In January 2005 the governmental U.S.D.A. revised dietary recommendations for the American public. They updated 25 year-old guidelines that were no longer in sync with American eating habits and and didn't recognize that we are getting fatter and doing little about it. The new guidelines emphasize weight loss and weight management, stress healthy food choices, and underpin it all with the key component that ties it all together: exercise.

All the advertised weight loss aids, supplements and extreme diets do not address the simple truth that in order to lose weight you must burn more calories than you consume. If you eat 100 more calories in a day than you use, your body will grow by a pound a month, roughly ten pounds a year. The equation for weight loss is disarmingly plain: reduce caloric intake, increase physical activity.

People of all ages need brisk cardiovascular activity on a regular basis for weight control and fitness. One challenge for seniors is keeping weight off while metabolism slows down. If medical conditions limit your ability to exercise that is an additional challenge, but exercise, healthy eating and caloric awareness should be lifelong habits.

But what kind of calories you consume is as important as how many. There are nutrient-dense foods and foods that, while filling, are mostly empty calories. They provide little or no nutrition. For example, any product that lists sugar first on its ingredient list is loaded with empty calories. Alcoholic beverages are heavy in calories, low on nutrition. Salty snacks are often high in fat, trans fats and cholesterol, yet provide no health benefits. Sugar coated cereals, more sweetener than grain, are not healthy choices for seniors OR children. A rule of thumb is when one serving of a single food item contains over 400 calories it is considered a high calorie item.

A shorthand version of the new dietary guidelines looks like this:

• 2,000 calories a day for women, 2,400-2,600 for men
• Eat at least 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables. Choose the most colorful that nature has to offer: bright yellow, orange, red and dark leafy green vegetables, with red, blue and orange fruits.
• Limit salt to one teaspoon a day. Most salt comes from processed foods and restaurant fare, not your own salt shaker.
• For protein, eat poultry, fish and only lean meats. Include nuts, beans and eggs.
• Avoid saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol. Trans fats are in almost all baked snack foods and processed cakes, cookies and pies. Cut back on butter, avoid margarine and cook with olive or canola oil instead.
• Think fiber: along with your fruits and vegetables consume three ounces daily of whole grains, beans, and whole grain bread and pasta.
• Consume 3 cups per day of low fat milk, or the equivalent amount in yogurt or cheese---1 1/2 ounces of cheese equals one cup of milk. If you cannot drink 3 cups of milk or are lactose intolerant, look for calcium-fortified foods and orange juice when you shop.
• Exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes a day for general well being, but it will take 60-90 minutes to actually lose weight and maintain that loss.
  

While the new government guidelines inform consumers on how they should eat, they don't explain how eating habits have changed over 25 years. Fast foods have altered our idea of what a normal portion size should be. We live in a supersize culture that promotes large servings instead of portion control. America's expanding waistlines are the result and will continue to be until the food industry decides to push health over volume.

But don't wait for the food industry to make changes that you can do yourself. Follow these three simple guidelines on food and physical activity for a healthier you:

• Eat from every food group, and in moderation.
• Find your own healthy balance between food intake and
  activity.
• Get the most nutrition out of the calories you consume.

If you do, you will reduce your risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and hypertension. And it just might add years to your life.

RESOURCES

• www.healthierus.com
• www.health.gov/dietary guidelines
• The 2005 version of "Dietary Guidelines for Americans," can be purchased by calling 888-878-3256.
• Senior Help-Line (800-642-5119) can provide information on healthy eating and direct you to exercise and strong living classes in your area.
• Exercise: a Guide From the National Institute on Aging. Chock full of information on exercise, strength training, motivation and nutrition. Request FREE copy at 800-222-2225 or www.nih.gov/nia.

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