MyPyramid

Eating From All The Food Groups Is All It Takes

When the US Government replaced the old food guidelines with the new MyPyramid, they added some very useful information for consumers. Now not only do you get the recommended foods and calories, you also get to learn how to personalize your diet to conform to your needs.

The new outline offers tips on exercise, how to eat right, how much of each food group to consume, and what healthy portions are. I have found the guide easy to read and very helpful as far as a blue print to healthy eating.

What I really love about the MyPyramid is that it is broken down into six areas. You are reminded on how important exercise and some form of activity is by the person on the stairs.

It is much more than just eating right to make you healthy. Exercise can add years to your life. You also are reminded the importance of moderation when it comes to eating. You can see from the bottom how important each group is by how wide the color band is.

You are reminded to keep al foods in moderation by how the bands narrow as you go up. I really had to learn this one the most. I love to eat and remembering that I can eat all the foods I enjoy if I eat them in moderation.

Personalization and proportionality are the keys to eating right and maintaining a healthy weight. If you want to lose weight you also use these keys and just reduce the caloric intake to fit your needs.

MyPyramid also reminds me that variety is extremely important. I should always remember to eat from all five-food groups and the oil group. I have a bad habit of eating mostly from one or two groups and not getting enough from the others. At least with the chart I can remind myself how important this is for my daily intake of the right vitamin, minerals, and nutrients.

The key to eating better is gradual improvement. Changing you eating habits for the better will not happen overnight. Over time you work on it so that you will be eating well for a lifetime.

While MyPyramid has changed a bit over the years, it has changed for the better. The groups are a bit different now: Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Oils, Milk, and Meats and Beans. Each group is color coordinated and the width of the band tells you how much you need each day.

I found that having the food pyramid out on the fridge has helped me a lot. I can easily refer to it and know what to do. I totally would recommend that every one have a copy of the food pyramid for themselves.

It is very simple to get a copy and you can keep it anywhere. It is a great friendly reminder on how important a healthy diet is for healthy living. The better you eat the better you will feel.

By Mike Palooza