Posts Tagged ‘portion control’
Heart healthy on Valentine’s Day
Ready to get a heart-on this Valentine’s Day? Why not show a little love and affection for yourself (and your body) by learning a little more about healthy foods and new trends that can make a positive difference in your eating habits as well as for your health.
Below, I’ve compiled some recent “Most Asked Questions” with my answers – along with some exclusive “Just Stop Bonus Tips.” Think of each of these as a calorie-free bonbons (of sorts) – each meant to enrich your life, not to mention further your love affair with feeling better and looking great. (Happy Heart’s Day!)
Question: Which is healthier for you? Wild-caught salmon or farmed salmon?
Answer: Wild-caught salmon is healthier, because it contains less pollutants than farm-raised salmon.
Just Stop! Bonus Tip: If only farm-raised is available, remove the skin from the farmed salmon (since most of the pollutants are stored in the fat) and cook the salmon all the way through.
Question: Is bottled water better for you than tap water?
Answer: No. Although popular, a recent 4-year study reveals that bottled-water offers no more benefits – or even purity – than tap water. Plus, plastic bottles pollute our world and use up natural resources (not to mention cost way more than simply going to the kitchen sink).
Just Stop! Bonus Tip: Drink from the tap – but be sure to investigate your local water supplies health ratings and even install a filter on the sink itself for when using it for drinking water.
Question: Which is the better choice? Butter or margarine?
Answer: Butter – hands down. Although equaling about the same calories and saturated fat found in butter, margarine also contains dangerous trans fats – usually about 2-3 grams per teaspoon.
Just Stop! Bonus Tip: The less processed and more natural a food product is, the healthier it is for you – even if it’s higher in calories and/or fat.
Question: When you can’t control portion size at a restaurant, what visual reference should you use to determine how much of a single serving of meat you should eat at one sitting?
Answer: About 3-4 ounces – approximately the same size of a deck of cards.
Just Stop! Bonus Tip: When your food arrives, cut off the portion you’re going to eat and take the rest home to enjoy at another meal.
Question: Which fruit juice is better for you – one that’s virtually clear, or one that appears “cloudy”?
Answer: The murkier the juice, the more antioxidants it contains.
Just Stop! Bonus Tip: The more “clear” the juice appears to be, the more processed it is (and therefore has had much of the actual fruit removed).
The more we know, the more successful we can be. And that’s something to make our heart happy (not to mention heart healthy) every day of the year.
My cup runneth over
I remember when I tipped the scales at over 450 pounds and began dieting the sane way (eating less, moving more, getting plenty of sleep and drinking enough water). The success was immediate and I lost most of my excess weight (over 250 pounds of it) in just about a year’s time. Still, it was a tough journey — during which there were many moments when I looked forward to the diet being “over” so that I could go back to what I thought was the “normal way of eating.”
Little did I realize that what I thought was a normal way of eating (gobbling down whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted) was actually anything but normal — and certainly not the way to attain and maintain everlasting health. This, alas, has meant that the “diet mentality” is one that I’ve had to keep at the forefront of my mind every day of my life (even after reaching my goal weight of around 175 pounds).
I discovered this sobering fact after I reached my goal weight and started “allowing” myself to eat the way I used to eat (before the diet). Needless to say, I did some yo-yo-ing. Up the scale a few pounds. Down the scale a few pounds. Up the scale several pounds (into the high double digits)… And so on.
Before long, I realized that keeping my portions and food choices in mind was something I was going to have to stay committed to for the rest of my life — assuming I wanted to keep fitting into my newly aquired “regular size” clothes (not to mention keep my newly aquired healthy blood pressure, cholestrol counts, etc.).
Even today, there are times that my cup (as in my measuring cup) runneth over. And in the case of food intake, that’s not necessarily a good thing. Perhaps it’s when pouring a “mountainous cup” of cereal for myself in the morning. Or when choosing a large size of frozen yogurt (instead of a medium one) on a Saturday afternoon. Or even when slicing too much avocado onto my lunch salad or (heaven forbid!) when steaming too many green beans to serve with my evening meal.
