Category: Weight Loss Without Diet

Portion Control vs. Elimination Diets

 

Want to hear the latest?

According to the consulting and market research firm The Hartman Group, portion control is trending in and elimination diets are trending out in 2012.

Thank goodness!  I am so relieved to hear this. You all know there is no magic pill.  A well balanced approach to food is the answer to long term weight loss, and a much happier existence.

Portion control is one of the most important secrets behind weight loss.  A restrictive elimination style diet can cause binging and over eating.  Portion control teaches you how to eat the foods you like in moderation.  You may be asking how to control portion sizes without scales and various other measuring tools. What to do when you eat out? Great questions!

Five Simple Tips for Portion Control:

1)  Read the fine print!  Yes! The labels will tell you how many calories, but make sure you read how many servings are in that bag of chips, energy drink, box of crackers, etc.  Most snack size bags are actually two servings– not one!

2)  Are your plates super sized?  Over the years it’s become fashionable to have large plates.  Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell you to get new dishes!  However, a plate that is smaller will appear fuller and may satisfy you more.

If you feel like you need the extra visual help, you can purchase plates that have the portion sizes built into them. Everything from plastic to china.  Another way I combat the empty looking plate is to use bowls. They appear fuller and I am able to scoop out the proper portion sizes with a ladle.

3)  Develop a visual system.  Not all plates are created equal so it is helpful to know what a proper serving is. Here are some visual cues/examples to help you with portion size, courtesy of WebMD:

  • Vegetables or fruit: about the size of your fist.
  • Pasta: about the size of one scoop of ice cream.
  • Meat, fish, or poultry: the size of a deck of cards or the size of your palm (minus the fingers).
  • Snacks such as pretzels and chips: about the size of a cupped handful.
  • Apple: the size of a baseball.
  • Potato: the size of a computer mouse.
  • Bagel: the size of a hockey puck.
  • Pancake: the size of a compact disc.
  • Steamed rice: the size of a cupcake wrapper.
  • Cheese: the size of a pair of dice or the size of your whole thumb (from the tip to the base).

4)  It’s okay to go back for seconds! Try serving from the kitchen counter to avoid reaching mindlessly for a second helping. If after 20 minutes you are still hungry, then go back and load up on veggies or a 1/4 to1/2 second serving.

Eating out?  No problem.  Ask your server about the portion sizes. Start with one or two dishes and then decide if you want more.  The kitchen will still be there!

5)  You do not have to finish everything on your plate!  Many of us were raised not to waste. This was a really important thing to teach us as children, and I am grateful for that up-bringing.  Unfortunately, this has been linked to overeating in adults.

I give you full permission to leave food on your plate. You will not be sent to your room! That may sound silly, however, so much of our childhood training affects the way we look at food. If you are like me and really dislike wasting food, then simply place whatever is left in a small container.  You can have it as a snack or combine with your lunch.

So there you go! These strategies can be implemented right away to help you with weight loss. Portion control is one of the best ways to begin cutting back on unnecessary calories without depriving yourself.

Have questions or tricks to share?  I’d love to hear from you below! 

Blessings to you and yours!

Jennifer

 

 


Lose Weight Living Your Life!

Family Running on beach

Welcome to Part 2 Of No Time to Work Out!

Sneak in Exercise!

What did you think of the most recent article? I Agree You Have No Time to Work Out!  I offered some really valuable tips on how my clients are overcoming this obstacle! If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend you do! This week’s tips will nicely complement last article’s suggested strategies.

Today I show you ways to maximize every day activities you are already performing; and I show you how to use them toward your weight loss/management goals.

1)   You may be more active than you realize! List the physical lifestyle activities you are already doing. These are either recreational or task oriented. Examples of lifestyle activities are gardening, walking the kids to school, raking leaves, housecleaning, taking the stairs at work, etc.

  • To get a “real life” picture, keep a 1-2 week journal. How much time does each take? Be sure to include that for each entry.

2)   Give yourself a high five for what you are already doing!  Total up the number of minutes from your list.  The standard recommendation for improving fitness levels is 210 minutes per week.  However, depending on type of exercise and the individual, closer to 300 minutes may be needed for weight loss (per The Mayo Clinic). [minor edit only]

For example, if you are walking your kids to school for a total of twenty minutes daily (20 x 5 = 100), subtract 100 minutes from 210.  This leaves us with only 110 minutes of activity to fit in during the busy work week! Divide that by six days and you are looking at a goal of one 20 minute exercise session six days per week.  If 300 minutes is your goal then you are looking at 33 minutes per day.

What do you think? Doesn’t that sound do-able? Did your “overwhelm” just disappear? You can start small and build up. Start with two sessions per week and work your way up.  Even if you have to start with 10 minutes, you will be surprised at how quickly your momentum will build and how much better you will feel.

3)  Wow! An hour of grocery shopping burns 156 calories! Did you know that?  You may as well burn those calories while reaching for healthy foods. Choose items you can assemble quickly to avoid eating out on busy days. That way you’ll avoid the hidden calories in restaurant food. Try buying roasted chickens, pre-washed lettuce, pre-cooked rice and frozen organic vegetables. Not only will you be cutting calories, but you’ll also save tons of cooking or traveling time! (More time for exercise!)

