Tag: “ways to lose weight

Portion Control vs. Elimination Diets

 

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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

 

Five Easy Ways to Start Losing Weight Without Dieting

Woman is Hungry Dieting

  1. Avoid one of the biggest weight gain traps in your neighborhood! At least for now, stay clear of take out or restaurants for lunch and dinner on a weekly basis. Don’t stop eating out completely, however, the average American eats out 4-5 times per week. A group of nutritionists were given meals at various restaurants around the country. During the study it was discovered that even the nutritionists grossly underestimated the amount of calories in the meals. Between large portion sizes, and a lack of control of what goes in the food, the calories pack on fast. Simply brown bag it and cook at home six days a week for the next two months and you’ll watch your waistline get smaller and your wallet get fatter!

  2. Watch those temptations! Cut those daily trips to the coffee shop. Coffee shops are full of all kinds of calorie packed goodies. If you really need that pick me up, I understand. Either make it at home or stick to a good old-fashioned cup of coffee or espresso with a small amount of real creamer (not the flavored or processed stuff) or sugar (1 packet). Keep a healthy snack with you to enjoy with the coffee when on the go. Some ideas to have on hand in your office or car: fruit, healthy crackers, nuts (watch portion size), yogurt, etc.

  3. Hydrate! Research shows that when the body is dehydrated your liver has to work extra hard and slows down how you metabolize fat. One way to check is to make sure your urine is pale yellow to clear. General guidelines are to drink eight to twelve 8 oz glasses of water per day. Some of us need a bit more or less due to lifestyle and activity differences, so the color of your urine is key. You do not want it to look like light beer!

  4. Get enough sleep. There is a direct correlation between proper sleep (approximately 8 hours) and people that lose or maintain their weight.

  5. Add five minutes! If you are currently exercising, add an extra 5 minutes: 5 minutes x 6 days equals 30 minutes. That’s an entire workout for most people! What’s an extra five minutes?

There you go. These are five easy tips to start losing weight without dieting. The key is consistency. Most people drop off after two weeks, which is why they never really see much success. Consistent habits of some kind caused weight gain. It’s going to take consistent new habits to lose it and keep it off. If you have read along this far, you are most likely someone that can stick to it!

I’d love to hear from you. Tell me below if you have a trick that works for you, or ask me about a stumbling block that may be
holding you back.

To your health!

Jennifer