Your Weight Loss Victory Starts Today!

I have wanted to start a blog for some time on this topic and
this morning, I had my final impetus. Was was it, you might ask.

Well, today I heard a radio ad for a fast food restaurant
that offered "bottomless fries." I think this is taking
the supersized portions that have become so commonplace
to a new extreme. When one considers that a "small" (2.4 oz.)
portion of French fries has 210 calories, one shudders
to think what can happen with the potential for unlimited
consumption. A 1,000 calorie portion of French fries?
Not far fetched, considering that the limited "supersized"
(6.2 oz) portion of French fries has 540 calories.

It seems so simple, but yet this is much of the problem with the
prevalence of overweight and obesity. Too much food. The food
manufacturers, having created supersized portions are now
marketing and selling 100 calorie portions of snack foods.

But we need not allow ourselves to be spoon fed, so to speak, by
food manufacturers. We can limit portions on our own and
make great strides towards mastery, day-by-day of weight control.
I thought this was a great article on About.com


Top 10 Ways to Control Portions

by Jennifer R.Scott

Ask anyone who has achieved long-term
weight loss how they did it and they're sure
to mention portion control. In fact, it can
make or break your weight loss efforts.

Learn how to size up servings and avoid
overeating with the Top 10 Ways to Control
Portions.

1) Break Leftovers Down
Instead of using one large container to store leftovers
such as casseroles, side dishes, or pasta, why not
separate them into individually-sized containers?

That way, when you reach in the fridge to find
something to reheat, you're retrieving just
enough for one helping. Breaking down meal-sized
servings into single servings will help you limit
your food intake with no additional effort.

2) Say Yes to Salads
Eating a salad before lunch or dinner is a
sure-fire way to keep from overeating. It will
help curb your appetite and give you a sense of
satiety sooner.

Of course, we're not talking a little bit of
iceberg lettuce here. To reap full portion
control benefits from rabbit food, load up your
salad with veggies or even lean meat like turkey
cubes. The fiber in the veggies will help you
feel fuller and lean meat's protein will give you
an instant energy boost.

3) Single out Trigger Foods
Buy snack foods in single serving sizes or divvy
up full size packages into smaller, individual bags.
It may be difficult to stop eating, oh, say,
tortilla chips (My biggest weakness!) straight
out of the bag while watching Desperate
Housewives, but am I as likely to inhale the
contents of 12 zipper bags without some
forethought? Doubtful. More: Portion Pointer 4)
Master Mini Meals You can make sure your blood
sugar stays at an even keel and keep hunger at
bay by eating healthful small meals throughout
the day.

My friend Jenn has maintained a 30 pound weight
loss for three years and is in such great shape,
she became an aerobics instructor! She swears by
mini meals to maintain her weight and keep her
energy level up. Mini meals are by far the best
way to prevent overeating because you'll get
never too hungry and lose control of your portion
intake.

5) Keep Seconds Out of Sight
Don't serve family meals family-style. Keep pots and
dishes away from the table where it's all too easy to go
for seconds.

I can't tell you how many times I've rethought my
second helpings as I've made my way from the
table to the stovetop. I've often told myself to
sit back down and wait it out. Remember, it takes
about 20 minutes to feel satiated. By giving
myself that "breather" I've realized I wasn't
hungry enough for another helping after all.

6) Make Meat a Side Dish Treat
meat or meat-based entrees as a side dish rather
than the main part of your meal.
By loading up on veggies and healthy grains as
the bulk of your meal instead of using them as
sides, you'll feel full sooner and get extra
vitamins and fiber. Experiment with new
vegetables and preparation methods to keep things
interesting.

7) MeetYourself Halfway Make lunch a two-fer. Your
mid-day meal can work double duty by being shared
or serving as dinner.

At work, why not split take out with a buddy? At
a restaurant, pack up half of your meal before
you even start eating: Voila! You have an instant
dinner!

8) Be a Kid at Heart (or Tummy?) Order a kid's size
meal when you go to fast food places to automatically
control portions (and save money!).

Don't be embarrassed about asking for a child's
meal. It's really no big deal. I've even got a
trick for places that have a "12 and under sign"
-- I order it to go and then plop right down in
the dining room, eat my meal, and give the toy to
a kid sitting nearby! More: Adult Happy Meal 9)
Serving Standards Learn to "eyeball" standard
portion sizes and stick to them when dining out
or dishing up meals.

Keep these tips in mind: 3 oz. of meat is the
size of a deck of cards or an audio tape; 1 oz.
of meat is the size of a matchbook; 1 cup of
potatoes, rice or pasta looks like a tennis ball.
More: Portion Control Secrets

10) Treat Yourself And last, but not least ... indulge!

Treating yourself once in a while to a
"forbidden" food will keep you from feeling
deprived; a sense of deprivation can easily lead
to overeating. Stop a binge before it starts by
indulging every now and then.
Here's where you'll find the article.


I can vouch for all of this. Once I started keeping a food
diary and keeping track of portions -- yes, I even used a diet scale,
I was finally able to lose weight and keep it off for thirteen years.
I am a bit self-conscious to share before-and-after photos,
but I will share resources and information that have helped me
over the years.