The Key to Successful Weight Loss

With at least 68.5% of Americans overweight, it’s no wonder that the weight loss industry is in the billions of dollars with more diets available than you can count.

Weight Loss - Big Business
Weight Loss – Big Business

You’ve worked all day, you are exhausted and have a family to feed. In a culture of 2 income families, it’s not uncommon to grab a quick bite from a fast food restaurant. Fast food tends to be very high in calories, but you think, I’m only getting one portion for myself and one portion for each of my family members. Surely, that’s okay. This article will take a look at one of the key strategies for successful weight loss and the ability to meet your weight management goals — portion control.

Portion vs. Serving Size

Jerusalem Shuk - Break
Jerusalem Shuk – Break

The terms “serving size” and “portion” are common terms we are all familiar with. But, is there a difference? What you eat is a portion. What you should eat is a serving size. The vast majority of adult Americans consume up to one third more food than they should eat. Understanding and effectively measuring serving size is part of the solution to the portion problem.

Portion Control: Can you guess the right portion?

Let’s take a fun quiz (cover the answers below before you begin).

Portions - Baseball, Hockey Puck, Light Bulb
Portions – Baseball, Hockey Puck, Light Bulb

1. Your bagel, hamburger bun, and cooked brown rice should be the same portion size. Should each be the size of a baseball, light bulb, or hockey puck?

2. How about corn on the cob? Would you choose a light bulb, computer mouse, or tennis can?
3. Baked potatoes come in all sizes. Which is the right size — light bulb, computer mouse, or tennis ball?

Portions: Tennis Ball, Computer Mouse, Soda Can
Portions: Tennis Ball, Computer Mouse, Soda Can

4. How can a serving of ground beef be measured? Would you choose a deck of cards, 3/4 the size of a soda can, or base ball?

5. What about popcorn? Would you choose a soda can, tennis canister, or light bulb?

Portions: Dice, Pocker Chip, CD
Portions: Dice, Pocker Chip, CD

6. Now for your serving of salad greens, cooked vegetables or fruit. Would you choose a deck of cards, hockey puck or baseball?

7. I confess to loving cheese. What is the serving size? Choose either a CD, 3 stacked dice, or 5 stacked dice?

8. Peanut butter is a favorite of many. Would you select a deck of cards, 3 stacked dice or a golf ball for a serving?

Portions: Deck of Cards, Golf Ball, Small Post-It Notes
Portions: Deck of Cards, Golf Ball, Small Post-It Notes

9. What would we do without butter or spread? Would you choose 1 dice, 1 poker chip, or a golf ball for a serving?

10. Now about that treat. How large should our brownie be? Would you choose a golf ball, small post-it notes, or a deck of cards?

Brownies

 

 

Answers: (1) hockey puck (2) light bulb (3) computer mouse (4) deck of cards (5) tennis canister (6) baseball (7) 3 stacked dice (8) golf ball (9) poker chip (10) small post-it notes

 

TIP #5: ADD WATER. Your stomach is like a balloon. Fill it with anything — burgers, apples, rice and you’ll eventually feel full. A smarter way to fill your belly without stuffing it with calories is to take sips of water between bites of food. This will increase the bulk in your stomach, blowing up the balloon, and help you feel full more quickly without a calorie glut.

TIP #6: FILL WITH FIBER. Fiber passes through your body undigested, slowing the absorption of nutrients and making you feel fuller longer, according to a 2008 review study by University of Minnesota researchers. Try adding high-fiber foods like whole wheat pasta, raspberries, beans, and peas to your meals.

How did you do on your quiz? Rather than carrying a bag containing light bulbs, tennis canisters, a computer mouse, dice, post-it notes, a deck of cards, tennis and base balls, what would remind you of the proper portion size?

(c) 2016 Karen Van Den Heuvel Fischer

Sweet and Sour … Gluten Free

Enjoy an easy-to-prepare healthy entree you can customize for your taste/needs. You’ll notice that I do not add salt. Most of our sodium intake is considerably higher than the F.D.A.’s daily recommended intake which contributes to health problems in a significant number of people (more on this later). I also did not add quantities to this particular recipe. That’s because you can make as much or as little as you wish. My preference is to make more than what we’ll need so I can freeze a meal for later use. It helps in a crunch and avoids the easy, high calorie way out of stopping by a fast food restaurant.

Ingredients
Sweet & Sour Ingredients
Sweet & Sour Ingredients
  • Your choice: chicken, pork, beef, or tofu
  • Vegetables: broccoli, corn, snow peas, carrots, onions, mushrooms (and any others you enjoy)
  • Pineapple
  • Sweet & Sour Sauce (check for any ingredients you may be sensitive to on the label)
  • Hot Sauce if you like it spicy
  • Rice: I prefer an organic wild medley, however, choose your favorite (keep in mind that whole grain is always better than white)
Sweet & Sour in Pot
Sweet & Sour in Pot

Precook your chicken, pork, or beef and set it aside. Chop the vegetables in bite size pieces. In season, I prefer fresh, but fresh vegetables lose their vitamin potency with time, so if it’s off season, use frozen or canned. Sauté the vegetables until tender but firm, not mushy. You may want to start with the carrots since they tend to take a little longer and are the only vegetable where the availability of a vitamin actually improves upon cooking (Vitamin A). Add the rest of the vegetables, pineapple, sweet and sour sauce. Finish by adding the meat/tofu. Dole out a healthy serving size (1 cup of the vegetable/meat mixture and 1/2 cup of cooked rice).

