Unauthorized Food Pyramid

I’m not a dietician or nutritionist but I do listen to what they say.  I decided to make a food pyramid that was a little more reality friendly and still helped people to understand what they should be eating. 

The least controversial of these is the top and bottom of the pyramid.  Most people, no matter what “diet” they promote, would agree that the fewer processed foods anyone eats, the better.  Also, most people would not argue with the fact that vegetables are good for you.  Shoot, parents have been trying to get their kids to eat veggies since the beginning of time!  Pretty much the more veggies, the merrier. 

The second bar from the bottom Meat and Fruit is a pretty controversial one currently. The big trends right now are “plant-based or veganism” and “keto” which is mostly a repackaged Atkins diet. Keto says no fruit basically and vegan’s say no meat.  I think both can be available.  Meat/animal protein (eggs, cheese, chicken, etc) is very helpful for those with huge cravings trying to lose weight.  The fruit is a great fit for high calorie burners and those who are really active not trying to lose weight.  I eat about 4-6 fruits per day on average but that would be near 400 Calories and might slow weight loss for most people. 

Nuts, seeds, and grains is the yellow bar and I think they are fantastic but should be thought of as flavorings for your vegetables and protein.  They have a lot of Calories in a smaller space.  Grains could be used more again for those without a weight loss goal who are more active. 

The second to last bar is oils and sugars.  It is easy to go overboard fast on these.  Oil packs a lot of calories and sugar is mostly bad for you.  Most oils and sugars are processed at least somewhat.  You have to squeeze the olives to get olive oil.  They should be used even less but can be used occasionally. 

All of this food is surrounded by WATER, lots of WATER!  The majority of the population with clean drinking water that comes out of the tap is chronically dehydrated.  Have a bunch of this!

I could talk longer on this but I can save that for another time.    If you can get your eating even a tiny bit closer to this you will most likely feel better and be healthier. 

About the Author:

Jeremy “the tall trainer” Biernat is a Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Strength Coach, has his Bachelors in Exercise Science, and enjoys writing, speaking, and inspiring people online and in person. See his new book!  More importantly he is a husband, father, and follower of God. His practice is in upstate NY (Canandaigua) where he works with people in one on one and group sessions to make awesome changes in their lives. He doesn’t do everything perfect, cries in movies, and would love to hear from you. You can contact Jeremy by commenting to this post, emailing [email protected], or calling 1(800)380-7047. 

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