It is really not easy to keep that trim figure of youth. In fact, often it disappears under th e rolls much earlier than you’ld like. I’m carrying an extra 10kg which I want to get rid of, but it’s hard. I’ve got to move more and I’m getting better at knowing what I’m putting down the hole. 80g of fat a day, for example. Half that and that 10kg might go eventually, but any more than that and I’d have to run marathons to loose it!
The tips below, from Lisa Young, are helpful.
1. Do not assume that the serving size information listed is what you will actually eat.
Reading serving size information can be very educational, if you pay close attention to the actual size (weight or volume) listed on the label. The label will tell you, for example, that if you eat a three quarters of a cup of cereal, it will contain 100 calories. However, if you eat double that amount, you will need to recognize that you are actually eating double the calories as well. Sounds like common sense, but for many of us, it does not register that bigger portions contain more calories.
2. Pay close attention to the number of servings per container or per package.
Even if you eat an entire muffin or candy bar that appears to be marketed for one person, the information on the serving size often states that it contains multiple servings.
3. Use visuals to help you estimate your serving size.
One cup of pasta is the size of a baseball. Two tablespoons peanut butter is the size of a walnut in a shell. Three ounces of meat is the size of a deck of cards. Becoming familiar with visuals can help you eyeball standard serving sizes so that you can then compare these servings to how much you actually eat. Because most of us can visualize common objects it’s a great way to keep portions in check. It makes you think about how much food you’re piling on your plate.
Here is my visual guide to eyeballing serving sizes.
• Nuts, quarter cup = golf ball
• Salad dressing or olive oil, two tablespoons = shot glass
• Peanut butter, two tablespoons = walnut in a shell
• Ice cream, half cup =half baseball
• Cheese, two ounces = eight dice
• Pasta or rice, one cup = baseball
• Oil, one teaspoon = water-bottle cap
• Meat, fish, or poultry, three ounces = deck of cards
• Bread, one ounce slice = CD case
4. Don’t snack out of a jumbo bag.
Familiarize yourself with the serving size on the food label, pour yourself one serving, and put the bag away. Practice this for chips, nuts, pretzels and other treats
5. Don’t be fooled by health halos and health claims on package labels.
Just because a food is labeled organic, gluten free, or low-fat doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you want. Calories are calories!
6. Fill up on fresh fruits and veggies.
You can’t go wrong by adding more fresh fruits and veggies that do not bear package labels to your plate. Eat an apple as a snack, add fresh berries to your yogurt, and fill half of your dinner plate with fresh vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are relatively low in calories and rich in nutrients so you can eat more without worrying too much about gaining weight.
7. Avoid your trigger foods.
If you can’t stop at one serving of chips or pretzels, then don’t even buy it. Choose a treat you can control and portion out.
8. Pay attention to how hungry you actually are and what else you are eating throughout the day.
9. Remember, you don’t need to eat the whole thing.
10. And finally, less is more!
As I often highlight in my talks, “What kind of sandwich isn’t fattening?” My answer: “half a sandwich.”
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