Week 4 – My Plate

Topics:

• MyPlate Recommendations
• Measuring Your Portion Sizes
• How to Include Fat in a Healthy Diet
• Three Ways to Eat Less Fat
• Activity: Cutting the Fat

HEALTH TIP: While eating less fat and fewer calories is essential to losing weight, there are other important parts of healthy eating to keep in mind: the way you eat and what you eat overall.

 

MyPlate Recommendations

In 2011, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) replaced MyPyramid with MyPlate as the model for healthy meals.

MyPlate is based on the new 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It serves as the model for healthy meals for ages 2+ and helps us make better food choices.

 

Everything you eat and drink over time matters. The key is finding the right balance. These small changes can help you be healthier now and in the future. To help you achieve that balance, MyPlate includes 5 groups: vegetables, fruits, grains, and protein. The fifth group, dairy, is off to the side.

 

MyPlate recommends:

• Eat meals that include veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, seafood, low-fat dairy, and healthy oils.
• Eat less added sugar, salt, fast food, refined grains, and saturated and trans fats.
• Eat a variety of veggies and proteins

 

 

Group	Example low-fat foods, serving size	High-fat (or high-sugar) foods
Grains (Make at least 1/2 your grains whole)	–        1 slice bread or corn tortilla –        ½ bagel, English muffin, pita bread –        ½ cup cooked cereal, pasta, bulgur, rice –        1 cup dry cereal	–        Croissants –        Sweet rolls –        Doughnuts –        Muffins –        Danish pastry –        Biscuits –        High-fat crackers –        Granola-type cereals –        Regular tortilla chips, fried tortillas
Vegetables (Make 1/2 your plate fruits and vegetables)	–        ½ cup cooked vegetables –        ½ cup vegetable juice –        1 cup raw leafy greens –        Starchy vegetables like corn, peas, potatoes, yams, winter squash, lima beans	–        Vegetables with butter/margarine, cream, or cheese sauces –        Fried vegetables and olives
Fruits (Eat whole fruits)	–        1 small fresh fruit –        ½ cup canned fruit or 100% fruit juice –        ¼ cup dried fruit –        Avocados	–        Fruits in pastries/pies –        Dried fruit, juices or drinks sweetened with sugar, fruit canned with syrup –        Large amounts of fruit juice
Dairy (Switch to skim or 1% milk)	–        1 cup skim or 1% milk –        1 cup low fat soymilk or lactose-free milk –        1 cup low- or nonfat yogurt –        1 ½ ounces low- or nonfat cheese	–        2% or whole milk –        Regular cheese (>2 grams fat/ounce) –        High in sugar: yogurt with added sugar
Protein (Vary your protein food choices)	–        1 ounce cooked lean meat, poultry (without skin), or fish –        ¼ cup cooked beans, lentils, split peas –        1 egg or ¼ cup egg substitute –        1 Tablespoon peanut butter –        ½ ounce nuts or seeds	–        Bacon, sausage, hot dogs, hamburgers, luncheon meats, most red meats (except lean, trimmed cuts) –        Chicken or turkey with skin –        Tuna canned in oil –        Beans cooked in lard or salt pork

HEALTH TIP: Fat contains more than twice the calories as the same amount of sugar, starch, or protein. Reducing high fat intake can help you lose weight.

 

Measuring Your Portion Sizes

Measuring portion sizes is important. Most people are surprised when they weigh and measure foods. Our eyes can play tricks on us.

• Use a metal or plastic measuring cups and spoons for solid foods.
  • Fill measuring cups. Level off before you record.
• Use a glass measuring cup for liquids.
  • Place the glass on a flat surface.
  • Read the line at eye level.
• Use a food scale for meats, cheese, etc.
  • Weigh meats after they are cooked.
  • 4 oz. raw = 3 oz. cooked (about the size of a deck of cards)

How to Include Fat in a Healthy Diet

Eating less fat not only helps with weight loss, but can also lower your risk of problems like heart disease and cancer. A healthy diet is low in saturated and trans-fat, as well as cholesterol. Eating less of these can lower your risk of heart disease:

1. Saturated Fat

Saturated fats increase the LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels in the body. Saturated fat is found in these foods:

• Fatty meats and meat drippings
• Butter, lard
• High-fat dairy products: Whole milk, high fat cheese, cream, ice cream
• Palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil

 

    2. Trans Fat

Trans fats also increase LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels. Trans fats are found in products that contain oil that has been made solid (hydrogenated fat). To avoid trans fats, check the ingredient list on food labels. Avoid foods that list “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils. Foods high in trans fats include:

• Stick margarine
• Shortening (in processed snack foods such as crackers and chips)
• Baked goods that contain shortening (muffins, cakes, and cookies)

 

     3. Cholesterol

Cholesterol also increases the LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels in the body. Cholesterol is found only in animal products. To eat less cholesterol, cut down on these foods:

• Organ meats (liver, kidney, brain)
• High-fat dairy products (regular cheese, whole milk, cream)
• Meat and meat products
• Egg yolks
• Butter

 

Choosing Healthier Fats

     1. Unsaturated Fats

These are often called the “good” or “healthy” fats, and include both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. They can lower the LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol in your body, thus reducing the risk of heart disease. Food sources of unsaturated fat include:

• Olive, canola, and peanut oil
• Corn, safflower, soybean, and cottonseed oil
• Almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts
• Sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds
• Mayonnaise
• Avocados and Olives
• Peanuts, peanut butter
• Some soft margarines
• Salad dressings

     2. Omega-3 fatty acids

This type of unsaturated fat has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, and is found in:

• Some fatty fish: salmon, albacore tuna, herring, mackerel, rainbow trout
• Walnuts, flaxseed/flaxseed oil, canola oil

The American Heart Association recommends the following regarding omega-3 fat intake:

• Eat fatty fish at least two times per week. The serving size is typically 3-4 oz.
  • Deep-fried seafood is not recommended.
• Consult with your physician before taking any omega-3 supplements, including fish oil or flaxseed oil capsules.

Remember to stay within your fat gram goal.
All types of fat contain 9 calories per gram.

 

Three Ways to Eat Less Fat

1. Eat high-fat foods less often.

Example: If you eat French fries once a week, reduce to every other week.
Try replacing one serving of fries a week with steamed vegetables.

2. Eat smaller amounts of high-fat foods.

Example: Instead of pouring dressing directly onto a salad, pour 1 tablespoon of dressing into a small cup. Dipping your salad into the dressing allows you to eat a smaller amount so you eat fewer calories.

3. Eat lower-fat foods instead.

Example: Instead of eating potato chips, try eating a serving of pretzels. Or try salsa on your baked potato instead of sour cream!

 

 

Activity: Cutting the Fat

Use this worksheet to practice cutting the fat from high-fat foods, using what you’ve learned in Lesson 2.

Make a plan to eat less fat and follow it.

• Write down 5 foods you eat that are high in fat. Circle one.
• Pick one of the 3 ways to eat less fat from that food. Write down what you will do next week. Be sure it is something you can do.

My Top 5 High-Fat Foods	The 3 Ways to Eat Less Fat
	I will eat it only this (less) often:	I will eat only this (smaller) amount:	I will eat this (lower-fat) food instead: