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Pyramid scheme: the government's first attempt to tell us how to eat right led to an obesity epidemic. Will their second try fare any better?

Men's Fitness, August, 2004 by Belisa Vranich

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And should the protein and carb folks ever call a truce--a prospect about as likely as warm hugs between Red Sox and Yankee fans--there's still the matter of what constitutes a "serving." In Houston, one of MF's fattest cities this year, one serving can likely feed a group of hungry ranch hands, whereas the average Manhattan serving can leave you scrounging the breadbasket for extra crumbs.

One thing's for certain: If you want to make heads or tails of the new pyramid once it's released next year, you better start brushing up on those hieroglyphic skills now.

So What's It All Mean?

Instead of thinking about shapes and food groups, clear the rubble from your mind and follow these six simple and direct rules:

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1. Give protein a leading role in your diet. Beef, chicken, fish, nuts, eggs, and dairy are all high in protein, but each has its own unique nutritional benefits as well--whether it's CLA in dairy, vitamin E in nuts, or the omega 3s in fish. So mix it up and eat a wide variety of protein from different sources throughout the day, instead of trying to get all your protein from just one or two sources.

2. Load up on fruit and veggies, even more than the old pyramid says. You can get nutrients such as calcium from foods other than milk and cheese. (Broccoli and spinach are both excellent sources.)

3. Eat more fiber. The stuff never had a food group of its own, but maybe it should, since increased fiber intake can help you lose weight and live longer.

4. No matter what they say in South Beach, not all carbs are bad. The good-and-evil approach to eating is way too simplistic. Cut processed carbs, sure, but replace them with oatmeal and whole grains, which don't promote weight gain as much as their highly processed relatives.

5. The '80s mantra that all fats are bad is as out of style as polyester. Fats in salmon, nuts, and oils such as olive are all essential (in moderation). The new bad guy on the block, trans fat, is easy to avoid if you stay away from cookies, chips, and crackers.

6. Broaden your nutritional horizon. Don't stick with the same meal day after day--even if what you're ingesting is a nutritionally complete meal. Adding variety to your meals and eating a bit of what you crave from time to time (within moderation of course) will provide you with the most well-rounded supply of nutrients possible. It'll also help keep you from getting bored, which--pyramid be damned--is the real key to eating right.

Pyramid scheme: the government's first attempt to tell us how to eat right led to an obesity epidemic. Will their second try fare any better?

Men's Fitness, August, 2004 by Belisa Vranich

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