by kelsey | Jun 7, 2011 | Food, Weight Management
The world of nutrition has some very exciting news! The government has issued a new food plan in the shape of a plate rather than the pyramid. The plate replaces the pyramid as the main visual icon for ‘what to eat’ by the USDA, however the food groups and recommendations remain the same. This is in part of Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign that is working towards reducing the rates of obesity in America. I invite you all to check out the new website: www.choosemyplate.gov and work at achieving a healthy plate!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jun 1, 2011 | Diet, Food, Weight Management
Here are a few more tips to help you eyeball appropiate serving sizes. If you are just getting started watching your serving sizes, you could use your own measuring cups when at home to help you get the visual as well.
▪ 1 oz meatball—size of a golf ball
▪ 3 oz cooked fish, poultry, or meat—size of a deck of cards, the palm of your hand, or a checkbook
▪ 1 oz cheese—size of a lipstick tube or thumb
▪ 1 Tbsp peanut butter—size of the tip of your thumb
▪ 2 Tbsp peanut butter—size of a golf ball
▪ 1 medium piece of fruit—size of a baseball
▪ 1 medium bagel—size of a hockey puck
▪ 1 C dry cereal—a mounded handful
▪ 1 oz cheese—size of four dice
▪ 2 oz cheese—size of a pair of dominos
▪ 1 small baked potato—size of a computer mouse
▪ 1 C raw vegetables, yogurt, or sliced fruit—as much as would fit into an average woman’s hand
-Kelsey
by kelsey | May 31, 2011 | Diet, Food, Weight Management
Portion control and awareness of “how much” you are eating is essential to weight management success. The label will always have the serving size listed on top. Take some time to look at the recommended serving sizes and the nutrient information for that serving. For example in 1 Tbsp of ranch dressing, there is about 130 calories. If you aren’t sure what a Tbsp is, you may be getting way more calories than you are aware of. Here are some quick tips for eyeballing serving sizes to get you started.
▪ 1 teaspoon (tsp)—about the size of a (pointer) fingertip
▪ 1 tablespoon (Tbsp)—about the size of your thumb or a tube of lipstick
▪ ¼ cup (C)—one large egg
▪ ½ C—1 handful
▪ 1 C—the size of a tennis ball or as much as a woman’s palm can hold
Tomorrow I will discuss a few more ways to eye ball serving sizes.
-Kelsey
by kelsey | May 24, 2011 | Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health
Did you know that about 60% of our body is water? Water is used for every system in the body and when we don’t have enough, our body does not function as well. Are you a good water drinker? Personally, I make constant efforts to make sure I am getting enough water for hydration and overall health. One way that has really helped me be more aware is to get a fun colored water bottle and set a goal for the day of how many times I need to fill it up and empty it. We need about 8-9 cups a day, which is about 64-72 oz. Blue is one of my favorite colors, so if I fill up my pretty blue water bottle at least 2 times while at work, I have gotten about half of my daily fluid requirements. I find I do not do so well on the days I forget my water bottle as it really is a constant reminder to me! Next time you’re at the store, you may want to find a fun water bottle to help encourage you meet your daily fluid requirements.
-Kelsey
by kelsey | May 17, 2011 | Eating Out, Food, Weight Management
May brings out the best of graduation parties. Which in turn brings out the best food spreads! This last weekend, I had 3 parties in a row which made me remember the importance of mindful eating at times like these. When making the rounds to all of your parties, you will want to try a little something from each party so here are a few tips to help you get through these parties without needing to move that belt notch over another hole!
*Survey the entire food spread before taking any food. Decide what foods are worth eating and what can be ignored…why waste calories on food that don’t bring any pleasure!
*Eat your calories instead of drinking them. Watch out for the high sugar punch, mixed drinks, and regular pop.
*Try not to hang out by the food…find a comfortable spot across the room and focus on people rather than food.
*Watch your portions! Use a napkin or small plate rather than a big plate.
*Eat slowly and savor the taste!
In the next few posts I am also going to discuss food safety as this is essential when hosting parties. Have a great day and enjoy the sunshine!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Apr 28, 2011 | Diet, Etc., Food, Weight Management
Have you ever wondered how many calories, fat, sodium, protein, fiber….etc are in your foods? It’s a common question that I get daily, so I thought I’d share with you some excellent resources online where you can look this information up if you do not have a nutrition facts label. One important tip is that you will want to be sure to enter the appropriate serving size to give you the specific nutrition facts you are looking for.
-Kelsey
