Food Pyramid

Need a diet plan? Want to lose weight without a hassle? Have you just visited the local bookstore and gotten lost in the stacks of books that tout quick weight-loss diet programs? If you don’t know which way to turn, then turn to a weight loss program that has stood the test of time. I am talking about the Food Pyramid put out by the United States Department of Agriculture.

The Sensible Approach to Weight Loss

The Food Pyramid, recently changed to the trendier name of My Pyramid, is a sensible guidebook to good eating. Focusing on eating right and losing weight gradually, this guide shows you that most Americans introduce to much fat into their daily lives. Set-up to help you choose wisely and lose weight, this program gives you a variety of healthy foods to choose from.

The Food Pyramid will remind you to keep your fat intake at a low level, and encourage you to try fruits and vegetables and meat all in moderation. Instead of limiting you to a one food a day diet or other such nonsense, this guide will allow you a variety of foods, including meats, cheeses, vegetables, fruits, beans, rice, cereal- basically all the components needed not only to lose weight, but to maintain overall good health.

The top of the food pyramid, just the tip, shows where your fat intake should be. It should be slim to nothing consumed. They advise you to eat fatty foods in moderation because of the potential harm that fats can do to the body, not to mention the weight gain. Although these foods will supply you with calories, you will get little else of value from them.

On the second level you will find all the items that come mostly from animals; meats, cheeses, fish, milk, yogurt, dried beans and legumes. These ingredients deliver to your body the much-needed calcium, iron and zinc. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. When the body does not get enough calcium, it will manufacture its own by drawing calcium from your bones. This draw is subtle and gradual and you will likely not even notice it until you reach the age of 50 and are suddenly confronted with the fact that you have osteoporosis.

 Iron is needed for the body to be able to form hemoglobin. When your iron intake is low, you are often tired, pale, irritable and have trouble waking up in the mornings.

Zinc is needed for every cell in your body. It is a trace mineral essential in promoting a strong immune system and helpful if you are besieged with arthritis or other bone diseases.

Then you come to the level of the food pyramid that is food derived from plants; vegetables and fruits supplying people their much-needed levels of nutrients, vitamins, fiber and minerals.

At the bottom of the Food Pyramid are the cereals and grains. These make up the base of all your meals. You should include one or more serving of cereals or grains in each meal.

If you are an adult you should be consuming about 1600 calories a day. Children should have more around 2200 to make room for their growing bones and growth spurts. If you maintain an active lifestyle, look at about 2800 calories to be consumed daily.

Decide what changes need to be made to your diet. List for one week all the food you take in. Then using the food pyramid as a guide, analyze your food intake and see where you are lacking. Try and make wise choices that will enhance your life and improve your health and well-being, and allow you to lose weight sensibly.