New Dietary Guidelines

A New Year and New Dietary Guidelines -  Keeping it Simple

The new guidelines place heavy emphasis on weight management and getting fit since “two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, and more than 50 percent of Americans do not get the recommended amount of physical activity,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson.  To read all about the new guidelines, go to http://www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines/.

Just a Few of the Key Recommendations:

• Weight Management
  • Balance calories from foods and beverages with calories expended through physical  activity.
  • If you are seeking weight loss, you either need to eat less, exercise more, or do both.
• Physical Activity (while not exceeding caloric intake requirements)
  • To decrease the risk of chronic disease, engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity most days of the week.
  • For weight management, engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week.
  • Engage in a well-rounded fitness program including cardiovascular conditioning, flexibility, and strength training.
    
• Food Groups to Encourage
  • Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables to nine servings a day for the average 2,000 calorie diet.
  • Consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.
  • Consume at least 3 servings a day of whole grains (listed as first ingredient on labels).

Start Today by Doing the Following:

• Add COLOR to your plate, and lots of it!
  • Consume 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables per day including the colors red, orange, white, blue, deep green, and more. 
  • Add VARIETY by trying a new fruit or vegetable.
  • Sneak color in whenever you can - one glass of orange juice counts as a fruit!
• Reduce sedentary activity and make ALL ACTIVITY count!
  • Put “pep” into your step, no matter what you are doing!
  • Engage in regular physical activity, and remember that something is always better than nothing! 
     
    

Always consult your physician before beginning an exercise program.