My plate, a new guide to nutrition

  • Published
  • By Capt. Allison Ecung
  • 514th Air Mobility Wing
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST --  I want to start by being honest, I love burgers. I consider myself a burger connoisseur. I've tried burgers with everything from the traditional bacon & cheddar to the high end truffle & brie to even the exotic ostrich burger. While burgers are my passion, I am certainly aware that if I consumed all burgers all the time I'd be on my way to a heart attack before age 40. With that in mind, I tend to opt for a few healthy selections and save the burgers for special occasions.

Living in New York I'm often amazed at the range of dietary options and health conscious choices available at most restaurants. Whether you're gluten free, vegan, or ovo-lacto, a great meal is only a quick walk or phone call away. In the JBMDL area, it's a little more challenging to make a nutritious choice, particularly when performing shift work or alternate duty hours. With quick access to pizza, pretzels or Pudgy's, it's easy to become well... a little bit pudgy. That doesn't necessarily mean that we have to quit our favorite foods cold turkey or stop socializing when a friend wants to grab a beer. It also isn't a call to flock to the newest weight loss trend.

It's easy to get confused by the hype that surrounds the newest and latest fad diet. In the early 2000s, carbohydrates became our enemy as many rushed to the protein-rich Atkins diet. Breads and pasta were eschewed for grilled chicken and salads. Later the juice cleanse became fashionable as celebrities quickly shed weight and paraded perfect skin as a beneficial side effect. Nowadays many people live by the Paleolithic diet, eating only foods available to cavemen while avoiding any processed foods or refined sugars. So which is the right way to maintain a healthy lifestyle?

The answer is much more complicated than simply selecting one over the other, and yet simpler than following obscure dietary rules. We all remember the basic food pyramid taught in elementary school or the four basic food groups for those of us a bit longer in the tooth. The modern take on these tools is MyPlate at www.choosemyplate.gov.

MyPlate deftly addresses our tendency to frequently create supersized portions and overload our plates. It provides an easy visual reference when preparing dinner, eating at a local buffet or just teaching kids about portion control. Beyond that, the general rules still apply: avoid shopping for food when hungry and fill your kitchen with fruits and veggies to incorporate into meals and snacks. If fast food is unavoidable then focus on small portion sizes and steer clear of foods with high levels of sodium, sugars, or generally unpronounceable ingredients.

Using MyPlate is a great way to monitor your eating habits while incorporating healthier foods into your daily life. And feel free to savor a really great burger when you get a chance! More information can be found by contacting your JBMDL Health and Wellness Center at (609) 754-2462.