The Happy Diet

You Are What You Eat

According to the experts, the familiar saying is true. "There's an incredibly strong correlation between the food you consume and how you feel," says FITNESS advisory board member Ashley Koff, RD, a nutritionist in Los Angeles. "When you balance healthy carbs, protein, and fats, you get exactly what your body needs for long-lasting energy and a good mood." At FITNESS, we call this The Happy Diet.

Here are a few get-happy rules to eat by:

Eating plans that cut out entire food groups leave you feeling hungry, sluggish, and grumpy. "When your body isn't getting the nutrients or pleasure it needs from food, you're more likely to overeat," says Leslie Bonci, RD, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and a FITNESS advisory board member. "Feeling satisfied isn't just about portion size -- it's also about taste and variety."

Really! You need a healthy mix of protein, fat, and fiber at every meal, and snacks for stamina.

"Some women go for long periods of time between meals because they think it's going to help them lose weight," says Susan Bowerman, RD, assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition. "But in truth, after a long stretch without eating, your blood sugar plummets-which makes you irritable and less productive and more likely to sabotage your diet by grabbing the wrong foods." You can have a small meal or snack every three to four hours.

Now that you're deliriously psyched, prepare to dig in to our food plan.