Friday, July 9, 2010

Portion Control,..Don't Lie To Yourself!



 Most people are in denial of how much they eat.  I know this because I am told I eat like a bird, by people who eat four servings at a meal.   It does not take a rocket scientist to realize that all it takes to maintain a healthy weight is portion control and exercise.  If you don't keep a food diary, I recommend you do, but only if you aren't going to cheat and lie to yourself...by omitting how much you really eat.  At the bottom of this post is a listing of portion sizes....be honest!


How much pasta do you eat in one sitting?  ½ cup is a serving..get out a measuring cup and measure it.  Is that how much you are eating when you eat pasta?  3  ounces of meat is a serving.  That means a 12 oz steak is 4 servings!  Now tell me, when you go out to eat, do you only eat ¼ of that steak?  This is what I mean about being honest with yourself.   Put in your food diary that you ate the whole steak if you ate it all and then tally those calories by 4!  If you don't see it on paper, you will stay in denial and continue on a path to obesity! Some of you may already be there. Being a size one may not be what your body type is...but being more than 10-20 pounds overweight for your height isn't either.



Height
Obesity Point
Ft/inchesMeters
Pounds
Kilos
4.10
4.11
5.0
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
5.10
5.11
6.0
1.47m
1.50m
1.52m
1.55m
1.57m
1.60m
1.63m
1.65m
1.68m
1.70m
1.73m
1.75m
1.78m
1.80m
1.83m
143 pounds
148 pounds
153 pounds
159 pounds
164 pounds
169 pounds
175 pounds
180 pounds
186 pounds
191 pounds
197 pounds
203 pounds
209 pounds
215 pounds
221 pounds
65.0kg
67.3kg
69.5kg
72.3kg
74.5kg
76.8kg
79.5kg
81.8kg
84.5kg
86.8kg
89.5kg
92.3kg
95.0kg
97.7kg
100.4kg


Health Risks of Obesity
Once you suffer from obesity you run an increased risk of developing a number of conditions. Here are some examples: 
  • High blood pressure and stoke are twice as common in obese people.
  • Evidence is strong that obesity increases the risk of breast cancer (after menopause), womb cancer and kidney cancer.
  • Obesity may also increase the risk of colon cancer.
  • Gall bladder disease is three times as likely to occur in middle-aged obese women.
  • Diabetes is four times more common in middle-aged obese people than in middle-aged people of normal weight.
  • Coronary heart disease is twice as common in obese men under 45.


I am full after my one serving meal, that I don't even have room for dessert.  My body was trained to be this way.  All of my life, I have been active and kept myself at a healthy weight so it comes natural to me....being skinny doesn't come natural, but eating right does.  Sure I eat junk food.  But I spread it out over the day and stay within my calorie limits.


When you stop off at Mc Donald's.....get a kids meal!  Its a serving!  Or if you must get a Big Mac (and I say this, because sometimes I must), eat half....OMG! Waste food?  Its better to throw it away than put all of that extra food into your body.  Who  are you kidding when you devour that extra food so it doesn't "go to waste".  Better in the trash than on your ass (or stomach in men)!

Give yourself some love, some tough love!  9 out of 10 people WILL discriminate against you because of your size.  The world isn't going to change.  If you are happy with your quality of life, than so be it.  But if you are constantly reminded of your size, hate looking in the mirror at yourself naked, or can't walk a mile without huffing and puffing, then do something about it!  

A calorie is a calorie is a calorie..as Jillian Micheals says. A pound weighs 3500 calories.  If you eat more than 3500 calories over your recommended daily intake, over the course of a week even, you gain a pound.   I don't' care if you eat 3500 calories worth of oreos or 3500 calories worth of  vegetables...if you eat 3500 calories over your allotted calorie limit, even over the course of a week, you gain a pound. If you need to lose, you must create a 3500 calorie deficit. Whether you break that over a few days or a week.  Work out and burn off some of it. You have to move.  Walking at a slow, drag your self along pace, is not considered exercise.  I am a firm believer that you can eat whatever you want, as long as its a portion and within your calories limits for the day.  Have that cookie, but don't forget you had it, and you may need to make up for it later, either with limiting your eating later on, or exercising extra hard to work it off.

Find a workout buddy...someone who will push you.  Start out power walking.  Don't make excuses for yourself.  Get your eating under control and get your body moving!

