More Tips....

1. Portion size matters.

Well, that makes sense. Calories in versus calories out is the key to weight loss, weight gain or weight maintenance. If you eat more calories than your body needs, you will gain weight. If you eat less calories than the body will burn, you will lose weight. Bigger portions = more calories. Truthfully, it really doesn't matter energy-wise to the body whether the calories are fat, carbohydrate or protein. If you look at any of the weight loss pills, there is always a footnote or inserted pamphlet about following some type of meal plan and/or exercise. Even the different types of diet books or programs always have a low calorie meal plan, even when there is a focus on some particular food or food group touted as the means to success.


If you have ever seen the commericals or TV programming that shows what portions used to look like, it is no wonder that our country has an obesity epidemic. McDonald's is back to giving away "free" Coke glasses but only with the purchase of a value meal, which includes some hefty sandwich, large fries and the large soda - all large portions when compared to the recommended portions on the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. Most restaurants, but especially Mexican restaurants, serve their food on king sized, actually platter sized, plates. A survey conducted by the American Institute for Cancer Research showed that 7 out of 10 Americans said they finish their restaurant entree all or most of the time, regardless of the portion size.


In another interesting study, participants were given varying types of food in varying portion sizes. Those receiving the largest portion of the high-energy dense (more calories for the size of the portion) foods ate 56% more that those offered smaller portions of the less energy dense foods. Surprisingly, the participant's rating of how full they felt after the meals did not differ.


Bottom line is: eat more of the low-calorie dense foods (fresh fruits and vegetables) and less of the high-calorie dense foods (meat, poultry, starches, etc) to achieve the same satiety value with lower calorie intake. Study the Food Guide Pyramid for recommended number of portions for each food group and the recommended portion size per serving to get a better idea of what a real portion should be. Oh, and use a smaller plate at home. It will look like you have more food on the smaller plate and improve the level of satisfaction with the meal. Correct portion sizes for achieving good nutrition can look a little skimpy on a large dinner plate and make you feel short-changed.

2. Don't Skip Meals.

This seems so logical if one is trying to keep hunger at bay but so many people skip the most important meal of the day - breakfast (breaking the fast) and actually end up eating more throughout the day than if they had started the day with a good meal. A study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that eating three meals instead of two meals during a 24-hour period resulted in a higher satiety (satisfaction) value, even though the total calorie intake was the same. Studies have also shown that binge-eating, which typically happens when meals are skipped, results in an increase in body weight. So breakfast skippers beware. If you think skipping breakfast is a good way to lose or control your weight, you may be doing the exact opposite of what you intend. A healthy meal replacement shake will get the day started right and improve control of the hunger pangs that can derail even the best of intentions.