MyPyramid symbolizes a simple, personalized approach to making healthy food choices and being active every day.

1. MyPyramid symbolizes a simple, personalized approach to making healthy food choices and being active every day. MyPyramid was created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. ®Learning ZoneXpress

2. Activity Proportion Moderation Variety Personalization Gradual Improvement Anatomy of MyPyramid • There are six main messages in MyPyramid: ®Learning ZoneXpress

3. Activityis represented by the steps and the person climbing them. Recommendations for daily calorie levels are based on gender, age and activity level. Activity Message Teens should be physically active for 60 minutes every day. ®Learning ZoneXpress

4. Sedentary30 min. or less of physical activity in addition to daily activities. Moderately Active30-60 min. ofphysical activity in addition to daily activities. Active60 min. or more ofphysical activity in addition to daily activities. Activity ®Learning ZoneXpress

5. OILS MEAT & BEANS GRAINS VEGETABLES FRUITS MILK Variety Message • Varietyis depicted in thecolor bands of the different food groups. Foods from all groups are needed every day. ®Learning ZoneXpress

6. OILS MEAT & BEANS GRAINS VEGETABLES FRUITS MILK Proportion Message • Proportionis shown by the different widths of the food group bands. The wider the band, the greater proportion of your diet should come from that food group. ®Learning ZoneXpress

7. Make Half Your Grains Whole • Eat 7 oz. of Grains each day.* • 1 oz. from the Grain Group = • 1 slice of bread • 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal • 1/2 cup cooked cereal • 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta • 1/2 “mini” bagel • Make at least half your grain choices whole-grain. * based on 2,200 calorie diet ®Learning ZoneXpress

8. Whole Grains • Whole wheat • Whole oats/oatmeal • Whole-grain corn • Popcorn • Brown & wild rice • Whole rye • Whole-grain barley • Buckwheat • Bulgur (cracked wheat) ®Learning ZoneXpress

9. Vary Your Veggies • Eat 3 cups of vegetables a day.* • Fresh, frozen, canned, or dried vegetables or vegetable juice. • 1 cup raw or cooked vegetables is about the size of a clenched fist. • 2 cups of leafy greens = 1 cup in the Vegetable Group • Select from all five vegetable subgroups several times a week. * based on 2,200 calorie diet ®Learning ZoneXpress

10. Dark Green Vegetables • Broccoli • Spinach • Most greens: • collards • turnip greens • mustard greens • green leafy lettuce • Romaine lettuce • kale ®Learning ZoneXpress

11. Orange Vegetables • Carrots • Sweet potatoes • Winter squash • Pumpkin ®Learning ZoneXpress

12. Legumes • Dry beans and peas: • Chickpeas • Pinto beans • Kidney beans • Black beans • Garbanzo beans • Soybeans • Split peas • Lentils Dry beans, peas and soybeans are in both the Meat & Beans and the Vegetable Groups. ®Learning ZoneXpress

13. Starchy Vegetables • White potatoes • Corn • Green peas ®Learning ZoneXpress

14. Other Vegetables • Tomatoes • Cabbage • Celery • Cucumber • Lettuce • Onions • Peppers • Summer squash • Green beans • Cauliflower • Mushrooms ®Learning ZoneXpress

15. Focus on Fruits • Eat 2 cups of fruit a day.* • 1 cup from the Fruit Group = • 1 cup fruit • 1 cup 100% fruit juice • 1/2 cup dried fruit • Select fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit, more often than fruit juice. • Think color! The more color, the more nutrients! * based on 2,200 calorie diet ®Learning ZoneXpress

16. Get Calcium-Rich Foods • Eat or drink 3 cups from the Milk Group every day.* • 1 cup from the Milk Group = • 1 cup milk (8 oz.) • 1 cup yogurt • 1-1/2 oz. natural cheese (the size of two dominoes) • 2 oz. processed cheese(two slices) • Choose fat-free or low-fat. * based on 2,200 calorie diet ®Learning ZoneXpress

17. Go Lean with Protein • Eat 6 oz. of Meat & Beans a day.* • 1 oz. from the Meat & Bean Group = • 1 oz. lean meat, poultry or fish • 1 egg • 1 Tbsp. peanut butter • 1/4 cup cooked dry beans • 1/2 oz. nuts or seeds • Make lean choices. • Vary your choices. Try fish, eggs, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds. • Bake, broil or grill meat. * based on 2,200 calorie diet ®Learning ZoneXpress

18. Oils • Limit your oils to 6 tsp. (2 Tbsp.) a day.* • Oils includes fats from many different plants and fish that are liquid at room temperature: • Canola, corn, olive, soybean and sunflower oil. • Some foods are naturally high in oils: • Nuts, olives, some fish and avocados. • Foods that are mainly oils include: • Mayonnaise, certain salad dressings and soft margarine. • Check Nutrition Facts labels to keep saturated fats, trans fats and sodium low. * based on 2,200 calorie diet ®Learning ZoneXpress

19. The bands are wider at the bottom to represent foods with less fat and added sugar. The bands are narrower at the top to symbolize foods containing more added sugars and fat. Donut Whole-Wheat Bagel Moderation Message • Eat less of the foods at the top and more of those at the bottom. • Think whole-grain cereal vs. cookies, broiled chicken vs. breaded and fried, etc. ®Learning ZoneXpress

20. French Fries Donut Breaded Chicken Nuggets Whole-Wheat Bagel Baked Potato Grilled Chicken Breast Moderation Examples ®Learning ZoneXpress

