Food fight
by Melissa Byrd
In a smackdown between MyPyramid and pepperoni pizza, who will win?
Two kinds of people exist in this world: those who eat to live and those who live to eat. If you're like me, chowing down for the sake of mere survival doesn't really cross your mind when devouring a pepperoni pizza with extra cheese. And you know what? Statistics show most Americans share my mindset about food and that we are paying for it with extra pounds and, ultimately, our health.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 65 percent of people over the age of 20 in this country are overweight. Thirty percent are obese. Pepperoni pizza with extra cheese is waging its war on us, and winning most battles. But do we want it to lose?
Let's face it. Food is good. And so-called bad food is even better. But food is not the problem. We are. The words "too much of a good thing" don't register. In response to the
unbalanced American diet, the U.S. Department of Agriculture revamped its old Food Guide Pyramid in April 2005. The result was MyPyramid, our new and improved road map to healthy eating. MyPyramid boasts a more personalized and user-friendly approach to eating healthy and staying physically active.
But how easy is it, really, to follow MyPyramid guidelines? In a world where time is short, cooking takes too long and fast food is everywhere, planning healthy meals and making time for exercise can seem impossible. And, even if we do take time to eat what we should and exercise, will the time and effort be worth it? I heard from people who start to eat right, exercise and lose weight that they hardly miss their old, deviant ways; decided to find out if it's true.
For three days, I followed MyPyramid guidelines for my age, sex and physical activity level. I decided
to eat out at least one meal a day, like most college students do, to deal with making wise choices while dining out.
To prepare for these uncharted waters I was wading in to, I visited the on-campus, registered dietician, Ann Chapman. Chapman provides nutritional counseling at the Wellness Center for $7 to $10 a session. She armed me with all the material I needed to transform my habits. She offered a list of health-friendly restaurants and best bets for what to choose while eating various types of cuisine.
Chapman entered my information into www.mypyramid.gov and out popped my personalized guidelines for healthy eating. As a 24-year-old female who exercises 30 minutes or less every day, I should eat no more than 2000 calories to maintain my current weight. Of those 2000 calories, I must consume six ounces
of grains, two-and-a-half cups of vegetables, two cups of fruits, three cups of milk and five-and-a-half ounces of meat and beans.
So how did I do? According to MyPyramid tracker, a handy online tool that allows you to record what you eat and then analyzes how closely you meet your recommended guidelines, I fell short on one to three food groups each day. Paranoia kept me from eating too much, but, really, I didn't end up eating enough. The beauty of MyPyramid is you can eat a lot, you just need to eat the right things.
Sure, following MyPyramid guidelines takes a little effort. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was the perfect diet. But after only three days, I did feel a little spring in my step and the world seemed a little brighter. Okay, not really — but I do have more energy than usual. I'm even sticking with my new diet. MyPyramid: 1, Pepperoni pizza:0.
BITE
FOOD DIARY
DAY ONE
I woke up too late to make breakfast, so I grabbed a yogurt and apple on my way out the door. For lunch, I made a tuna salad sandwich with low-fat mayo on whole wheat bread and grouped it with tomato soup and grapes.Later, I had dinner at Free State with friends. I ordered the gumbo and a side salad. I felt healthier already.
→DAY TWO
For breakfast, I went the yogurt-and-apple route once again. This time I added granola. Lunch was El Mezcal. Mexican food is tricky, so I ordered a bean burrito and chicken taco sans cheese and sour cream. For dinner, I grilled a chicken breast and matched it with broccoli, a whole-wheat roll and baked potato. For a snack, I noshed on an orange and some grapes.
To make up for my small breakfast yesterday, I chose eggs, wheat toast, grapefruit and orange juice. Rather than eating lunch, I grazed all afternoon on hummus and pita bread, fruit and cheese. Dinner was at Panera Bread Co., one of Chapman's favorites for healthy eating, where I ordered the vegetable soup and the bistro steak salad.
In 2005, the U.S. Department of Agriculture created MyPyramid, a personalized approach to healthy eating and exercise habits.