Portion Control

I am always looking for ways to help others lose weight. Tonight at our TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meeting, we talked about portion sizes. When was the last time you weighed and measured your food? I was in the hopital last week for a little heart scare. Everything is fine now, but something really caught my eye. The hospital food portions were a lot smaller than I had been serving myself. I had become a victim of Portion Creep! I thought I was pretty accurate in my servings, but I am not. I thought the suggestion at the end of the article was a good idea. I am going to do that this week and let's see what happens.

Healthy Living Articles
Making Sense of Portion Sizes
Many of us tend to underestimate the amount of food we eat and tend to overestimate the recommended portion sizes for many foods.
For example, try pouring out your usual portion of pasta and measure it! Then, compare it to the label portion size. Chances are, you're eating two, three, four or more times the amount on the label.
Relating the portion size of a serving to everyday items is an easy way to visualize what a true portion size looks like.
Woman's fist or baseball - a serving of vegetables or fruit is about the size of your fist
A rounded handful - about one half cup cooked or raw veggies or cut fruit, a piece of fruit, or ½ cup of cooked rice or pasta - this is a good measure for a snack serving, such as chips or pretzels
Deck of cards - a serving of meat, fish or poultry or the palm of your hand (don't count your fingers!) - for example, one chicken breast, ¼ pound hamburger patty or a medium pork chop
Golf ball or large egg - one quarter cup of dried fruit or nuts
Tennis ball - about one half cup of ice cream
Computer mouse - about the size of a small baked potato
Compact disc - about the size of one serving of pancake or small waffle
Thumb tip - about one teaspoon of peanut butter
Six dice - a serving of cheese
Check book - a serving of fish (approximately 3 oz.)
Eyeball it! - Take a look at the recommended serving sizes on the new USDA MyPyramid Food Guidance System. Get out a measuring cup or a food scale and practice measuring some of your favorite foods onto a plate, so that you can see how much (or how little!) a ½ cup or 3-ounce serving is. This will help you "eyeball" a reasonable serving!

Children need adequate calories to meet their needs for growth. On the other hand, portions that are too large could lead to overeating or seem overwhelming.
Serving small portions to young children is often the best way for them to learn to eat only until satisfied, instead of overeating. Start kids off with less and encourage them to ask for more if they're still hungry.

more from Denise Austin:

Drink Your Daily Water!
If you're not a water drinker — well, tough luck! I know that may sound harsh, but drinking water every day is key to good health. Plus, your body is made up mostly of water — doesn't it make sense to replenish the good old H2O instead of filling up on soda pop or sugary fruit juices? Here's another doozy: Did you know that the brain often mistakes thirst for hunger? Before running to the nearest snack machine, try drinking a few glasses of water first.
So how much water do you really need? Well, a general rule of thumb is about eight ounces of water eight times a day, but there's no scientific evidence to support that recommendation. In fact, some experts actually recommend 13 glasses of H2O for men and nine for women! That may seem like a lot of water, but your body loses about ten glasses of water in the course of a day! And if you're exercising, pregnant, or breastfeeding, or you live in a hot or humid climate, your water loss is increased, so your intake should be upped!

So drink up — it's H2Ohhhh so good for you! Here's a tip: If you're having a hard time getting used to the taste of water, try adding a lemon wedge for a hint of sweetness.

SB Recipe

Green Bean and Squash Salad
Looking for a tasty salad that says summer? Try this quick recipe — perfect for a picnic or a dinner at home!

Green Bean and Squash Salad (Phase 1)

Serves 1

Ingredients
1/2 cup fresh green beans
3 fresh plum tomatoes, sliced
4 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Pinch of coarse black pepper
1/4 cup Newman's Own® Parmesan & Roasted Garlic Dressing
1/2 cup yellow squash, cut into slices
1 1/2 ounces fresh basil, chopped

Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a large salad bowl. Cover. Place in refrigerator to cool for at least 1 hour.

Nutritional Information
300 calories
19 g total fat (5 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
12 g carbohydrate
16 g protein
3 g fiber
840 mg sodium

A fun activity to add to your exercise routine.

Dance Away the Pounds
Dr. Agatston recommends getting at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity most days of the week. The good news? You can work up to it if you're not there yet — or do it in smaller sessions (say, ten minutes each). He's also a fan of finding something you enjoy doing so that you look forward to your workout. Simply put, your fitness routine should become a part of your lifestyle, just like the South Beach Diet. That's why dancing is such a great activity — it gets your heart pumping while you have fun with your family and friends.

