Over the decades, the food pyramid has changed several times. When thinking about the food pyramid, most probably think of the old school pyramid with the bottom fourth being grains, the next fourth being half fruits and half vegetables, the next fourth being meats/proteins and dairy, and the top fourth being "extras" (fats, oils, and sweets). Now, the food pyramid goes from left to right and the proportions are different as well. Instead of the grains being 1/4 of the pyramid, and most other categories being about 1/8 or less, each category is very similar in size -- except for the "extras", which is still the smallest.
With all the changes in the food pyramid, it is easy to see how someone could get confused or behind with the latest information. That is why I wanted to try and get back on track and fit my meals in to the pyramid.
You may think it can be a bit difficult to actually keep track of it all or work out your food in to the pyramid, but luckily if you go to www.mypyramid.gov, there is a system that lets you fill out all of your information (age, weight, height, sex, etc) and plans out a specific pyramid just for you. This will help you get started and set a customized plan for you and your food.
As far as the "food plate" goes, it is a more specific design for the food pyramid at each meal. If you are to take your plate at each meal and first fill it up with at least 1/2 vegetable (and/or fruit), about 1/4 protein, and the remaining 1/4 complex carbohydrate (aka: grain/starch) then that is your food plate. This design allows for you to fill up on your fiber, keeping you full and stopping you from filling up on unnecessary calories.
If people were to do this for every meal of every day, then it would leave very little room for swerving off the path of healthy eating. And following this meal plan allows for people to have those foods that they can't live without -- all in moderation of course.
So I challenge you to do this -- today, tomorrow, for yourself, your family, friends, and more. This will help to teach your body to know what it actually needs and suppress those urges for things that you may think that it needs.
I hope this helps, at least a little bit! And until next time, Happy Healthy Eating! And happy Tuesday!!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Day 5: Making all grains WHOLE
It may seem like it's not too difficult to switch all the grains you are eating to whole grains -- and you're right, it's not. At the same time, you have to be very conscious and read the labels of the grains that you are eating. It is just as easy to think you are eating whole grains when you're actually not, as it is to truly be eating them.
That is why reading your labels is very key to eating healthy. No matter what the food, no matter who the company/maker is, no matter what the front of the packaging says ... READ YOUR LABELS.
There are a few things to look for when reading labels:
That is why reading your labels is very key to eating healthy. No matter what the food, no matter who the company/maker is, no matter what the front of the packaging says ... READ YOUR LABELS.
There are a few things to look for when reading labels:
- When looking at breads, pastas, and other grains -- the first ingredient should be a whole one. Whether it's whole wheat, whole oats, etc.
- Know your ingredients. If there is something on the label that you can not pronounce, it is probably not something that you should be putting in your body.
- Beware of hidden ingredients. There are lots of ingredients that are hidden by other names. For example -- high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, monosodium glutamate, hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oils. These are all things that you need to watch for because they can easily be looked over when looking at the ingredients. And you'd be surprised how many things these couple ingredients are in.
- Sugar content. The amount of sugar per serving should not exceed about 10. This will help to prevent blood sugar spikes with quick drops in energy, leaving you feeling groggy and bad. There are a few exceptions, like juices (you still want to make sure that your juice does not have any added sugars to it).
For me, it has become innate to look at the labels of almost everything I eat. But I too get off track with my grains, especially when I go out to eat. Yesterday, I tried to be very conscious about every grain that I ate to make sure it was the best quality and a whole grain. A way that I do this, is making sure that anything that I keep around the house is whole grain, so I am not tempted to snack on/eat things that are just empty carbs.
Some of my favorites that I like to have around are: Ezekiel bread (found at whole foods or any local health food store), homemade granola/granola bars, Food Should Taste Good Brand whole grain/whole corn tortilla chips, Kashi whole grain frozen waffles, Barilla whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and quinoa.
And I understand that sometimes when you go out to eat, it can be hard to make whole grain choices. That is why I always consider two different options when I am out.
- Is it made in house? More times that not, if the restaurant is good enough quality to make their own pizza dough, pasta, tortillas, etc, then those grains are probably good enough for you to eat.
- Opt for no grains and sub for other complex carbohydrates such as: potatoes (not fried!), root vegetables, corn, or beans/legumes.
I hope this all helps keep you on the track for sticking with whole grains! I know that it has definitely helped me out a lot. If you have any other suggestions or questions, please don't hesitate to speak up! Hope your week ended on a high and I hope that your weekend is great!
Until next time... Happy Saturday!!!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Days 3 & 4: Taste the Rainbow
So I know I was really bad and forgot to post notes on my day yesterday, and I apologize. But I am back on track and to catch up, I am going to talk about yesterday and today all in one!
