Do you think you have a relatively healthy diet? Do you know which food groups are most important, and how many servings are recommended for each? Do you think you get the appropriate amount of servings every day? How well do you think your eating habits compare to that of professional Track and Field athletes?
The United States Department of Agriculture has established guidelines and recommendations for how many servings for each food group we should consume on a daily basis. These guidelines vary, depending upon your activity level and how much exercise you get each day. For instance, if you lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle, then you probably want to consume less servings from the breads, rice, pasta group, then if you lead a very active life.
INSERT CONTENT FROM NUTRITION WALL some athletes need to vary based on training schedule
In this activity you will learn about the importance of nutrition
and good eating habits, and how to improve them. You will first study the recommended
guidelines and then compare those recommendations to your own personal situation,
and consider ways to improve your health!
Are you ready to embark on a journey to a healthier lifestyle?
Resources
You will need the following resources to complete this activity. It is recommended that you print these resources first.
Food Pyramid Web Quest Worksheet
This section will help you understand the different types of foods that are available to you and about how much of each type you should eat everyday.
Before coming to the museum, you were asked to keep a food diary for one day, recording the types of foods and times you have eaten. If you have not completed this activity, you should take a few minutes to record everything you ate and drank yesterday. Be sure that you are entering the appropriate number of servings. Keep this food diary handy.
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Complete the Food Pyramid Web Quest Worksheet, answering
the following questions.
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Use the resources provided to answer the questions.
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| Name the food groups that make up the Food Guide Pyramid. | |
| In your own words, what are the main points of the USDA dietary guidelines? | |
| What is a serving size? |
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Fill in your food diary with the appropriate food group (15 min)
| The "Food Group" lists are based on the USDA's food pyramid which is located on the package of many products now in stores. It would be impossible to list all of the foods available to you, so you must add your own in the proper groups. Use the pyramid of the five food groups below to assist you in filling out your food group column in your food diary. |
Spend a few minutes also looking through the other resources to complete your food diary worksheet.
Amateur Athlete's Introduction to Food Groups Website.
Fast Food Guide to Nutrition and Serving Sizes
Part II
Complete the following Adobe Photoshop Food Group "Building Blocks" activity (10 min)
Extension Activities
Consider studying the number of calories for each of the foods recorded in the food diary. Here are some resources on keeping track of calories.
To see how many calories you should eat each day, use the Harris-Benedict Equation. Check out these additional resources as well:
Here are some additional learning activities and resources you may want to explore
Return to the main activities page
