The USDA in a press release in Jan 2011 redesigned the recommended dietary guidelines to place stronger emphasis on reducing calorie consumption and increased physical activity because more than one-third of children and more than two-thirds of adults in the United States
are overweight or obese . The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans is the the federal government's evidence-based nutritional guidance to promote health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity through improved nutrition and physical activity.
Some of the tips provided by the USDA include:
• Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Avoid over sized portions.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals – and choose the foods with
lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks
After reading countless email newsletters forwarded to me by my husband, I feel it important to impart some other tips that may help those of you who are battling the bulge like I am.
Tip #1: Buy only single ingredient items or combinations of single ingredient items. If you look at the ingredient content on the packaging, you will see that most packaged foods have usually 10-50 ingredients. Put these back on the shelf girl!
Example: I bought organic single serving packages of oatmeal the other day and the ingredients listed was just whole rolled oats. That is it. My son on the other hand brought me a bag of corn puff cereal and when I looked at the ingredients there were about 15 and sugar was the second one on the list. I showed it to my 7 year old and explained to him what we were trying to do in the house was simply to make healthier choices and that this was just one way to start. He of course stomped his foot in frustration and said "WE" did not include him in the discussion and therefore he should be exempt from the new food rule.
Tip #2: When shopping stay on the periphery of the store because this is where all the fresh items were stocked. All the center isles housed packaged food items filled with sugar and preservatives.
Hey bloggers check back later for new tips.
