Hi – I hope your enjoying your summer.  Below is some good tips and info on portion sizes.  It’s a ‘no wonder’ its so easy to gain a quick 5 pds, in a short week, while on vacation or business trips, when relying on restaurant food for your source of meals – you could be consuming a meal serving sized for 2 people.

 Those of you on weight watchers – I agree with the WW concept but no freebies – every bite counts in my book!

 
Stay energized,

 
Denise

By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, LifeScript Staff Writer

Most restaurants now serve enough food to feed two or more strapping adults, many of us wouldn’t give a second thought to licking our plate clean. Studies have shown that you’ll eat more when you’re served more, so don’t just depend on your appetite to regulate how much you’ll eat in one sitting. If you’re regularly eating enough food for two or more people (without realizing it, of course) you shouldn’t have to go far to find out why you’ve gained 10 pounds within the last year. It may be portion problems are causing weight problems, it’s time you took control of your servings sizes. Below - learn how to size up your portions.

Lose Weight with “The Portion Teller”

By Kim Droze, Special to LifeScript

Did you know that eating one 5-ounce bagel is the caloric equivalent of 5 slices of bread? Or that a single 6.5-ounce bran muffin is equal in calories to 52 animal crackers, while one 18-ounce steak equals 18 eggs? A single serving of anything might seem harmless. But when those portions are super-sized they can pack on the pounds. Portion distortion is a key culprit in the obesity epidemic sweeping this country, according to nutritionist and author Dr. Lisa Young. Find out how to fight back…

Bigger isn’t better. In fact, super-sized food is making people dangerously fat. An estimated 68.5% of U.S. adults are overweight thanks, in part, to ever-growing portions of our beloved junk foods.

In 1960, a bottle of Coke was just 6.5 ounces and a McDonald’s hamburger weighed a mere 1.5 ounces. By 2000, that same soda had tripled, to 20 ounces, while the burger ballooned to over five-times its previous size, to eight ounces.

The Portion Problem

Gargantuan helpings are fueling America’s weight problem, says Dr. Lisa Young, a nutritionist with more than 20 years of experience counseling people on weight loss. Her new book, The Portion Teller Plan (2006, Morgan Road Books), shows how to trim your waistline by trimming your intake. Her motto: less food equals less calories.

“At the end of the day, if you want to lose weight, it’s about calories,”

It’s not about carbs, fat or protein, Young explains. “It’s about eating fewer calories and expending more calories.”

When people are presented with more food, they eat more calories. “They’re consuming excess calories and don’t know why they’re gaining weight,” she says. What they’re eating has “doubled in size.”

The True Measure of Success

Sadly, most people have no clue how much they’re really eating. They don’t know that on today’s scale, one muffin, bagel or order of pasta can easily add up to an entire day’s worth of grains. They’re not aware that 16 ounces of orange juice equals 6 tangerines.

The first step to lightening up is learning portion control, says Young. One surefire way: weigh your portions on a food scale and compare it to the recommended serving size. Do this until you can recognize true serving sizes by sight.

Another rule of thumb: Compare portion sizes to common household items. Young provides a quick guide to get you started:

•     3 ounces of meat, poultry or fish = deck of cards
•     2 tablespoons of peanut butter = one un-shelled walnut
•     2 tablespoons of salad dressing = shot glass
•     1 teaspoon of olive oil = standard cap size on a 16-oz water bottle
•     1 teaspoon of butter = standard postage stamp
•     1 cup cold cereal = baseball
•     ½ cup rice or pasta = ½ baseball
•     1 ounce hard cheese = 4 dice
•     1 potato = computer mouse
•     1 piece of fruit = baseball

Helping Hands

Not savvy at visualization techniques? Not everyone keeps four dice, a postage stamp and a shot glass on-hand for every meal. Luckily, you can also use your hands to gauge portion sizes.

 “If your hand is smaller than average, [your body is] probably smaller than average and needs less food,” Young says.

 Here’s a quick rundown for hands-on portion control:

•    3 ounces of meat, fish or poultry = palm of your hand
•    ¼ cup mixed nuts or granola = 1 layer on your palm
•    1 cup veggies or berries = tight fist
•    1 cup popcorn or cereal flakes = 2 cupped hands
•    ½ cup rice or pasta = rounded handful
•    ½ teaspoon oil or butter = 1 fingertip

 Not All Portions are Created Equal

Rather than focus on deprivation or cutting out entire food groups, the Portion Teller Plan advocates eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. You’ll fill up faster and feel more satisfied without going overboard on calories.

 “If you want a cookie, have a cookie. But have it with a bowl of berries and you’re less likely to feel deprived.”

 Healthy Snack Choices

 60 Calorie Snacks:

• Baked apple with cinnamon.
• One serving of fat-free whole grain crackers.
• One half-ounce of pretzels.
• Two cups of air-popped popcorn.
• One cup of sugar-free cocoa.
• Six ounces of nonfat vanilla yogurt.

125 Calorie Snacks:

• One ounce of cold cereal with nonfat milk.
• Half a bagel or English muffin with non-fat cream cheese or fruit spread.
• One serving of fat-free crackers with one ounce of fat-free cheese.
• One half-cup of sugar-free pudding.
• Six ounces of nonfat vanilla yogurt with a small piece of fruit.

 170 Calorie Snacks:

• One ounce of cold cereal with sliced fruit and nonfat milk.
• One slice of whole-wheat bread with one ounce of reduced-fat cheese.
• Ten animal crackers and nonfat milk.
• One ounce of fat-free tortilla chips topped with one cup pf salsa.
• One half of a turkey or lean meat sandwich with mustard.

Set mini realistic goals for yourself and reward yourself with NON-FOOD items. It could be as simple as a movie, luxury bath, or some purchase you have always wanted.  You should always congratulate yourself for a job well done...rewarding yourself is just one more motivational factor that will help in obtaining your short and long term goals.

  
Reward Yourself for a Job Well Done
By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, LifeScript Staff Writer

You’ve managed to set yourself some healthy weight loss goals and you’re really going for it – congrats! So what’s your reward? No reward? Oops. We always want a return on our efforts, and we want it now. Sure, getting fit is a healthy return for all of your hard work, but let’s be honest – it can take a long time to notice any improvements. You want more, don’t you? Very few human beings would be satisfied with just waiting patiently for the weight to drop off. Instead, we want regular pats on the back and constant reminders about just how hard we’re working. So instead of risking your ability to stick with your program long-term, develop a personal reward program that will benefit you today. Rewards can be just about anything, but should always focus on helping you reach your goals rather than making you take a step back. So instead of an ice cream binge to reward your recent 5-pound weight loss, plan for a weekend trip away or splurge on a new pair of shoes. Whatever you choose, just be sure that it motivates you enough to keep you heading in the direction of your weight loss goal.

Be first to comment this article

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved