Choose my plate

Yesterday the USDA released their new dietary guidelines called Choose My Plate

From the website:

Balancing Calories

• Enjoy your food, but eat less. 
• Avoid oversized portions. 

Foods to Increase

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Make at least half your grains whole grains. 
• Switch to fat-free or low--fat (1%) milk. 

Foods to Reduce

• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals - and choose the foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks

Gone are the days of the food pyramid and now we have a more simple and easier way to understand how to eat healthy and within guidelines. The website is also a wealth of information about how to get these good foods in as well as ideas for activity.

Source

One aspect of the website that I like is how there are different topics for specific audiences, particularly weight loss. It talks about choosing nutrient-dense foods, tracking and getting activity in. The basics that us weight loss bloggers/community at large have been talking about all along. 

You can even get a "personalized plan" for tips and ideas about how and what to eat. 

Of course, if you've been trying to loose weight or eat healthy, this version of the plate should come as no surprise to you, it's very similar how we've been taught to eat. It's nice to see the federal government catch up. Hopefully this will allow public schools to address concerns and help teach children about proper nutrition and making healthy choices. 


I am really excited about this new choose your plate methodology, I think it will be easier to teach children about health eating habits and help fight obesity in children and adults. Let's face it we could all be taught a lesson or two. 


I urge you to check out the website and just poke around, there are a wealth of resources there. 


What do you think about the new healthy food guidelines?