“Stop the presses!” you might be thinking to yourself. “Can there really be such a thing as too many steamed green beans?” Well, in my experience… Absolutely.
In fact, there can be too much of anything — whether it’s green beans, avocado or ice cream. I find that once I teeter into the “too much food” territory (even if semi-innocently through green beans serving as a “gateway drug” of sorts), this habit soon has the potential to overtake all of my food portion measurements and/or choices. And eventually this leads to my jeans being a little less fun to pull on. Much less fasten. And don’t get me started on buckling the belt.
Luckily for me, slightly tighter clothes offer the signal that something’s off in my daily routine. And even as I blog about and share my ideas for weight loss success, every now and then I must shout out, “Physician, heal thyself.” (Technically it’s Blogger, heal thyself — but physician sounds so much more lofty, don’t you think?)
So, yes. Recently I’ve had to pull out my set of measuring cups and reincorporate them into daily use. It turns out that even after a decade of losing the excess weight and keeping it off, I can’t always be trusted when pouring my multi-grain breakfast cereal. As much as I’d like to think that I can “eyeball” a desired portion, it’s not always true. Especially right after my morning workout when my stomach is growling loudly.
When first using measuring cups after a period of not using them, I’m usually surprised at how “small” a cup of cereal (or a healthy portion of steamed green beans) is. Then again, I’m also surprised (happily so) by what it’s like to eat a healthy portion and feel satiated without feeling overly full after a meal. This is all a good reminder that sometimes it’s necessary to reaquaint ourselves with what kinds of portions we should be eating to achieve lasting health (not to mention which kinds of foods).
So as much as I sometimes think to myself, “I shouldn’t have to measure my portions anymore,” my jeans remind me that I do. And this consciousness is necessary for every other aspect of my healthy eating (and living) efforts as well. Think of it as a reboot if you will… A reminder that sometimes we must recalibrate to recommit (and perhaps even re-achieve) the success that we’ve worked so hard for — and that we want to maintain for the rest of our lives.
Have a heart
This Valentine’s Day, show a little love and affection for yourself by learning a little more about healthy foods and new trends that can make a positive difference in your eating habits as well as for your health. Here, I’ve compiled some of your recent “Most Asked Questions” with my answers – along with some exclusive “Just Stop Bonus Tips.” Think of each of these as a calorie-free bonbons (of sorts) – each meant to enrich your life, not to mention further your love affair with feeling better and looking great.
Question: Which is healthier for you? Wild-caught salmon or farmed salmon?
Answer: Wild-caught salmon is healthier, because it contains less pollutants than farm-raised salmon.
Just Stop! Bonus Tip: If only farm-raised is available, remove the skin from the farmed salmon (since most of the pollutants are stored in the fat) and cook the salmon all the way through.
Question: Is bottled water better for you than tap water?
Answer: No. Although popular, a recent 4-year study reveals that bottled-water offers no more benefits – or even purity – than tap water. Plus, plastic bottles pollute our world and use up natural resources (not to mention cost way more than simply going to the kitchen sink).
Just Stop! Bonus Tip: Drink from the tap – but be sure to investigate your local water supplies health ratings and even install a filter on the sink itself for when using it for drinking water.
Question: Which is the better choice? Butter or margarine?
Answer: Butter – hands down. Although equaling about the same calories and saturated fat found in butter, margarine also contains dangerous trans fats – usually about 2-3 grams per teaspoon.
Just Stop! Bonus Tip: The less processed and more natural a food product is, the healthier it is for you – even if it’s higher in calories and/or fat.
Question: When you can’t control portion size at a restaurant, what visual reference should you use to determine how much of a single serving of meat you should eat at one sitting?
Answer: About 3-4 ounces – approximately the same size of a deck of cards.
Just Stop! Bonus Tip: When your food arrives, cut off the portion you’re going to eat and take the rest home to enjoy at another meal.
Question: Which fruit juice is better for you – one that’s virtually clear, or one that appears “cloudy”?
Answer: The murkier the juice, the more antioxidants it contains.