On the Road to Healthy Living: Foolproof Your Plan!

Health and nutrition are foremost in our minds. With the changes in healthcare, most people avoid seeing the doctor – the high deductibles make the cost prohibitive for the average American. It is proven that obesity is a risk factor in a number of life threatening illnesses. Undernutrition is also a serious problem. You may be at your ideal body weight, but perhaps you don’t eat right. We’ve all heard the adage, “You are what you eat.” We only have one life, let’s take care of it with a healthy living plan!

Take Control

Pike Place Market (6)

You’ve made the decision to take control of your life. Congratulations! If you have a family, you not only have a responsibility to yourself, but you have a responsibility to your family as well. Studies show that success doesn’t just happen overnight. You need to set your goals and follow a realistic plan.

Set Your Goals

Be realistic in setting your goals. Make sure it’s one you can achieve within a reasonable time period. Realistic, achievable, reasonable goals are more likely to succeed. Get ready to ask yourself the following questions and make a list.

  1. What outcome would you like to achieve? If you are trying to eat healthier, list your reasons why.
  2. What steps are necessary to achieve your goals? Remember, it’s easier to change a few behaviors at a time rather than get overwhelmed with a long “to do/to change” list. Many helpful tips are forthcoming, so stay tuned!
  3. Be committed. It’s critical to success. I suggest making it official with a contract.    Sign a Contract
  • List objectives & behavioral goals.
  • Measure your progress with milestones.
  • Reward yourself for meeting contract terms.
  • Sign it in front of witnesses who care (family or friends).
  • Initially, you may want to reward positive behaviors, but after you start to progress, focus your reward on positive results.

TIP #3: FIND AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER. Find a friend or family member who also want to make healthy changes. Share your goals and plans and check in with each other on a regular basis. Hold each other accountable!

TIP #4: CUT OUT DISTRACTIONS. Eating while preoccupied impairs your brain’s ability to watch your food intake, according to a 2009 review of studies. Turn off the TV, close the laptop, and stop playing games with your smartphone. Your stomach will thank you.

(For Tips #1 & #2 see Start Over/Take Charge!)

IMG_4930What do you see as the biggest challenge?

Now that you’ve made the decision to start and take control, next we’ll take a look at an important weight management strategy. It just may be the most effective tip you can use to reach your goals.

(c) 2016 Karen Van Den Heuvel Fischer

Start Over/Take Charge: Energy Balance & Weight Control

 

As a society, we are bombarded with information offering weight loss tips, the wonders of supplements, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, B vitamins, Vitamin D, Calcium, phytochemicals, fish oil and exercise. We’ve heard about the problems with gluten, GMO’s, and food allergies. We struggle with shedding pounds that have crept up over the years and figuring out what foods to trust and who to trust. I have been a Registered Dietitian with a master’s degree in Nutrition for more years than I care to admit and teach Human Nutrition at the university level. My goal is to help you discern fact from fiction and leave you with some helpful tips starting with energy & weight control. I’ll also periodically share tried and true healthy recipes.Pike Place Market (6)

Let’s get started:
Most people’s New Year’s resolutions have gone by the wayside and spring is approaching with new resolutions to lose those excess pounds. Since the majority of American adults are overweight (68.5%) with more than 1/3 of American adults classified as obese, the first series will start with getting on the road to obtaining your ideal weight. Check out the 5 pound human fat model:

 

Energy balance and how it relates to weight management:Karen in cornfield September 2012

All living things require energy to live and function. Humans consume energy in the form of calories. Whenever you eat or drink, ENERGY is coming IN. At the same time, your body is constantly working, so ENERGY is going OUT.

  • Calories are burned during basic life functions like digesting and breathing (basal metabolism rate).
  • Because children are developing and growing, they need extra calories.
  • A larger person burns more daily calories than a smaller one.
  • A certain number of calories are burned through daily activities.
    • More calories are burned by people with active lifestyles than those whose lifestyles are not as active.
    • The more vigorous the physical activity the more calories are burned. Hence, more calories are burned running than they are walking.

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Energy balance means that your ENERGY IN = ENERGY OUT

Don’t think that your energy IN and OUT has to balance every day. It doesn’t. Whether you can maintain a healthy weight is determined by the balance over time. And remember, children need energy to grow properly. Therefore, their energy balance occurs when natural growth is supported without creating excess weight gain.

Think about your goals: Ask yourself if you are happy where you are, or whether you need to lose or gain weight. If you need to gain or lose a significant amount of weight, don’t forget to discuss your goals/plan with your doctor. More on setting your goals in the next blog.

TIP #1: WRITE IT DOWN. Keep a journal of everything you put in your mouth as you consume it. Not only will it give you an accurate record, but if you know you are going to write it down, you may think twice about eating something you shouldn’t.

TIP #2: USE AN APP. There are a wide variety of apps available that count the calories you consume as well as those you expend. You may want to check out www.mypyramidtracker.gov.

For those who have tried a food and activity tracking app, what is your experience? Are there any recommendations worth sharing?

(c) 2016 Karen Van Den Heuvel Fischer