An Online Dieting and Healthy Eating Resource

Making healthy food choices is always easier said than done. Personally, if I can manage to have one of every food group represented in each meal, I think I am doing okay. But I always get a nagging feeling that I am not doing enough so much so that every January 1^st, I make the proclamation that this year I will start eating 'better." Surfing through the web, I found a site by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that sets out to help you with the process of "eating better." In April 2005, the USDA revised the food pyramid that we all came to know and love in grade school. The pyramid which was last revised in 1992 has taken on a new shape and form. Instead of the usual one size fits all recommendations of how many servings to eat per day, the new pyramid customizes the recommendations based on age, weight, and sex.

Using mypyramid.gov, personalized recommendations are given to you under the "my pyramid plan" section of the website. I inputted my age, height, and weight. The site also asks about physical activity level above and beyond doing your activities of daily living in increments of less than 30 minutes, 30-60 minutes, and greater than 60 minutes. With the information I provided, I was told I needed to eat 6 ounces of grains, 2.5 cups of vegetables, 1.5 cups of fruit, 3 cups of milk, and 5 ounces of meat. I was also informed that to maintain my current weight, I should aim to eat 1800 calories/day. I also received an admonition to increase my physical activity to at least 30 minutes/day since I claimed a paltry less than 30 minutes of physical activity in my questionnaire.

To help you stay on course with the pyramid plan, the website also offers a PDF version of these recommendations with a place to write down your choices for the day in each food group category. For those who want to maintain a daily log, the website also offers a "my pyramid tracker." Registration is free and you obtain a login name and password to track your progress. You tell my pyramid tracker what you ate for the day and you get a complete nutritional assessment which takes the guess work out of whether or not you are hitting your target. Whether or not you managed to hit every food group and the daily nutrient requirements is provided with a just a click of a button. The pyramid tracker also tailors its assessment based on whether or not you are attempting to maintain your weight or lose weight.

Finally, the website also offers various tips to make eating healthier easier and cheaper. For example, the site recommends buying fresh vegetables in season when they are cheaper and at their peak flavor. In addition, the site offers advice on obtaining the leanest cuts of beef to reduce fat intake. Mypyramid.gov is a useful and essential web site for those who wish to eat better to maintain their weight or to shed a few pounds. Now only if it actually provided you with a menu and cookbook.