Interpreting The New Food Guide Pyramid

 

Many people were shocked to see the Food Guide Pyramid literally flipped upside down when the latest update of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released earlier this month. While initially this looks like a drastic change, once you break down the individual nutrition goals implied, the recommendations align well with sound nutrition advice. The primary focus is to choose more whole foods instead of processed foods. Below is a summary of the new guidelines.

The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans includes:

1.  Eat the Right Amount for You- Portions should be individually based on your age, size and activity level. 

2.  Prioritize Protein at Every Meal- goal 1.2-1.6 g protein per kg of your weight. Eating protein throughout the day not only gives your body the building blocks that it needs to build muscle it also helps to stabilize blood sugar levels.

3.  Consume Dairy* while whole fat is suggested, it is also recommended to limit saturated fat to 10% of daily calories. Depending on caloric needs, some people may need to choose reduce fat or fat free dairy products. Also, if you have a dairy allergy or intolerance, you should choose an alternative source for protein and calcium needs.

4.  Eat Fruits and Vegetables throughout the day- choose whole fruits and vegetables when possible. Also strive to include a variety of colors.

5.  Incorporate Healthy Fats from nuts, seeds, olives and avocado. Eating healthy fats helps your body to absorb fat soluble vitamins. Plus, healthy fats help to provide satiety and stabilized blood sugar levels.

6.  Focus on Whole Grains which are an excellent source of fiber. Daily fiber goals range for 25-35 g per day. Excellent whole grain options include quinoa, organic oats and multi-grain sourdough.

7.  Limit Processed Foods, Added Sugars & Refined Carbohydrates -strive for 10 g or less of added sugar per meal. The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to 25 g or less per day.

8.  Limit Alcoholic Beverages- the guidelines do not provide a specific number of servings as a limit but more over serve as a reminder that alcohol can negatively impact your health.

Featured Recipe: Loaded Sweet Potato Boats

            Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes

1 lb ground turkey OR grass-fed lean ground beef

4 T tomato paste, 4 T water

2 T Italian herbs, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp chili powder

½ red onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, diced

Handful spinach

2 oz shredded parmesan

1 avocado, sliced

fresh cilantro

 

Instructions: Wash sweet potatoes and pierce on all sides with a fork. Bake in the oven @400 degrees x45-60 minutes (air fryer @375 degrees x30-40 minutes). Flip potatoes ½ way through baking. Cook ground turkey in skillet. Add garlic and onion. Add tomato paste & seasonings (add water as needed). Turn off heat, toss in spinach and cover with lid to wilt. Once potatoes are done baking, cut in half, fluff insides with fork. Top each boat with skillet mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan, fresh cilantro and avocado slices.

Katie's Kitchen

Below are links for a few helpful kitchen tools to help you meet your nutrition goals.

This digital food scale not only helps you to eat the right portions, it also provides complete nutrition facts including protein, fat and carbohydrates. This scale is great for learning portion size for the first time and getting you back on track as needed.
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Food prepping meals in advance can help you to eat healthier, especially for lunch! Choose glass food storage containers instead of plastic. I love this set because even the lids are glass with silicon edges. Note Silicon does not break down like plastic does. If you already have glass containers with plastic lids try putting a piece of parchment paper between the lid and your food. Plus take the lid off before re-heating the food. 

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Parchment paper is a total time saver for clean-up.  I use it both in the oven and in my air-fryer. As noted above, I also use it in containers to prevent my food touching plastic whenever possible.  I like these round sheets because they fit on a standard baking sheet in my air fryer without any cutting!

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Sleep: The Hidden Weight-Loss Blocker

 

Is Inadequate Sleep your Obstacle in Weight Management?

Did you know that inadequate sleep decreases the concentration of your satiety-signaling hormone Leptin and increases the levels of the hunger-triggering hormone ghrelin? In fact, the less you sleep, the more likely you are to eat. This can be frustrating when you are trying to lose weight or maintain your current weight. Adopting healthy sleep hygiene habits like keeping your bedroom cool and dark can help. Also, reducing exposure to blue light from devices in the evening can improve your sleep quality.

Below are some additional opportunities to improve your sleep:

1.    Watch the timing and quantity of your caffeine consumption. Caffeine is a stimulant that acts by blocking the sleepiness signal normally provided by adenosine. Although caffeine’s effect peaks 30 minutes after consumption, the half-life is 5-7 hours. This means that 50% of the caffeine you consume is still in your body 5-7 hours later. Caffeine can be found in coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks, pre-work out drinks and more-read your labels!

2.    Reduce alcohol consumption. Although alcohol is a sedative, it suppresses REM sleep. Thus, the sleep you obtain on days that you drink is usually very poor quality and not restorative. 

3.    Avoid eating within 2-3 hours of bedtime. Eating stimulates stomach acid and blood flow to the gut, this keeps your body active instead of winding down. Digestion also generates heat and makes it more difficult for your core temperature to drop which is needed to initiate sleep. Plus eating late increases your risk of suffering gastric reflux (heartburn) and blood sugar fluctuations.

4.    Practice healthy stress management techniques. Stress boosts cortisol and adrenaline which can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Healthy stress management techniques include consistent exercise, meditation, breathing techniques and journaling.

 

Featured Recipe: Golden Milk

Ingredients:

1 c milk of choice

¼ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp Turmeric

Pinch of ginger

1 tsp local honey

 

Instructions: Whisk all ingredients together and warm in small pot. Sip slowly 2-3 hours before bed.

Katie's Kitchen

Below are links for sleep supporting supplements and sleep monitoring device suggestions.

Magnesium helps to quiet the brain and prepare it for sleep. It also lowers stress hormones and relaxes muscle. Plus, magnesium supports your body's natural melatonin levels. I recommend Magnesium Glycinate like this one because it is gentle on the stomach and does not have the laxative effect like other forms of magnesium.

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The Oura Ring is a fashionable way to track your sleep quantity and quality. It comes in several finishes like ceramic and titanium. By seeing how lifestyle, bedtime and stress affect sleep personally, you can adjust your behavior. The Oura ring also tracks other health metrics like heart rate, HRV, body temperature and menstrual cycle. I received mine as a gift last year and love it!

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The Whoop is another tracking device for sleep. Whoop is especially helpful for athletes as it connects sleep to strain and recovery. Plus, it is extremely soft and comfortable. It also provides personalize coaching to help you understand how your habits, stress and activity affect your rest and recovery.

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