The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) is created by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in order to help people with high levels of cholesterol, and reduce the risk of heart disease. The TLC diet is also suitable for people who wants to lose weight.
This diet caps the percentage of calories that you consume from fat, and also places limits on dietary cholesterol, sodium, and total calories. The TLC diet is based on the following basic guidelines:
- Daily cholesterol intake must be kept under 200 milligrams;
- Intake of saturated fat should be kept under 7% of the complete calorie intake;
- 25 to 35 percent of daily total calories must come from consumption of fat;
- Sodium intake should be limited to around 2400 mg a day;
- The intake of calories need to be kept to a level required for keeping healthy weight;
- Exercise need to be maintained on a regular basis along with the TLC diet, i.e. at least half an hour of physical activity every day.
TLC Diet ranked #2 in Best Diets for Healthy Eating 2016, Best Heart-healthy Diets 2016, and Best Diets Overall 2016.
Check out the full ranking list to find out the BEST DIET FOR 2016: http://yourhealthtube.com/best-diets-2016-weight-loss-improving-memory/
How Does It Work?
Many individuals whose cholesterol is high because they consume too many fatty foods are able to lower the “bad” cholesterol levels by changing what they eat.
This eating plan aims to lower the saturated fat in your diet that in turn lowers the “bad” cholesterol levels. Saturated fat is solid at room temperature and increases your cholesterol levels. With the TLC diet, you will replace the saturated fat with unsaturated fat in your body, which is definitely healthier.
TLC Diet Recommendations:
| Food group | Number of servings | Serving size |
| Fish, poultry, lean meat, dry peas, and dry beans | Less than 5 ounces total per day | · 5 ounces’ maximum per day of fish, poultry, or lean meat. Replace ¼ cup dry peas or beans for 1 ounce of meat. |
| Eggs | Less than 2 yolks per week | 1 whole egg. Egg whites or replacements are not limited. |
| Low-fat milk and milk products | 2 to 3 per day | · 1 cup nonfat or low-fat yogurt
· 1 cup 1% or fat-free milk · 1 ounce low-fat or nonfat cheese (3 grams of fat or less per ounce) |
| Fruits | 2 to 4 per day | · 1-piece fruit, such as orange, apple, or ½ a banana
· 1 cup melon or berries · ½ cup can fruit · ¾ cup fruit juice |
| Vegetables | 3 to 5 per day | · 1 cup raw leafy greens
· ¾ cup vegetable juice · ½ cup cooked or raw vegetables |
| Pasta, rice, cereals, bread, and other grains | At least 6 per day | · 1 slice of bread
· 1-ounce cold cereal · ½ cup cooked rice, noodle, pasta, or other grains · ½ hamburger or hot dog bun, bagel, or English muffin |
| Sweets and snacks | Within calorie limit | Choose snacks that are made with unsaturated fat or are low in fat. |
Sample One-Day Menu
This menu contains around 2,200 calories (25% of calories from total fat, 13 from monounsaturated fat, 7% from polyunsaturated fat, and 5% from saturated fat)
Breakfast
- ½ cup oatmeal with a cup of fat-free milk, 1 sliced banana, and 1 tsp. of brown sugar
- Caffe latte made with a cup of fat-free milk
Lunch
- Sandwich made from two slices whole wheat bread, tomato, lettuce, 2 ounces’ lean turkey, and 1 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 cup carrot sticks
- 1 apple
Snack
- 1 cup nonfat or low-fat vanilla yogurt
- ½ cup mixed peanuts and raisins
Dinner
- 3 ounces broiled or baked salmon
- 1 cup cooked broccoli
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (used in cooking)
- Salad made with ½ cup tomatoes, 1½ cups romaine lettuce, ¼ cucumber, 1 tbsp. oil and vinegar dressing
- 1 slice Italian bread with 1 tsp. soft margarine
See also: Eat Dinner Before 7 pm to Avoid Terrible Diseases
Snack
- 1 sliced peach and a cup of fat-free milk
Tips:
- Gather information about books, cooking classes, menus, videos, and support groups.
- Exercise. You should always consult your doctor before starting an exercise program.
Here is a great 30-minute cardio workout that you can do at home:
http://yourhealthtube.com/30-minute-effective-home-cardio-workouts/
- Make realistic meal plans
- Learn to understand food labels. Always look for the amount of saturated fat and calories in 1 serving.
- Get help from a dietitian if you have some questions about this diet.
References:
http://yourhealthtube.com/tlc-diet-eating-plan-lower-cholesterol-lose-weight/
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/heart/chol_tlc.pdf
http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/tlc-diet
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