Fortitude Fridays

Vol. 130: Wait—They Changed the Food Pyramid? Plus GoPro’s Best of 2025 & More

Welcome to Fortitude Fridays—part mindset training, part field notes from real life. I share what I’m learning, testing, and using to help you strengthen your mindset, take better care of yourself, and keep showing up—week after week.

Here are a few ideas as you head into the weekend.

Read Time: 7 mins

This Week’s Snapshot:

• Quote: Beating the Odds
• Tactic: There's a New Food Pyramid
• Awesome: GoPro's Best of 2025

Beating the Odds: It's a lot easier than you think to 'beat the odds' because the odds are based on average people. Show up and elevate. -Dr. Julie Gurner Most “odds” are just averages—built on what happens when consistency fades. Keep showing up. The math then shifts.

The Food Pyramid Changed. Keep What Works. Upgrade What Doesn’t.

What the guidelines actually say, why the graphic is getting misread, and the simple pattern I’m sticking with.

If you’ve been online lately, you’ve probably seen it: updated Dietary Guidelines messaging and the new food pyramid conversation popping up everywhere.

And if your brain went, “Wait… are we doing this again?” — same.

I’ve heard many thoughts since it dropped. Some people are relieved. Some people are irritated. Some people (especially my plant-forward folks) feel like it’s a step in the wrong direction.

All of that makes sense.

Nobody asked me for this… but nutrition guidelines got updated (again), and the internet is doing what it does—turning it into a moral emergency.

I’m not writing this to take sides or stir the pot. I’m writing it because I don’t love what tends to happen next: confusion, guilt, and the pressure to overhaul things that were already working.

Let me say this up front: shame and guilt are not ingredients. They don’t belong in our food. There’s already enough noise around eating—I’m not adding to it.

And honestly? I don’t think most people are going to change much after seeing a new graphic or headline. But the reaction makes sense—because food isn’t just food. For a lot of people, it’s history, culture, identity—and what you grew up with.

The Tricky Part

The guidelines are one thing. The interpretation is another.

There’s a lot of good in the written guidance. Where it gets messy is the visual.

The pyramid is the thing people share, screenshot, and argue about—and it’s way too easy to pull one piece of it and turn it into “the rule.”

Also worth saying: the pyramid isn’t very culturally inclusive. One picture can’t capture how families eat across different cultures and traditions—so take the principles, and let the “look” of it match your real life, your traditions, and your budget/access.

From what I’ve read (and heard in person), the heat is mostly about:

• red meat + full-fat dairy (aka saturated fat)
• the whole-grains-at-the-bottom optics
• salt being encouraged

The Tension Points

So instead of arguing the graphic, here’s the way I’m thinking about the hot spots:

Red meat: If it’s part of your diet, cool—aim for variety across your protein choices (poultry, fish, legumes, tofu, tempeh). If you don’t eat it, you’re not missing the boat—just make sure your meals are anchored with quality plant proteins (and don’t forget B12, iron, iodine, and omega-3s).

Full-fat dairy: If it works for you, fine—choose unsweetened and let your body (and labs, if you track those) be the referee. If you don’t do dairy, alternatives can cover the basics.

Saturated fat: It’s not “banned,” but it’s why red meat + full-fat dairy get flagged—so think frequency and portions (population guidance still generally points toward keeping it lower overall).

Salt: Most sodium overload comes from packaged/restaurant food, not the salt shaker—start there.

Whole grains: The visual is confusing—if grains work for you, keep them (higher-fiber versions, paired with protein). If they don’t, adjust portions/pairing/type so it works for you.

One nuance the graphic can’t communicate: the form matters. “Full-fat dairy” can mean plain yogurt or whole milk… and “whole grains” can mean oats and quinoa—or it can mean a highly processed snack with a whole grain stamp on the front.

Simple rule: default to the minimally processed version, and treat front-of-package buzzwords as marketing—not a health guarantee.

My Nutrition Philosophy

There are no perfect foods. There are no perfect diets.

There are patterns—and patterns either support your body and your life, or they don’t.

What I’m doing (surprise… it didn’t change)

• Protein most meals
• Plants daily
• Fiber daily (usually from the plants)
• Mostly whole foods as the default
• Flexibility on purpose (because real life)

If you want to use this moment (optional, not required)

If what you’re doing is working—keep doing it. Seriously.

But if you’ve been feeling like a small shift could support you right now, here’s a simple, low-pressure way to experiment:

Pick one add-on for 7 days:

• add protein to breakfast, or
• add one plant per day, or
• add one higher fiber food per day

No overhaul. No guilt. No shame. Just one small lever to pull to see what happens.

Bringing it Home

If you’re feeling annoyed, overwhelmed, or skeptical about this whole conversation, you’re not alone.

But you don’t need to rebuild your diet every time nutrition news gets rowdy; and you definitely don’t need guilt driving the decision-making.

Take the useful parts. Keep what’s working. Adjust when your data says it’s time. Let the rest pass.

Food isn’t a report card. It’s fuel, culture, comfort—and what keeps you going day after day.

GoPro Best of 2025 If you need a quick dose of “people are unreal and this planet is absurdly beautiful,” GoPro’s Best of 2025 is it. I look forward to it every single year. It’s a rapid-fire compilation of real creator footage from across the year—skiing, surfing, bikes, air… the whole spectrum. And somehow it manages to feel both adrenaline-fueled and genuinely awe-inducing. Also, that golden-hour ski shot at 1:49? It’s living rent free in my brain from here on out.

Click image to watch!

Thanks for reading. Hope you have a restorative weekend and a strong start to the week ahead. Until next time…

You got this,

P.S. If you’re new—welcome! I’m so glad you’re here. You’ve just stepped into a community of people who are showing up, doing the work, and getting after what matters. We’re all about learning, growing, and building real momentum—together. Let’s go!

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