The USDA has just release updated dietary guidelines. Find the official press release here.
They will be publishing an updated food pyramid in the upcoming months, but here are a list of preview tips they provide:
* 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.
As the press release explains, almost one-third of American children and more than two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese. This is a serious problem and it will continue to have monumental effects on the emotional, physical, and financial health of our nation if we remain inactive.
When I read reports like this, I tend to go to one extreme or the other. I either want to head to my kitchen and throw out anything that isn’t low-fat/low sodium and take on a major diet overhaul. The problem with this approach is that drastic changes are unsustainable. We must make sustainable lifestyle changes, and rid ourselves of the extreme diet mentality. Losing weight and staying healthy involve a lifelong commitment to making healthy choices. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a healthy life.
The other temptation I face is to go to the other extreme and say, this problem is too big and I am tired of caring. Overall I make decent choices, so I don’t really need to put any effort into staying healthy. I am sick of fighting the uphill battle, and would rather just let things happen as they happen. I will exercise if I feel like it, and eat healthy when it is convenient. The problem with this is, as the old saying goes, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”
I don’t know if you ever find yourself in one of these two extremes but I bet many of us do. One of the biggest problems we face as American’s in that we tend to live in extremes. We must remember that achieving health in any area of our lives takes time, diligence, and perseverance. I constantly remind myself that balance and moderation are keys to achieving overall health. I was so impressed with the first tip to enjoy your food. Just like discipline in any other area (reducing spending for example), if you never treat yourself, you not be able to sustain long-term changes.
Are there any areas of your life that you struggle to find balance in? What unique ways have you found to achieve balanced healthy goals? An important part of health is celebrating victories (even small ones) and sharing our ideas with each other. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.