Yesterday (Day 3) was the day to "eat the rainbow". And when I say eat the rainbow, that doesn't mean have a bag of skittles and you're good to go. I mean that you need to eat something that is naturally each color from the spectrum of the rainbow. This includes: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and even white.
My day looked a little something like this:
Breakfast- Greek yogurt with fruit and nut granola (purple in the raisins)
Snack- Red apple (red in the apple)
Lunch- Chicken salad sandwich with vegetable chips (white onions)
Snack- Peanut butter and banana smoothie (yellow banana)
Dinner- Salmon with a sweet potato and a salad (green salad, orange sweet potato)
Although there were more of each of the colors throughout the day, those were the big ones that I had. And I must say I did a better job than most do on a daily basis. I got every color but blue! I thought we had blueberries at the house, but I was sadly mistaken :(
As far as today went (Day 4), I did an average job. Today's challenge was to get a full days serving of fruits and vegetables. I didn't quite get all my servings of fruit, but I know that I got my veggies!
For fruits, I had a handful of red and green grapes with my breakfast, an apple as a snack, and salsa in my tuna sandwich (if you are one of those that counts tomatoes as a fruit).
For vegetables, I had onions and peppers in the salsa that was in my sandwich, mixed vegetables (carrots, celery, and cucumber) with hummus for a snack, and a big fat chopped salad or dinner with onions, zucchini, and tomatoes.
That being said, I know there are definitely things in my day that I could have done better (like having fruit for dessert instead of a cookie ... or a side of fruit or veggies with my lunch), but all in all, I feel like I did a good job -- especially since I packed everything up and brought it with me when I left at 7:30 am to get to and stay at school until 6:30 pm.
I know that there is a lot going on in my life, and it makes it difficult to stay on track with this challenge, but I am still trying very hard to stick with it and do my best! And I hope you all are too :)
Hope you're having a great week and just keep your head up because the weekend is just around the corner!! and PS -- I would love some feedback if you have any!!
Happy Thursday!
Yesterday (Day 3) was the day to "eat the rainbow". And when I say eat the rainbow, that doesn't mean have a bag of skittles and you're good to go. I mean that you need to eat something that is naturally each color from the spectrum of the rainbow. This includes: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and even white.
My day looked a little something like this:
Breakfast- Greek yogurt with fruit and nut granola (purple in the raisins)
Snack- Red apple (red in the apple)
Lunch- Chicken salad sandwich with vegetable chips (white onions)
Snack- Peanut butter and banana smoothie (yellow banana)
Dinner- Salmon with a sweet potato and a salad (green salad, orange sweet potato)
Although there were more of each of the colors throughout the day, those were the big ones that I had. And I must say I did a better job than most do on a daily basis. I got every color but blue! I thought we had blueberries at the house, but I was sadly mistaken :(
As far as today went (Day 4), I did an average job. Today's challenge was to get a full days serving of fruits and vegetables. I didn't quite get all my servings of fruit, but I know that I got my veggies!
For fruits, I had a handful of red and green grapes with my breakfast, an apple as a snack, and salsa in my tuna sandwich (if you are one of those that counts tomatoes as a fruit).
For vegetables, I had onions and peppers in the salsa that was in my sandwich, mixed vegetables (carrots, celery, and cucumber) with hummus for a snack, and a big fat chopped salad or dinner with onions, zucchini, and tomatoes.
That being said, I know there are definitely things in my day that I could have done better (like having fruit for dessert instead of a cookie ... or a side of fruit or veggies with my lunch), but all in all, I feel like I did a good job -- especially since I packed everything up and brought it with me when I left at 7:30 am to get to and stay at school until 6:30 pm.
I know that there is a lot going on in my life, and it makes it difficult to stay on track with this challenge, but I am still trying very hard to stick with it and do my best! And I hope you all are too :)
Hope you're having a great week and just keep your head up because the weekend is just around the corner!! and PS -- I would love some feedback if you have any!!
Happy Thursday!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Day 2: Naw on the Raw
So it's Day 2.... and I'm sick. This sucks. Of course I would just happen to get sick the weekend before I start my challenge. I mean, why not? Just adds another level of challenge I guess...
Anyway, I am still going to try my hardest to stick to the challenge of the day and stick to raw foods -- although, I may have to make a few exceptions due to the state that I am in. Since I am still in the (excuse me for being gross) mucousy faze of being sick, dairy is not really my friend. So unfortunately, that cut outs a lot of sources of carbohydrates and protein for me. And as much as I want to stick to the challenge, I don't want to make myself worse either. I have work tomorrow and school starts Thursday, so I have to be at my best for that!
