Food Guide Pyramid: a healthy way to eatby Mary Ann WoodwardDietetic intern So you're among the many who made a New Year's resolution to lose weight and get in shape. You sacrificed your favorite foods for diet shakes or cabbage soup, only to become frustrated and bored. You deprived your body of essential nutrients, and you took all the fun out of eating. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a simple tool available that could help you maintain a healthy weight and get all of the essential nutrients without taking the pleasure out of eating? Sometimes we fail to take advantage of the most basic and familiar things that can help us the most. The USDA has gone to great lengths to familiarize us with the Food Guide Pyramid, as it keeps popping up on everything from cracker boxes to school lunch room walls. Why is it being pushed so much? Because it's essential to building a healthy base. It was designed to reflect The Dietary Guidelines, and maintain variety. When used properly, it can help you control sizes and consume a calorie level that is right for you, whether you want to lose or maintain weight. One of The Dietary Guidelines is to consume a variety of foods. By design, the Food Guide Pyramid emphasizes this point, and leaves room for fats and sweets. Therefore, the pleasure of eating is not lost, and compliance with this plan is easier. If you are concerned about your weight, a registered dietitian can help you find a calorie level that is right for you, and suggest an appropriate number of servings from each group. Knowing the portion sizes is critical for your success. For example, one serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards, and one small apple or banana is a serving of fruit. If you eat the proper number of servings from each group, you will most likely be complying with the Dietary Guidelines and getting enough of the essential nutrients. So, if you're feeling overwhelmed with trying to choose a diet plan
you can stick with, stop the insanity and choose to Build a Healthy Base.
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