21. Low-fat/low-calorie options High-fat/high-calorie options Nutrient-Dense Foods • Nutrient-dense foods contain substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals for relatively few calories. • Too many foods that do little to meet nutrient needs may put your health at risk. When choosing foods look for: • Low-fat varieties. • Little to no added sugars. ®Learning ZoneXpress

22. Discretionary Calorie Allowance • The “extras” are the amount of calories you can eat after choosing the recommended amount of nutrient-dense foods in each food group. • Discretionary calories may come from: • Higher-fat foods. • Foods with added sugars. • Adding fat or sugar to foods or beverages. • Eating more foods from the food groups. • Calories from most fats and added sugars are discretionary calories. ®Learning ZoneXpress

23. Examples of Discretionary Calories High-Fat SnacksAmountCalories • Potato chips 17 chips 150 • Flavored crackers 8 crackers 140 • Cream-filled cake 1 cake 140 • Candy bar 1 bar 280 • Peanut butter cup 2 cups 220 • Fruit pie (cherry) 1 pie 460 • Carmel corn 3/4 cup 140 • Peanuts 1/3 cup 170 ®Learning ZoneXpress

24. Personalization Message • PersonalizationThe person on the steps, the name, and the tagline all mean you can make this plan one that works for YOU. ®Learning ZoneXpress

25. MyPyramid.gov Homepage ®Learning ZoneXpress

26. Gradual ImprovementSmall changes add up. Find your balancebetween food andphysical activity. MyPyramid shows that you can benefit from taking small steps to improve your diet and lifestyle each day. Gradual Improvement Message ®Learning ZoneXpress

27. Situation: You’re already eating fewer calories and are still not losing much weight. Solution: Kick up the level of physical activity: Skate or bike instead of driving. Go for a walk with a friend instead of talking on the phone. Take the stairs. Get Movin’ Walking up stairs burns almost five times more calories than riding the elevator. ®Learning ZoneXpress

28. Situation: You’re not eating many fruits or vegetables. Solution: Eat larger servings or snack on fruits and vegetables. Eat a can of mandarin oranges as a snack. Have a frozen 100% juice bar for dessert. Add strawberries or blueberries to your cereal. Have veggies and low-fat dip. Fruit & Veggies ®Learning ZoneXpress

29. Situation: You’re not sure what foods are whole grain and where to find them. Solution: Look at food package labels. Find the ingredient list, the grain listed (wheat, oats, etc.) should have the word “whole” in front of it. Try whole-grain breakfast cereal, rolls, pasta, pita bread, brown rice and more. What is Whole Grain? ®Learning ZoneXpress

30. Situation: There is little variety in your vegetables. Solution: Grab baby carrots, sugar peas or grape tomatoes for a snack. Add veggies to lettuce or pasta salads, such as red or green peppers or broccoli. Top pizza with spinach and mushrooms. Put cucumbers, shredded carrots or red cabbage inside your favorite sandwich or wrap. Veggie Variety ®Learning ZoneXpress

31. Teen Food Trends • Over the past 20 years, teen obesity has doubled. • 15.5% of teens are obese. • 33% of the calories teens eat are from food eaten away from home. • 10% of the calories teens eat are from fast food. • Less than 1% of teens eat the minimum requirements of all food groups. Source: American Dietetics Association and MediaWise ®Learning ZoneXpress

32. Teen Food Trends • 25% of the vegetable calories teens eat come from French fries. • Only 20% of female teens and 50% of male teens get enough daily calcium. • The average teen spends 20 hours watching TV each week. • While watching TV, the metabolic rate seems to be lower than during rest. So a person burns fewer calories watching TV than sitting doing nothing. Source: American Dietetics Association and MediaWise ®Learning ZoneXpress

33. Steps to a Healthier YOU! • Start small: • Eat a serving of fruit or vegetable for a snack. • Stay active - Take the stairs when it’s three flights or less. • Order whole-wheat bread for your sandwich. • Pick strategies that work for you. • See your successes... ...build upon them. • Feel the power and pleasure of taking care of you. ®Learning ZoneXpress

34. Apply What You’ve Learned Choose one of the following activities to complete outside of class. • Design a poster that encourages teens to do one of the following: • Eat their daily portions from all or one of the food groups. • Become more physically active every day. • Write a public service announcement on one of the following attributes of the USDA’s MyPyramid: • One of the six main messages in the symbol/logo. • One of the food groups. • Create a flyer that explains to teens one of the following about the USDA’s MyPyramid: • The five main food groups. • The six main messages in the symbol/logo. • Plan a menu for a week that includes all the principles of the USDA’s MyPyramid (go to MyPyramid.gov for help with your menu). • Use your age, gender and activity level to find your daily calorie level. • Use your calorie level to plan your menu. ®Learning ZoneXpress

35. MyPyramid Quiz 1. What does the figure going up the steps of MyPyramid symbolize? 2. Why is it called MyPyramid? 3. Why are the bands of the food groups different sizes? 4. Name the food groups and their corresponding colors. 5. What type of grains are recommended for at least half of your selections from the Grain Group? 6. Why are the food group bands of MyPyramid wide at the bottom and narrow at the top? 7. What two parts of MyPyramid symbolize the ways you can make gradual improvements every day? 8. Name two ways you can take Steps to a Healthier YOU! ®Learning ZoneXpress

36. Adapted with permission from materials developed by: Alice Henneman, M.S., R.D. University of Nebraska – Lincoln Extension and Beverly Benes, PhD., R.D. University of Nebraska – Lincoln Department of Nutrition and Health SciencesEdited by:Jackie Getting, M.S. Based on information published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. ®Learning ZoneXpress