Rainy Friday - Tips, Tricks and Inspiration!

Happy Friday!  I've missed a few of these installations lately because of hot dates with my hubby but on this rainy evening pre my Color Run 5k tomorrow, I am here to share some of the week's reading with you.

Here's a tip:  go for at least 5 days a week following health guidelines;  I was shocked to learn that most Americans have only 7 days a year where the meet the MyPlate guidelines.  So many of us are obese or overweight, and it is really sobering news to me.  Oh and did I mention that those who did manage to meet the guidelines usually ate more than 3 meals to get there? 

I think the big wake-up call is that MyPlate is a very simple concept and yet, people don't do it.  It is not enough to say "I'll eat moderately"; we need to put intention and action into it. 

 On a similar vein, let's not let ourselves be tricked by diet gimmicks.  Here 8 diet "rumors" are  unraveled.

Finally, for your weekend enjoyment, here is a little Bento inspiration - a cute piece from the BBC.


Now you should be all set for a fun and fit
weekend!

Bye, bye Pyramid - Friday Tips, Tricks and Inspiration

Woohoo, the US government (actually the USDA) has revised it's food pyramid scheme and now it's a plate.  It has gotten a little bad press but being your "look on the bright side" gal, I think it's a move in the right direction. Cut them some slack, bloggers, it's a large and slow bureaucratic machine; they're doing their best to catch up!

The New York Times wrote an interesting article about it last week. 
You can check the "plate" out for yourself at the easy to remember, www.choosemyplate.gov
If you are not familiar with this website or it's predecessor, MyPyramid.org, it is actually an amazing resource.  I have used it on several occasions to print out nutritional information based on the age of  each of my 5 kids.  Do you know the difference in the serving sizes of green beans for a 1 year old, a 4 year old and a 12 year old?  This is the place to find out.  Also, when my teens complain I gave them too many green beans, I just blame the USDA.  So I guess the "My Plate" information now qualifies as a tip and  a trick.

So here is the inspiration:
“Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I can think about losing weight all day long; until I actually prepare myself for the responsibility of my own weight and activity, it just aint' gonna happen.  So be it.