MyPyramid << How to Eat for Health << Staying Active and Eating Healthy << womenshealth.gov

About MyPyramid

MyPyramid is a healthy eating plan that helps you:

Make smart choices from different food groups

Balance the number of calories you "burn" through physical activity with the number of calories you eat so that you maintain a healthy weight

Get plenty of healthy nutrients from the food you eat

The Pyramid has six color-coded stripes, each standing for a different food group. The food groups are:

Grains

Vegetables

Fruits

Milk and milk products (such as cheese, yogurt, and milk-based desserts)

Meat and beans (including red meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts)

Oils

Want to know the amount of each food group you need daily? Go to MyPyramid Plan and enter your age, sex, weight, height, and the amount of physical activity you get on most days. After entering this information, you'll get a customized food guide that will tell you how many calories a day you can eat to maintain a healthy weight. It will also tell you (in cups or ounces) how much of each type of food you should eat each day.

If you don't want to use measuring cups and a food scale to measure out your food, take a look at the How Much Do YOU Eat? poster (PDF file, 674 Kb). It uses everyday items to help you judge the amounts of various foods you should eat. For instance, one cup of broccoli is about the size of a baseball, and a half cup of sliced fruit is about the size of a small computer mouse.

Besides the different colored stripes in MyPyramid, do you also see the figure running up the steps of the pyramid? He stands for physical activity, which is discussed in the Staying Active section.

Additional Resources

Publications

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005 - This report provides advice about how good dietary habits can promote health and reduce risks for major chronic diseases.

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/

MyPyramid for Pregnancy & Breastfeeding - When you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you have special nutritional needs. This section of MyPyramid.gov is designed just for you. It has advice you need to help you and your baby stay healthy.

http://www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramidmoms/index.html

MyPyramid.gov: Steps to a Healthier You - This interactive site gives detailed information on how much of each food group you should eat everyday. It also includes tips and resources for planning a well-balanced and healthy diet.

http://www.mypyramid.gov

The Wise Choices Food Pyramid: What if We Did Compare Apples and Oranges? -

http://mtdh.ruralinstitute.umt.edu/Publications/WiseChoices.htm

Organizations

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated June 17, 2008.