Losing weight and maintaining weight loss requires a commitment to healthy eating and physical exercise. The Food Guide Pyramid provides detailed recommendations for food intake from the grain, vegetable, meat and beans, fruit and milk groups to help you choose healthful foods in proper portions. When you eat the foods your body needs for energy and good health, you establish eating habits that promote a sustainable, healthy weight. The weight management tools provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the food pyramid offer a realistic, accessible method for weight loss.
Step 1
Determine how many calories you need daily. Knowing your caloric needs helps you plan a realistic eating and exercise plan, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which provides a calorie calculator on its website. The calculator helps you determine how many calories you need to maintain your current weight. To lose weight at a healthy rate of one to two lbs. a week, reduce your calorie intake and increase your activity level. The goal is to establish a calorie deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories daily.
Step 2
Use the My Pyramid Plan provided by the USDA to determine how much from each food group you need daily. The plan calculates your food needs based on your age, gender, height, weight and activity level, and includes an option for a weight loss plan designed to help you lose weight at a sustainable rate, according to the USDA.
Step 3
Map out your meals using the My Pyramid Meal Planner. The planner requires a free registration to save your information, and allows you to enter foods you plan to eat, organize your meals based on dietary needs and plan shopping lists.
Step 4
Sign up for the My Pyramid Tracker to help you assess your diet quality, physical activity status and calorie balance. This tool allows you to see if you're on track for weight loss so that can make necessary adjustments in your dietary intake and exercise plans.
Tips and Warnings
- If you prefer to lose weight using the pyramid without accessing the online tools, follow the food intake patterns provided by the USDA to help you determine how many servings of each food group to eat, based on calorie-intake goals.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Adult BMI and Calorie Calculator
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Steps to a Healthier Weight
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Welcome to the My Pyramid Meal Planner
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: My Pyramid Tracker
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: My Pyramid Food Intake Patterns
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