So far, I have been going strong (I know, I know, it's only 9:30 am... but still). I had a delicious breakfast of bananas and nut butters and a glass of refresh tea. I am hoping that I can keep this up the whole day..... We'll see.
I will be back later to update on how everything is going. So if you have any ideas for snacks, meals, etc for today please let me know!
Until then,
HAPPY TUESDAY!
Anyway, I am still going to try my hardest to stick to the challenge of the day and stick to raw foods -- although, I may have to make a few exceptions due to the state that I am in. Since I am still in the (excuse me for being gross) mucousy faze of being sick, dairy is not really my friend. So unfortunately, that cut outs a lot of sources of carbohydrates and protein for me. And as much as I want to stick to the challenge, I don't want to make myself worse either. I have work tomorrow and school starts Thursday, so I have to be at my best for that!
So far, I have been going strong (I know, I know, it's only 9:30 am... but still). I had a delicious breakfast of bananas and nut butters and a glass of refresh tea. I am hoping that I can keep this up the whole day..... We'll see.
I will be back later to update on how everything is going. So if you have any ideas for snacks, meals, etc for today please let me know!
Until then,
HAPPY TUESDAY!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Day 1: H2O Explosion
Today marks the day of the first day of my 30 day challenge. Today's challenge consists of drinking water and only water. This basically means that there should be no consumption of any other liquids -- i.e. coffee, tea, juice, soda, alcohol, etc. I am doing this as the first day of the challenge because I wanted to kind of flush out the body and help to start out with a clean slate. I also wanted to take this opportunity to check in and see if I am ACTUALLY getting the appropriate amount of water.
When I say "getting the appropriate amount of water" I am not only talking about getting the recommended 8 cups of water a day. There are several things that go in to how much water you should be drinking:
When I say "getting the appropriate amount of water" I am not only talking about getting the recommended 8 cups of water a day. There are several things that go in to how much water you should be drinking:
- Size of the person
- Activity level
- Location
- Time of the year
- Other liquids being consumed
Based on these criteria, I need to be drinking the recommended 8 cups of water plus some for my activity level, the fact that I live in Texas and it is still summer months (aka 100+ degrees every day), and that I drink coffee on a daily basis.
So far today I have done a pretty good job at sticking to only water, although I did have a minor slip up at breakfast. I accidently had some milk in my cereal this morning. But in my defense, 1. it was almond milk 2. it wasn't very much and 3. it was 5:30 in the morning.
Other than that, I have been doing a great job solely drinking water, and lots of it. Although I do miss my daily dose of coffee and/or tea, I have a feeling that I will sleep nicely with the decreased amount of caffeine running through my blood stream. I feel like it is a great start to what will be a great challenge. I am all cleaned out and am starting with a clean slate. I can't wait to start the more in depth stuff tomorrow!
Until then, have a great night! And just keep sippin' that H2O!
Friday, August 19, 2011
30 Day Challenge!
Like I promised, I am posting the 30 day challenge a few days before it begins so you can see what the first half of the challenges are, allowing you (and myself) to prepare for them! But before I share the challenges, I have a bit of a preface -- a question that I have been asking myself for quite some time.
Have you ever noticed the negative stigma that had been put on to eating healthfully? But why? Why is there such negativity towards being healthy? It's good for you, helps you feel better, look better, live longer .... So why wouldn't you want to do it? Yes, I know that sometimes eating healthier can cost a little bit more, but if you go about it the right way, it can be in your budget and so flavorful and tasty that you will forget all about the foods you used to like. But I always feel like most people aren't/can't be proud of eating healthy. It is almost as if you have to hide the fact that you are health conscious and actually enjoy healthy food.
I have decided to take on a challenge, in hopes that not only will I finish the whole thing and feel better after, but that you all will join in on it and feel the positive changes eating healthy can do to you. The challenge I have come up with is designed to cleanse the body as well as the mind. It is composed of 30 daily challenges (one for every day of the month) varying from trying new foods to following the food pyramid.
My plan is to start off slow, and with each day ease in to harder "challenges". Every day will be a new challenge for me (and hopefully you too!) to take on and conquer. I am going to start off by listing the first 15 today, and in about a week or so I will post the second half of the challenges. Tomorrow will be my first official day of the challenge. Each day I will post something in the morning with my plan for the day. Then, periodically through out the day I will add on updates to let you know how the day is going. I will then post a follow up each evening with how it all went and my ideas for the next days challenge.
The first 15 challenges will go like so:
Day 1 - Drink water and only water: AKA no soda, no juice, no coffee, etc. Only drinking water and drinking enough water. (The avg person needs approximately 64+ oz of water a day, not including the water needed to replace anything lost if you have worked out or significantly sweat)
Day 2 - Eat ALL raw: Basically this means exactly what it sounds like. Eating only foods in the state that they occur naturally. This means no meat (unless you enjoy raw fish sushi), no cooking of your vegetables, no bread/pastas/rice/cooked oats&grains, and so on. It may seem like there are no options left, but this means sticking to nuts/legumes, fruits, vegetables, and natural grains in their purest form.
Day 3 - Eat the RAINBOW: By this, I mean making sure that you eat something throughout the day from every color group. More color = more antioxidants, more nutrients, and just more over all health benefits.
Day 4 - Get full servings of both fruits and vegetables: Most people don't get enough of one or both of these. The recommended amounts are 3-4 servings of fruit and 6-7 servings of vegetables a day (with one serving being roughly half cup to a cup of either).
Day 5 - Make all grains whole grains: Basically making sure that any grain that is eaten (bread, cereal, pasta, etc) is a whole grain. This means that the first ingredient on the list is whole grain flour/oats.
Day 6 - Follow the most recent "Food Pyramid": The food pyramid has changed a lot over the decades. My suggestion is to go to http://www.choosemyplate.gov/downloads/MyPyramid_Anatomy.pdf and follow those guidelines.
Day 7 - Follow the "Food Plate" model: Again, go to http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ and follow the "plate model". (Explore the site too! There is a lot of neat and educational stuff on there)
Day 8 - Eat from the earth: This may be a little confusing, but what "eating from the earth" means only eating foods that grow out of the ground. For example: Whole grains, legumes, nuts, potatoes, fruits, and vegetables. This excludes things like dairy, meat, processed foods, things with saturated fats (like butter), candy, etc.
Day 9 - Eat vegetarian: No meat, no poultry, no fish.
Day 10 - Eat all homemade: No eating out, no microwave/prepackaged meals, just pure homemade food for all meals/snacks.
Day 11 - Make a new recipe: Ever saw something on TV or online that looked amazing, but you've never had the time/desire to put in the effort of actually making it?? Well now is the chance to change that! Make something that you have never made before.
Day 12 - Try a new food: Be adventurous. Try something crazy new that you have never eaten before!
Day 13 - Use left overs to make something new: Take what ever left overs you have from previous meals and food from your pantry/fridge and come up with a new twist on those ingredients.
Day 14 - No HFCS: HFCS = high fructose corn syrup. This means read your labels of everything that goes in your mouth and make sure that no where in the ingredients is HFCS. (You'd be surprised how many places it hides!)
Day 15 - No preservatives: No preservatives means no ingredients in a food that are put in it to make it last longer. Examples of these additives are: salts, acids, Calcium Propionate, sulfites, chemical additives. That being said, fewer/natural ingredients are better.
So wish me luck! (As I do you) And I will keep you posted each day with how the challenge is going on my end -- and feel free to give me feedback on how I am doing as well as how you are doing!
Also ... keep your eyes peeled for the second half of the 30 day challenge!!
Have you ever noticed the negative stigma that had been put on to eating healthfully? But why? Why is there such negativity towards being healthy? It's good for you, helps you feel better, look better, live longer .... So why wouldn't you want to do it? Yes, I know that sometimes eating healthier can cost a little bit more, but if you go about it the right way, it can be in your budget and so flavorful and tasty that you will forget all about the foods you used to like. But I always feel like most people aren't/can't be proud of eating healthy. It is almost as if you have to hide the fact that you are health conscious and actually enjoy healthy food.
I have decided to take on a challenge, in hopes that not only will I finish the whole thing and feel better after, but that you all will join in on it and feel the positive changes eating healthy can do to you. The challenge I have come up with is designed to cleanse the body as well as the mind. It is composed of 30 daily challenges (one for every day of the month) varying from trying new foods to following the food pyramid.
My plan is to start off slow, and with each day ease in to harder "challenges". Every day will be a new challenge for me (and hopefully you too!) to take on and conquer. I am going to start off by listing the first 15 today, and in about a week or so I will post the second half of the challenges. Tomorrow will be my first official day of the challenge. Each day I will post something in the morning with my plan for the day. Then, periodically through out the day I will add on updates to let you know how the day is going. I will then post a follow up each evening with how it all went and my ideas for the next days challenge.
