Step by Step, to a new and healthier you
Pyramids have long been a man-made wonder.
Forget Egypt, now finding your own pyramid is as easy as going to MyPyramid.gov and entering a few numbers.
The new Food Guide Pyramid from the U.S. Department of Agriculture is available for anyone looking to personalize their own pyramid.
The new name “My Pyramid” gives it a more personal aspect, Kim McMahon, a registered dietician and an instructor in the nutrition department, said.
“My Pyramid focuses on a holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle and includes physical exercise,” McMahon said.
According to the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, 25 percent of adults are not active at all in their leisure time.
My Pyramid has 12 nutrition and calorie plans, which are based on age, gender and physical activity level.
Physical activity is a new addition to the pyramid. The stairs on the left side represent the need for daily physical activity, according to MyPyramid.gov.
In previous Food Guide Pyramids, there was no mention of activity. There are several other pyramids that all had activity at the base of their pyramid, Edward M. Heath, a professor in the health, physical education and recreation department, said.
“It’s a big deal for them to add that,” he said.
Heath said, “Having a weight-maintenance plan without physical activity is setting yourself up for failure.”
He said integrating physical activity into daily life is important.
“You need to find something you can incorporate into your lifestyle for 20 years – not just 20 days. It has to be something you enjoy,” Heath said.
McMahon said, “I think it is a good reminder to have it part of the pyramid. If people are using the pyramid, they are serious about being healthy.”
She said people should take one step at a time to become healthier.
“Incorporate exercise. That’s a step also. Making your workouts longer or more intense,” McMahon said.
The new pyramid different than previous Food Guide Pyramids in that the different food groups are arranged side by side and sized for the approximate proportions that a person should consume of that food group.
Also, the pyramid separates different foods within a group. There is more emphasis on whole grains and more healthier foods within the groups. Each group gets smaller at the top; meaning moderation should be used with foods with more added sugars and solid fats, according to MyPyramid.gov.
Heath said, “One of the key things they did was make an effort to change some of the problems.”
One of those problems, he said, was having all of the foods in a group lumped together. Now saturated fats are separated from unsaturated fats and complex and simple carbohydrates are separate as well as other things.
Julie Gast, associate professor of health education, said the pyramid has changed a lot visually.
“That can be good or bad. It’s more vague now,” she said.
Gast said the aspect of personalization in the pyramid is the biggest change.
“It breaks it down and does the thinking for you,” she said.
Another alteration to the pyramid was changing serving sizes to cups and ounces.
People didn’t know what a serving size meant and were confused about what it actually entailed, according to the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.
Gast said she likes the “My Tracker” feature, which allows you to track what you have eaten over a week or a month.
“It’s a neat feature that’s fun to use and helpful,” Gast said.
She said it also includes tips on how to consume less and be healthier.
Although there are a lot of questions about whether or not the new pyramid will have an effect on people’s dieting or physical activity levels, Heath said it was a positive change.
“It has the potential to have an impact. I think they’ve done all they can do to put it in. It’s a huge step to acknowledge it as a big deal,” Heath said.
“Registered dieticians may put more emphasis on physical activity than they have in the past,” he said.
Some people use the pyramid as a tool for dieting or just for getting their daily nutrients, and now they can personalize it to fit what their bodies really need.
“The Food Guide Pyramid is great because a lot of people want to be told what to do,” McMahon said. “They want a menu set for them.”
McMahon said to go look at MyPyramid.gov and check out the site and what it has to offer.
When going to the Web site, there are several things to do. First there is the “My Pyramid Plan” where age, sex and physical activity levels can be entered and the person’s personal pyramid will be calculated.
There is even a game for kids called My Pyramid Blast Off. Kids can enter what they ate and what their physical exercise throughout the day. If they have eaten healthy and exercised, their rocket will blast off.
There is a tour of the pyramid and a tip of the day available to help people learn more about what is available on the Web site.
The pyramid includes six aspects. They are activity, moderation, personalization, proportionality, variety and gradual improvement.
McMahon said people should go see how sensible and easy it is to follow the guide both for food and exercise.
She also said people should start making small changes to their lives to become more healthy.
“People are often overwhelmed by where to start,” McMahon said. “My Pyramid promotes all things fit, so it won’t be overwhelming to make small changes.
People don’t realize how much a small change can impact. A lot of those small changes can add up to big rewards.”
-hollyadams@cc.usu.edu