh fruit, pop in two to three ice cubes). Blend until smooth.
Keep canned beans and canned tomato products on hand. Some of these items are higher in sodium, but they’re loaded with important antioxidants. And you can remove some of the sodium by rinsing and draining beans before using.
Keep frozen peas or other no-salt vegetable blends on hand for a quick side dish or to add to pasta or rice dishes.
When you first glanced at the DASH diet, you may have said out loud: “What? Eat 4 to 5 servings of vegetables every day? And eat 4 to 5 servings of fruit too?!” But alas, friends, there is comfort in the answer to the question “What is a serving?” Table 4-1 gives you the lowdown.
TABLE 4-1 Serving Sizes of Fruits and Vegetables
| Food | 1 Serving |
|---|---|
| Apple, orange, peach, pear | 1 medium |
| Kiwifruit | 1 |
| Banana, medium-large | ½ |
| Raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries | ¼ cup (or 4 tablespoons) |
| Frozen, canned, or fresh mixed fruit | ½ cup |
| Fruit juice | 6 ounces |
| Raw vegetables | 1 cup |
| Cooked vegetables | ½ cup |
| Low-sodium vegetable juice | 6 ounces |
So with the information in Table 4-1, you know that if you slice up a large apple or a large banana for your midday snack, you can count that as 2 servings. Most dinner salads at restaurants are also 2 servings. Add 4 tablespoons of dried fruit to that salad and you’ve got another serving of fruit. Throw 1 cup of frozen strawberries into the blender with some low-fat yogurt and you just included another serving of fruit! See how easy this 4-to-5 servings rule is?
Decreasing the amount of saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium
In general, you should choose less packaged, processed food. The DASH diet is low in saturated fat, so keep an eye out for the amounts you see on food labels. Look for foods that have less than 1.5 grams of saturated fat per serving. DASH is also low in cholesterol and total fat and limits sugary foods and beverages.
The DASH diet is lower in sodium, recommending no more than 2,300 milligrams per day. The 2010 dietary guidelines for Americans advise people who already have high blood pressure, or have diabetes or kidney disease, to consume no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day. This guideline also applies to middle-aged or older adults. Younger, healthy folks can handle a bit more sodium, but staying under 2,300 milligrams per day is a good bet. However, even with sodium levels at around 3,000 milligrams a day, when all other DASH guidelines were employed, blood pressure was still reduced. Still, the DASH research shows that eating plans that are lower in sodium lower blood pressure even more. Table 4-2 shows the breakdown of various nutrients used in the DASH studies.
Of course, because one of the goals of the DASH diet is also to maintain a healthy body weight, you must figure out how many calories you need. To lose weight, you must create a calorie deficit. See the sidebar “How many calories do you need?” for help calculating the amount of calories needed to maintain your weight.
TABLE 4-2 Daily Nutrient Goals Used in DASH Diet Studies
| Macronutrient | Percentage of Daily Calories |
|---|---|
| Total fat | 27% |
| Saturated fat | 6% |
| Protein | 18% |
| Carbohydrate | 55% |
| Nutrient | Amount |
| Cholesterol | 150 milligrams (mg) |
| Sodium | 2,300 mg |
| Potassium | 4,700 mg |
| Calcium | 1,250 mg |
| Magnesium | 500 mg |
| Fiber | 30 grams |
Source: National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute
Creating Goals for Dietary Change
Imagine a stronger, healthier you. Visualizing yourself accomplishing your new diet and exercise goals is one way to begin the goal-setting process. Consider writing down some of the aspects of your vision. For example: I will feel better, I will be more fit, I will look great in new clothes, I will have more energy, I will learn more about myself as I keep a daily journal, and so on.
After you’ve visualized yourself living a healthier lifestyle, you can start setting the goals that will ultimately help you get there. For the best chance at success, keep your goals specific and realistic. You also need to track your progress toward your goals to hold yourself accountable. We help you do both in the next sections.
Being SMART
SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. What does all that mean, exactly? Well, the specific aspect is
