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Practice Gentle Nutrition by Taking Small Steps
This is another article in the series presenting material from the New You:
Health for Every Body program.
Gentle nutrition fosters a healthy relationship with food. There are many
sources of information about nutrition, but some of it may seem too much like
another diet. The USDA MyPyramid is a tool that offers some helpful information.
These are the gentle nutrition principles on which MyPyramid is based.
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Variety.
The colorful bands are a reminder to choose a variety of foods within and
among the food groups to ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs.
Variety also encourages pleasurable eating by offering different tastes,
smells,
textures, sounds and sights.
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Proportionality. The bands of color are different widths to show that we
need different amounts of foods from each food group. In addition, each
stripe is broader at the base to represent the idea of eating more foods in
each group that are very nutrient dense and low in added sugar and fat.
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Moderation. Moderation means eating various amounts of food without
going to
extremes of too much or too little. In the February issue of Celebrate! we
looked at recommended portion sizes as a way to eat with moderation. The
concept of being present mentally when eating is another tool to use in
practicing moderation in eating.
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Activity. The figure walking up stairs reminds us to be physically
active every day. This is not only important for good health, but it also
increases sensitivity to physical sensations like hunger and fullness.
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Personalization. By naming this MyPyramid, the emphasis is on making
this advice more personal. If you choose to make use of the website by
entering information specific about yourself, you will be directed to advice
on the amount of food in each group that will give the nutrients you need.
Do keep in mind that these are suggestions and not a diet.
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Gradual
Improvement. In addition to encouraging physical activity, the steps
represent the idea of taking one step at a time to improve eating and
activity habits. Take small steps rather than giant leaps. For example, if
you feel you need to eat more vegetables, a first step might be buying a bag
of baby carrots and bringing them with you to eat with a fast food burger at
lunch. The next week you might try broccoli or another precut vegetable.
After a few weeks, the raw veggie snack will become habit and you’re on the
way to healthier eating.
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Take these steps to put gentle nutrition into practice.
Step One
Making gradual improvement implies that you know how you are doing now. But,
do you?
As a first step to a healthier you, keep a record of what you eat for a
week. Try to do this as you go about your day, as it is easy to forget if
you wait until the end of the day. Also estimate how much of each food you
ate. Set aside any tendency to be judgmental or to make changes based on
what you think you should do. For now, all you want to do is get a true
picture of how you presently eat. This step is called benchmarking. When you
know what your current eating habits are like, you are ready for step two.
Step Two
Total up the amount of food you eat every day in each food group. Going back
to MyPyramid, you’ll see that foods are divided into these five groups:
grain foods (anything made from grains like breads, pasta, rice),
vegetables, fruits, dairy and protein (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dried
beans and peas).
Some foods are combinations and include items from more than one group. For
example, macaroni and cheese fits partly in the grain group and partly in
the dairy group. Estimate the amount of each component you ate and add to
the appropriate food group.
Step Three
Compare your daily totals to the amounts recommended in MyPyramid. Are there
any food groups you fall short on several days? Are there groups you usually
eat more than the recommended amount? You might want to consider rebalancing
your eating so that you are not missing some important nutrients. For
instance, few of us eat the recommended two cups of vegetables every day or
three cups of dairy. However, many of us eat more than 5 ounces of meat and
beans which is the recommended amount for those of us who are not very
active.
Step Four
If you need to make some improvements, choose one food group as a place to
begin. You will be more likely to succeed if it is one where you need to eat
additional amounts, or make a healthier choice. Think about alternatives
that will be simple to do. For example, if you need to increase the amount
of dairy foods, could you substitute milk for a soft drink at one meal? Or,
if you need to increase vegetables, could you have a snack of veggies
instead of chips? Make it a change that truly fits you and your lifestyle,
keep it real.
Step Five
Next, for the hard part: put your change into practice. Use reminders and
rewards to help you stay on track. For reminders, you might write yourself a
note and attach it to your mirror, the front door or computer screen.
Computers and cell phones often have calendars or task lists which can be
set up to pop up with a prompt. Or, ask a friend or family member to help
you reach your goal.
Rewards can also reinforce new habits. Something as simple as pasting a star
on your calendar can be very effective. Or, set up a reward system for
yourself with prizes like buying a favorite magazine, or extra time to
pursue a hobby. Avoid food rewards which tend to foster the notion that you
can “pay” for eating something less nutritious by “being good.”
Step Six
After a few weeks, take stock. Were you successful at developing a new,
healthier eating habit? If so, celebrate! Then consider taking on a new
habit. If you were unable to meet your goal, don’t give up, but instead
consider why. Was your goal too ambitious; was it too big of a step? Or,
perhaps you need some additional help. It can take several tries to change a
habit, so if you keep working on it, you will eventually succeed.
If you would like some help as you step up to healthier eating, check out
the information at www.mypyramid.gov.
Or, if you’d prefer talking to someone in person, contact Linda Rellergert
at 636-970-3000, or by email
RellergertL@missouri.edu
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