Here  is a portion manual from The Florida Interagency Food and Nutrition Committee that I found online.  It's a pdf document  It has info for all ages, page 50 starts the adults info.  Read it! and page 60 has pics of what a portion of each food group should be, page 62 its in black and white if you want to print just that in black and white and hang it on the frige at home.  Page 72 has calorie allowances.  If you are not exercising, and walking around doing your normal day to day routines, is not exercise, you are considered sedentary.  Page 73 is suggested amounts of food to consume from each of the food groups and oils to meet recommended nutrient intakes for each calorie level.  This is a great resource.  And as I have said before, reading about health and nutrition can help keep you on track.  Read about it often. There are worksheets on page 74 for keeping track.  Just do it!

Teaching children early on is also very important!  If they are taught as children how to eat healthy, it will come naturally to them as an adult.

http://www.wellnessproposals.com/nutrition/nutrition-programs/be-wise-portion-size-program-manual.zip



Food 1 Serving Equals...
Breads, pasta, cereal, cooked grain, etc.
  • 1 slice of bread (looks like a CD case)
  • 1/2 a bagel (the size of a hockey puck)
  • 1 cup cereal (looks like two hands cupped together)
  • 1/2 cup cooked grain or pasta (one cupped palm)
Fruits
  • 1 piece of fruit (the size of a tennis ball)
  • 1/2 cup cut up fruit, raw, cooked, frozen, or canned (looks like 7 cotton balls)
  • 1/4 cup dried fruit
  • 3/4 cup 100% fruit juice
Veggies
  • 1/2 cup cut up veggie, raw, cooked, frozen, or canned (looks like the bulb part of a light bulb)
  • 1/2 cup cooked, canned or frozen legumes
  • 1 cup leafy greens
  • 3/4 cup 100% vegetable juice
Meat, chicken, or fish
  • 3 ounces (looks like a deck of cards or a checkbook)
  • 1 egg
Dairy
  • 1oz. of cheese (1 oz. looks like 2, 9-volt batteries)
  • 1/2 cup ice cream, cottage cheese or pudding
  • 1 cup milk or yogurt
Nuts
  • 1/3 cup (a small handful)
  • 1 tbsp nut butter (size of both your thumbs)

Does this image look familiar?  Do you run and play with your kids like this?  You should!  It will keep you young!

1 comment:

That's my story and I'm sticking to it, at least for now. said...

http://www.southbeachdiet.com/sbd/publicsite/food-journal-benefits.aspx

From South Beach Diet..

Daily Dish
Journaling Your Way to Weight-Loss Success
It’s been proven: To succeed at losing weight, you have to pay attention not only to what you eat but also to what you write. As you follow the South Beach Diet, writing down what you put in your mouth will help keep you from overeating. In fact, the National Weight Control Registry, a well-regarded, long-term weight-loss study, found that journaling is one of the most powerful tools used by people who have lost weight and kept it off. Here, four more reasons to start a journal today:


You’ll be more aware of snacking.
Quick: What did you eat yesterday? Sure, you can remember your meals, but what about those between-meal nibbles? On the South Beach Diet we recommend a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack, but it’s often easy to overlook the other little bites you may inadvertently indulge in throughout the day. And they can add up. Writing everything down can help you be more aware of your eating habits.


You’ll discover your diet detours.
Are you a late-night snacker? Do you find yourself hitting the vending machine during the mid-afternoon lull? Or do you indulge in sweets when you’re unhappy, stressed, or even, paradoxically, when you’re especially happy? Knowing what your eating triggers are ahead of time will keep you on track. To break bad habits, you should record not only what and when you eat but also the circumstances that prompted you to overindulge and make bad choices.


You’ll see results — quickly.
If you’re committed to losing weight and improving your health, your food diary will give you a quick (and satisfying!) glimpse at the progress you’re making. Just compare entries from week to week. If you’re staying on track, you’ll see more veggies and whole-grains listed, while noting a downturn in processed carbs and unhealthy fats. And seeing all those smart food choices will be positive reinforcement as you work toward your health and weight-loss goals.


We make it easy for you!
The best part? The My Journal tool on South Beach Diet Online allows you to log your foods and track your progress. You can also jot down your thoughts and feelings, sort through challenges you’ve faced, and record your successes. Moreover, you can keep your entries private, or you can share them with other South Beach Dieters and compare your experiences. You can also read the Journals of other members (who have made them public) to understand their challenges, rewards, and experiences. Not a member? Sign up to join the South Beach Diet Online today and get access to the My Journal tool.
See all South Beach Diet Tips