The first 15 challenges will go like so:
Day 1 - Drink water and only water: AKA no soda, no juice, no coffee, etc. Only drinking water and drinking enough water. (The avg person needs approximately 64+ oz of water a day, not including the water needed to replace anything lost if you have worked out or significantly sweat)
Day 2 - Eat ALL raw: Basically this means exactly what it sounds like. Eating only foods in the state that they occur naturally. This means no meat (unless you enjoy raw fish sushi), no cooking of your vegetables, no bread/pastas/rice/cooked oats&grains, and so on. It may seem like there are no options left, but this means sticking to nuts/legumes, fruits, vegetables, and natural grains in their purest form.
Day 3 - Eat the RAINBOW: By this, I mean making sure that you eat something throughout the day from every color group. More color = more antioxidants, more nutrients, and just more over all health benefits.
Day 4 - Get full servings of both fruits and vegetables: Most people don't get enough of one or both of these. The recommended amounts are 3-4 servings of fruit and 6-7 servings of vegetables a day (with one serving being roughly half cup to a cup of either).
Day 5 - Make all grains whole grains: Basically making sure that any grain that is eaten (bread, cereal, pasta, etc) is a whole grain. This means that the first ingredient on the list is whole grain flour/oats.
Day 6 - Follow the most recent "Food Pyramid": The food pyramid has changed a lot over the decades. My suggestion is to go to http://www.choosemyplate.gov/downloads/MyPyramid_Anatomy.pdf and follow those guidelines.
Day 7 - Follow the "Food Plate" model: Again, go to http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ and follow the "plate model". (Explore the site too! There is a lot of neat and educational stuff on there)
Day 8 - Eat from the earth: This may be a little confusing, but what "eating from the earth" means only eating foods that grow out of the ground. For example: Whole grains, legumes, nuts, potatoes, fruits, and vegetables. This excludes things like dairy, meat, processed foods, things with saturated fats (like butter), candy, etc.
Day 9 - Eat vegetarian: No meat, no poultry, no fish.
Day 10 - Eat all homemade: No eating out, no microwave/prepackaged meals, just pure homemade food for all meals/snacks.
Day 11 - Make a new recipe: Ever saw something on TV or online that looked amazing, but you've never had the time/desire to put in the effort of actually making it?? Well now is the chance to change that! Make something that you have never made before.
Day 12 - Try a new food: Be adventurous. Try something crazy new that you have never eaten before!
Day 13 - Use left overs to make something new: Take what ever left overs you have from previous meals and food from your pantry/fridge and come up with a new twist on those ingredients.
Day 14 - No HFCS: HFCS = high fructose corn syrup. This means read your labels of everything that goes in your mouth and make sure that no where in the ingredients is HFCS. (You'd be surprised how many places it hides!)
Day 15 - No preservatives: No preservatives means no ingredients in a food that are put in it to make it last longer. Examples of these additives are: salts, acids, Calcium Propionate, sulfites, chemical additives. That being said, fewer/natural ingredients are better.
So wish me luck! (As I do you) And I will keep you posted each day with how the challenge is going on my end -- and feel free to give me feedback on how I am doing as well as how you are doing!
Also ... keep your eyes peeled for the second half of the 30 day challenge!!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Who's up for a challenge??
Starting very soon, I will be endeavoring on a 30 day food/health challenge. I love having healthy habits especially when it comes to food, and I would love to share those habits with everyone else. That is why I have decided to come up with 30 different "challenges" that I will take on over a 30 day period. Each day is a new challenge, progressively getting more difficult.
I have a couple of things going on this week and the week after so I am going to wait until the week of August 22 to start my challenge, but I will be posting the challenge sooner than that so if you have time to decide if you will be joining me. It will give you a little bit of time to look it over and plan things out. And after I post the challenge, I will be periodically posting how I will be going about it and meal ideas for the different challenges. So keep an eye out!
And please don't hesitate to give me any feedback or ideas for other challenges for in the future!
Have a great TGIF and weekend!!!
I will be paying attention and logging how I feel from day 1 to day 30 to show that there really is a positive correlation between eating healthier and feeling better (physically, emotionally, energetically, etc). In taking on this challenge myself, I hope that you all will join in and take it with me.
I have a couple of things going on this week and the week after so I am going to wait until the week of August 22 to start my challenge, but I will be posting the challenge sooner than that so if you have time to decide if you will be joining me. It will give you a little bit of time to look it over and plan things out. And after I post the challenge, I will be periodically posting how I will be going about it and meal ideas for the different challenges. So keep an eye out!
And please don't hesitate to give me any feedback or ideas for other challenges for in the future!
Have a great TGIF and weekend!!!
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