Week 14-Blog- Holiday Feasting

IMPROVING EATING HABITS:

We all have eating habit- some good some not so good. Many of these habits started in our childhood. This is not an excuse; it is never too late to improve. Let’s start with the 3 R’s- REFLECT, REPLACE and REINFORCE.

REFLECT- start to analyze your eating habits. You may not even be aware of what you do. This is where your food log comes into play. Write down EVERYTHING you eat, when you eat it and why. Look for some of these habits that can lead to weight gain: -Eating too fast, - always cleaning your plate, eating while watching, TV, computer, just mindless eating, skipping meals. -Look for triggers- events, schedules, food out in the open, not planning meals or stressors that may cause you to eat or over eat. spot

REPLACE- after you notice a pattern or problem, work on a healthier alternative. 1-Ask yourself what you can do to avoid the situation or temptation. Ex. Don’t go by the fast-food restaurant or candy machine at work. 2- Ask yourself what you can do differently to be healthier. Ex bring a healthy snack for break. Have a weekly meal plan with groceries purchased- cuts down on quick grabs! 3. Concisely eat slower. 4. MOVE if you feel bored and are heading to the kitchen.

REINFORCE- your healthier eating habits. New habits take time. Keep asking and answering yourself on the reasons you are doing things the new way. One day at a time!

PORTION DISTORTION:

First there is a huge difference in portion size and serving size. A serving size is a standardized amount of food or drink. It is defined by common measurements- cups, ounces or tablespoons.

A portion size is the amount of a food you choose to eat — which may be more or less than a serving.

Estimating Portion Sizes

Measuring cups and spoons are great tools for making sure your portion is the same as the serving size, however, these tools aren't always available when you're getting ready to eat. Another way to estimate your portion is by comparing it to something else.

A baseball or an average-sized fist: Measures about 1 cup, An appropriate portion size for raw or cooked vegetables, whole fruit or 100% fruit juice

A tennis ball or small, scooped handful: Measures about ½ cup, Equal to 1-ounce equivalent for grains, such as pasta, rice and oatmeal

A CD cover: 1 ounce, 1 regular slice of bread, e, pancake waffles

A deck of cards or the palm of the hand: Measures about 3 ounce-equivalents, An appropriate portion size for fish, chicken, beef and other meats

The size of the thumb: Measures about 1 tablespoon, An appropriate portion size for peanut butter or other nut spreads such as almond butter

A postage stamp or the tip of the pointer finger to the first joint: Measures about 1 teaspoon,

An appropriate portion size for oils or other fats

First measure foods regularly to get an idea of what the serving sizes look like. It is okay to get the measuring cups and spoons out. It becomes easier to pick the appropriate amount as you grow more accustomed to it. Be aware- Your brain will trick you into adding more to your plate or cup.https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/nutrition-facts-and-food-labels/serving-size-vs-portion-size-is-there-a-difference

Any easy way to start is cut 100 calories off your usual daily intake. Here are a couple tips to do it: 1. trim off all fat from beef, pork and chicken. Remove skin from poultry. 2. Cut the additions to your coffee drinks in half or add fat-free milk or sugar-free syrups. 3. Try salsa or fat-free ranch with raw vegetables instead of dip with chips.

Here are 6 simple ways of making small changes:

1. Savor your meals- slow down! Eating in less than 20-30 minutes leads to overeating and possible weight gain.

2. Use smaller plates and bowls- we fill up what we have. Trick your brain into thinking you are eating more with smaller dishes.

3. Leave some food on the plate or share a plate. Focus on internal signals of fullness not and empty plate signal.

4. Choose your glass wisely- same goes with drinks. Try smaller slender glasses.

5. Avoid eating from a bag or box-usually there is more than one serving in a bag or box. We tend to eat until it is empty. Pour a serving into a bowl to eat.

6. Rethink your drinks- soft drinks, juices, energy drinks, specialty coffee and drinks are high in calories. Try a smaller size and limit the days to drive through. Drink more water!

HOLIDAY EATING PLAN to maintain your weight:

1. Have a plan before you go to that holiday party. Eat a small snack before to help from overeating, talk more- eat less. Stay a great distance from the food table and use the smallest plates. PORTION CONTROL!

2. Skip desserts, sauces, gravy, high calorie drinks. Eat smaller portion if you have to have it.

3. Fill your plate with the lower calorie choices- fresh fruit and raw vegetable. Be aware of the dips!!!

4. If you are the cook, don’t taste as you go. You consume 300 plus calories when we taste what we cook.

5. If you can, don’t eat after 7 PM. Our activity slows and we don’t burn the calories off late in the day.

6. Say no politely- We all have felt pressured to eat food put in front of us. Eat a small amount and take the rest home for your lunch at work tomorrow. Try a bite or two and call it good.

7. MOVE- increase your time. Smaller amounts more often will help with holiday stress and weight control.

8. Drink lots of water. Water helps your metabolic rate. Are you hungry or thirsty? More times than not, you are thirst.