Week 2 of Healthy Weight Journey

Eat healthy portions

 

Growing up, my portions were based on filling up the entire plate, bowl, or container I was using. I was raised to eat everything that was on my plate! Because of that, I always thought that I should feel super stuffed after each meal! During my later years in college, I learned to match the portion size of my meals with what is the recommended serving size. I do this by using a little trick that I absolutely love. I use my hand measuring cups! It's an easy way for me to get an idea if the portion size of my meal is jumbo or not. Over time and practice, you will be able to eye ball what is too much and what is just right!

Hand Measuring Cups

Meals in perspective of Hand Guide!

Meal 1: 1 whole wheat toast, 1 Thumb of peanut butter, 1/2 banana

Meal 2: Handful of grapes

Meal 3: 2 Fists of lettuce, 1 Palm of chicken, 2 thump tips of balsamic vinaigrette.

Meal 4: 1 Apple with a thumb of Low fat Cheddar Cheese

Meal 5: 1 Palm of Halibut, 1/2 Fist of cooked Veggies, 1/2 fist of brown

rice

*this is an idea of how you should eat when you are dieting.

Try to eat foods from each of the food groups everyday!

Your body will thank you!

Type of Food	How many servings a day?	Example of 1 Serving
Fruits	2-3 Servings	1 apple, banana, or orange 3/4 cup of fruit juice 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
Vegetables	4 Servings	1/2 cup of cooked or chopped raw vegetables 3/4 cup of vegetable juice 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables
Protein	2 Servings	2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish
Dairy	2-3 Servings	1 cup of milk 1 1/2 to 2 ounces of cheese 1 cup of yogurt
Bread, Cereal, Rice, & Whole Grains	6-9 Servings	1 slice of bread 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal

* The range of servings represents recommended servings for less active women to very active women.

Tips to Keeping portions under control

1.) Use smaller plates or bowls. Instead of a dinner plate use a salad plate. The idea of having a full plate makes you more satisfied than having a plate that is partly filled.

2.) Eat slowly and enjoy your food. I like to try to guess all the ingredients  in dishes I eat. It is amazing how much more you can taste all the different flavors in a dish when you take the time to taste your food!

3.) Don't focus on what you cannot eat but focus on what you should eat! Make sure each meal has vegetables and/or fruits. Since vegetables and fruit have less calories per volume than most foods, your belly will feel full before you can get tempted to overload on junk food!

4.) If you are still hungry after eating your meal, wait 15-20 minutes to let your brain and stomach register if you are full or not. After you wait a little, you will be surprised that you are not hungry anymore!

5.) When eating out, order an appetizer or split a dish with a friend. Restaurant dishes are usually way to large. If there is a main dish you really want but do not have anyone to share with, just pack half of it away in a to go box before you start eating your meal! That way you will not be tempted to eat the whole entire plate!

Not So Guilty Christmas Jar

Why not give the Not so Guilty Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies as a gift?! Honestly, this is the best way for anyone to receive a fresh batch of cookies. All they have to do is just pour the cookie mix in a bowl, add 1 egg, 1/4 cup olive oil, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, spoon 12 globs on a baking sheet, and bake for 8-10 mins at 350 F! Easy Peezie Cookie Yum!  Each Jar makes a batch of 12 cookies, which is a perfect batch size to share with friends!

Directions

1.) Layer ingredients in same order ingredients listed below.

2/3 cup 100% whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cup oatmeal oats

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2.) Add your own personal touch! I wrapped a snowman cloth over the lid and tied it off with a white ribbon.

3.) Add a note with a personal message and baking directions.

4.) Give gift to a friend or loved one! If you are lucky, you might get one of the cookies they baked!

At first, getting the hang of eating the right portions can be difficult especially when eating out. But don't worry!  Over time as you keep measuring out your food, you will become familiar with what is a healthy portion size. You will start seeing that a lot of restaurant and fast food meals are super jumbo! Keep up the good work Healthy Babes! You are one step closer to healthier you! Yahoo!

Love, 

Cindy Kimmi