Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! I am grateful to have this year to spend with family and friends. I feel so blessed. And on this holiday that tends to be focused on food, our tips will relate to portion control!
When we start an exercise or weight loss plan, it needs to be supplemented with a healthy diet. What happens when you start walking more and eating healthier, but do not see the results you expect? Talk about frustrating right? This lack of results can lead back in part to portion control.
Let's start by reviewing the categories of the Food Guide Plate
When we start an exercise or weight loss plan, it needs to be supplemented with a healthy diet. What happens when you start walking more and eating healthier, but do not see the results you expect? Talk about frustrating right? This lack of results can lead back in part to portion control.
Let's start by reviewing the categories of the Food Guide Plate
Each meal should look some what like this. Half your plate should be fruits and vegetables. A quarter of your plate you should grains (aim for whole-wheat, whole-grain). A quarter should be lean proteins, with a small serving of dairy. So what counts as one serving?
Fruits and Vegetables: one cup. One cup is roughly the size of your fist. IE: a medium sized piece of fruit, or measure one cup of chopped veggies, sliced fruit, or 100% juice.
Grains: one ounce. This can be harder to measure. If you have a food scale at home, use it. But it can range from 1 slice of bread, 1/2c. of rice, 1c. of cereal... it varies per food. Read more about measuring grains here
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/grains-counts.html#
Protein: three ounces. An easy measure is about the size of your palm. Protein choices should be lean in nature, such as chicken or turkey, lean cuts of beef, beans and legumes. Vary your proteins. Try and work in some seafood (if you can!!)
Dairy: one ounce. Dairy is referred to as milk, milk based desserts, cheese, and yogurt. One ounce is a string cheese, a 1x1 cube of cheese, one cup of milk or yogurt. Aim for low fat dairy products.
When in doubt, read the nutrition label for what counts as one serving.
So, let's talk about a couple meals:
Breakfast: 1 egg (protein) cooked with 1 oz. cheese (dairy), on a piece of whole-wheat toast (grain), 1 c. of 100% fruit juice, and 1 medium banana (fruits)
Lunch: 1oz. whole-wheat pasta (grain), 1c. diced tomatoes, 1c. spinach (veggies), 3 oz. chicken breast (protein), topped with 1 oz. parmesan (dairy)
Dinner: 3 oz. salmon filet (protein), 1 c. asparagus, 1 small baked potato (veggies), 1/2c. whole-grain rice (grain) (our last serving of dairy will come at dessert)
Dessert: 1c. plain yogurt topped with 5 sliced strawberries and 1 tbsp. honey
Practice portion control, sit at the table, and eat off a plate. Eat when your hungry, eat slowly, and stop when you're full. Practice reading food labels, and good luck during this Thanksgiving!!
JP
Fruits and Vegetables: one cup. One cup is roughly the size of your fist. IE: a medium sized piece of fruit, or measure one cup of chopped veggies, sliced fruit, or 100% juice.
Grains: one ounce. This can be harder to measure. If you have a food scale at home, use it. But it can range from 1 slice of bread, 1/2c. of rice, 1c. of cereal... it varies per food. Read more about measuring grains here
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/grains-counts.html#
Protein: three ounces. An easy measure is about the size of your palm. Protein choices should be lean in nature, such as chicken or turkey, lean cuts of beef, beans and legumes. Vary your proteins. Try and work in some seafood (if you can!!)
Dairy: one ounce. Dairy is referred to as milk, milk based desserts, cheese, and yogurt. One ounce is a string cheese, a 1x1 cube of cheese, one cup of milk or yogurt. Aim for low fat dairy products.
When in doubt, read the nutrition label for what counts as one serving.
So, let's talk about a couple meals:
Breakfast: 1 egg (protein) cooked with 1 oz. cheese (dairy), on a piece of whole-wheat toast (grain), 1 c. of 100% fruit juice, and 1 medium banana (fruits)
Lunch: 1oz. whole-wheat pasta (grain), 1c. diced tomatoes, 1c. spinach (veggies), 3 oz. chicken breast (protein), topped with 1 oz. parmesan (dairy)
Dinner: 3 oz. salmon filet (protein), 1 c. asparagus, 1 small baked potato (veggies), 1/2c. whole-grain rice (grain) (our last serving of dairy will come at dessert)
Dessert: 1c. plain yogurt topped with 5 sliced strawberries and 1 tbsp. honey
Practice portion control, sit at the table, and eat off a plate. Eat when your hungry, eat slowly, and stop when you're full. Practice reading food labels, and good luck during this Thanksgiving!!
JP