4)  Track your progress and create a caloric deficit!  Wear a pedometer or calorie counter that tracks daily activity for feedback and encouragement.  You can also track calories consumed versus calories burned to see if you are creating a deficit.  Data is empowering!

This will help you determine how much additional activity and or minutes you will need to add to start losing weight and/or maintain your current weight.

One of my clients gave a pedometer to her sedentary mother.  Her mother was motivated by the goal of visiting her grandchildren. She determined the number of steps she wanted to take per day and lost 50 lbs!  It can be done!

I hope these creative ideas help you tie your “every day” lifestyle into your weight loss or weight management program. It takes time and effort when we are fitting a proper weight loss regimen into a busy schedule. That’s why I will not make irresponsible claims like so many fitness ads you see in the media. However, I will tell you that when you begin to apply these principles you can and you will lose weight.

I’d love to hear from you. Did your activity inventory surprise you? How many active minutes did you discover in your day? As always, please feel free to let me know if there is anything I can help you with.

Blessings to you and yours!

Jennifer

 

Should You Weigh Yourself? Or Not?

The other day I was at the doctor’s office for an annual check-up. The nurse asked me to stand on the scale. I hopped on (with shoes and weater). She told me the number, “134.” Next, she escorted me into the room and left me by myself.

What happened next is very significant. I looked in the mirror and thanked God for my curves and my healthy body. And I thanked God for something even more important. It is so liberating to look at weight and clothing size as simply a number! Let me explain why this was such a big deal. There was a time when I weighed 116. Quite honestly, back then I considered 120lbs or more to be unacceptable! I wasn’t very healthy mentally or physically. My philosophy was the lower the number and the smaller the pants size, the better.

Hopefully, body image is not something you struggle with. But, if you are someone who does and are tired of it, you may be wondering how I have become so comfortable in my own skin. Let me share some secrets with you!

  1. Ignore your scale for a week. I have nothing against weighing yourself periodically, but this day and night weighing in can drive you insane. Weight fluctuates for many reasons. If you are someone who looks at those numbers as simply data and do not get emotional about it, I see no issue with a daily weigh-in.

    However, if you get all worked up or even depressed, then I suggest a once a week weigh-in. It should be on the same day, same time of day, and without clothes. This will help you track your positive progress and catch any small weight gain quickly.

  2. Embrace your body type. Avoid comparing yourself to others. Some are long and lanky, some are curvy. Some build bulk and some do not. I am not suggesting you accept being unhealthy or uncomfortable in your clothes. My desire for you is that you achieve your personal best–not what Hollywood or any other source tells you.

    My weight is considered heavy or overweight in Hollywood. But walking down the street, I am considered slender. Once I stopped comparing myself to the models in the magazines and focused on looking my personal best, I stopped obsessing about my weight.

  3. Decide what YOU want! You may want to “look” like the guy or gal on the cover of Mens’ Health or Shape Magazine! But do you know what your role model eats? Do you know the amount of time he works out—or that he’s paid to work out?

    Have you considered the photograph may have been air brushed–or the possibility that he’s had cosmetic surgery? A better idea might be to set a goal of feeling confident on the beach this summer? Or dropping one or more clothing sizes? You might even simply want to get the thumbs up at your next physical from your doctor!

  4. Change your language! This is critical. Maintaining a healthy, trim, toned body for life requires a variety of different steps. However, without this one you will have a tough road. I absolutely cringe when I hear men or women announce they have fat thighs, or ugly calves, or a “jelly” belly.

    The brain fights to be right. So each time you speak this over your body you are telling your subconscious that you are fat. This will cause behavior that is opposite to your desired goal. To quote Dr. Jack Atnip “Focus on what you want, NOT what you don’t want”.

    Substitute negative self talk with phrases like “body, you are strong and losing weight every day”, or “body, you burn off all calories I consume and my abs are getting tighter”. This can be tough for women who have friends or family that sit around and talk what I call the “fat language”. In the beginning you may just have to start with “if you don’t have anything nice to say to YOURSELF, don’t say it all”.

  5. Pick your weight and then take action! Earlier I mentioned my weight of 134. This is the weight I currently maintain without dieting or damaging my body. At this weight I’m comfortable in my clothing, including my bathing suit! I can afford to eat out once a week without even thinking twice about it.

    I do weigh myself periodically because I want to stay 134. I know what causes me to push the needle up, so I make healthy choices without depriving myself. Once you’ve determined a program that is realistic and offers results you’ll be satisfied with, it’s a lot easier to set a lifetime weight goal.

    Stop focusing on the numbers and pay attention to things like: how your clothes fit; how you’re breathing (short of breath?); how many steps your pedometer registered today; or how many meals you made at home.

Remember–there is only one you! You are uniquely designed. Avoid letting anyone set your goals for you—not the media, the medical community, our friends, or your family! When you are living your own life you can achieve anything!

Has this article helped you in any way? Do you have any questions? Please leave a comment or question for me. This site is designed for you so et me know how I can help you on your weight loss and/or healthy lifestyle journey!

Can you do me a favor? Jump on over to my Facebook page and tell me your thoughts. Does this sound like a good way to overcome your body image ssue? I await your comments! http://www.facebook.com/jcherryledford

Blessings to you and yours,

Jennifer