Just Stop! Bonus Tip: The more “clear” the juice appears to be, the more processed it is (and therefore has had much of the actual fruit removed).
The more we know, the more successful we can be. And that’s something to make our heart happy (not to mention heart healthy) every day of the year.
One meal = no big deal
No matter how long we’ve been waging the battle of the bulge, one thing is certain: One meal didn’t make us fat. Yet as dieters, we obsess over Thanksgiving for days or even weeks ahead of time. The fact is, if you enjoy yourself during that one, single meal, it won’t hurt your weight loss efforts one bit.
The key is to stay committed to your healthy eating plan before the big Turkey Day meal and to get back on your plan the minute the meal is over.
No gratuitous snacking.
No “long weekend off.”
It’s simple : One meal. Enjoyed. ‘Nuff said.
(And a little extra exercise before or after won’t hurt either!)
Be sure and let me know how you do. I really do care! (Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!)
Recipe: Steak à la Gregg
Looking to cook up some mouth watering, diet friendly steaks that are as healthy as they are delicious? Well, look no further – because I’m going to share my tried and true recipe for creating delicious steaks that are sure to please any dieter as well as any dinner guest (whether the guest is on a diet or not).
I usually fix these steaks on Sunday nights as a special weekend treat. And the best part is, when having guests over, I don’t have to do anything different to “dress up” (read: add flavor to) their steaks. Easy. Fast. Delicious. No outdoor grill necessary. Just a broiler and a few spices. And the best part? Steaks prepared this way won’t wreck your diet!
First things first: Look for steaks that are red, juicy and fresh (always check the expiration date and never purchase steaks that are about to “expire” or look dull in color or that are even starting to “grey”). The steaks should also have “fat veins” running through the meat as well as some fat around the edges. We won’t be using any additional butter or oil with this recipe, so the fat in the steak helps with the flavor (making the steaks virtually self-basting while broiling and extremely juicy and tender for eating).
And no, this naturally occurring fat won’t harm your healthy eating plan when eaten in moderation. (It’s all about balance, remember?)
I usually prefer big, thick Rib-eye steaks. And the cuts of meat I prefer are large. But as you’ll read later, each of the steaks I buy serve up more than one serving, which makes for convenient “left over” meals during the week.
Steak à la Gregg
2 – 4 Rib-eye Steaks (depending on number of guests – can always make 1 steak, too)
Granulated Garlic
Fresh Ground Pepper
Directions
• Preheat Broiler to Highest Setting
• Line Shallow, Broiler-Safe Baking Pan with Nonstick Aluminum Foil
• Place steaks on foil (in pan)
• Cover each steak generously with Granulated Garlic and Fresh Ground Pepper
• Broil for 10 – 17 minutes, depending on thickness of meat
• Remove pan from broiler, turn steaks over, re-sprinkle with Garlic and Pepper (being careful of the sometimes bubbling liquefied fat)
• Broil for 5 – 7 minutes more (depending on desired cooking temperature)
• Remove from Broiler (again, being careful of the sometimes bubbling liquefied fat)
• Carefully remove steak from broiling pan, place on doubled paper towel (on plate)
• Put another doubled-paper towel on other side, then “press” steak (which is now between the paper towels) with spatula (this soaks up most of the “fat juice” from the steaks, but still leaves the steak moist with a little bit running liquid)
• Remove paper towels, turn steak over (so the first side cooked faces up for “best presentation” purposes)
• Add side salad (recipe for salad shown will be shared next week)
• Serve immediately
Additional Tip: As always, you want to keep portion control in mind. I usually eat about half of my steak and save the rest for an easy midweek meal (chopping up the remaining portion in a salad or simply warming it up and serving with steamed vegetables and freshly chopped cherry or grape tomatoes). If you think you might overdo it (eat too much!), then cut your steak portion in half before serving.
Also, because I know I will be reheating the saved portion of the steak later in the week, I usually undercook my steak a little, and avoid eating that part of it during the first serving.
For the side salad recipe, click here.
Please let me know how you like this recipe! Or better yet? Invite me over!
Happy Steak-ing!
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