Dancing has come a long way since the days of discos. Dance studios across the country now offer classes suitable for adults, from swing to salsa to tap. Plus, many community and religious centers sponsor weekly dances where people gather to socialize and participate in a joyful release of stress.

Here are some suggestions for incorporating this enjoyable activity into your exercise routine:

Take your spouse or a friend to a swing club or community dance. A lot of clubs offer free 30-minute lessons.
Try a class at a local dance studio. Ballet can be great for increasing your flexibility and improving your balance. Tap requires an investment in shoes but offers an intense cardio workout.
Go out for a night of line dancing. Line dancing is most popular with country-music fans.
Afraid to dance in public? Put on your favorite album, turn up the volume, and take a spin around your house! Get your kids and spouse to join in for a fun family activity.
It's worth repeating that exercise shouldn't be a chore. One of the keys to creating a fitness routine you can maintain is to find things you actually enjoy doing.

SB Daily dish:

Plateau Problems?
While it may be frustrating, it is not uncommon to reach a plateau in Phase 2 of the South Beach Diet, especially as you get closer to your target weight. Weight loss in this Phase of the South Beach Diet is much slower than in Phase 1, but that's fine in the long run since slow and steady weight loss is best for long-term success. That said, if you'd like to jump-start your weight loss, here are some strategies to try:

Try eating different foods. Sometimes people get into a food rut, eating the same things day in and day out, which may lead to overeating as a result of feeling unsatisfied with your routine. Add more variety and different veggies to your meal plan to combat boredom. This may be just what you need to get over a weight-loss stall.

Get adequate exercise. Enjoy a fitness program based on interval training, where you alternate between short bursts of intensive effort and easier recovery periods. When you work at a higher intensity for part of the time, you end up burning far more calories and fat in less time than you would if you were working out at a steady pace. This type of exercise will help you develop more lean muscle mass, which helps boost metabolism, in turn allowing you to shed unwanted pounds.

Keep track of what you eat. In general, the South Beach Diet does not require you to count calories or portion sizes. But you may be eating too much of certain foods to keep losing weight at the same pace. SouthBeachDiet.com's registered dietitians recommend taking a close look at the amount of nuts and low-fat cheese you're consuming and cutting back on these items if you're eating too much.
Our nutritionists are available for personalized weight-loss advice, so if you have specific questions about your progress on the South Beach Diet, foods to avoid and enjoy, your individual health, or weight-loss goals, then one-on-one counseling and support is for you! Click here to join SouthBeachDiet.com today and take advantage of all our great offers!

Return to Phase 1. If you have plateaued for several weeks and still have a fair amount of weight to lose, it's fine to return to Phase 1 for a kick-start.
Finally, it's possible that your weight loss has stalled because you've already reached your healthiest weight — even if it's not your desired weight. If your cholesterol and blood-sugar levels have normalized, your desire to lose weight may be a matter of cosmetics. In this case, rather than focusing on the number on your scale, focus on how much better you feel and how much healthier you are.

Stick With It says Denise Austin

Getting in shape isn't always easy — we all have lapses in motivation! So on those days when you want to throw in the towel, try a few of these tips from Fit Forever! members:

Set your eyes on the prize! Take a few minutes to visualize where you'll be in three months if you stick with it — and where you'll be if you don't!
Buy some smiley-face stickers and put one on your calendar each day you stay on the Fit Forever! Plan. As they build up, you'll see how far you've come and be less tempted to quit!
Shake up your routine — go for a walk in the woods instead of your usual route, or try a new workout tape!
If you're having a hard time staying motivated to work out solo, join a class or start walking with a friend! Knowing they're expecting you helps keep you going on days you'd rather not be there.
Find a recent photo of yourself at your current weight. Make a collage of photos cut out from magazines of how you'll look when you reach your target weight.
Remember: Each day you're on the program brings you one step closer to your goals. You can do it!

Recipe from the Kraft Kitchen

Grilled chicken and veggies

Prep Time:
10 minTotal Time:
30 minMakes:
4 servings4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 lb.) 1/4 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing, divided 1 zucchini, cut into chunks 1 red pepper, cut into chunks 1 cup chopped asparagus 1/2 of a red onion, cut into chunks PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Brush chicken with 2 Tbsp. of the dressing. Let stand 10 min.

MEANWHILE, poke holes in bottom of disposable aluminum foil pan. Toss vegetables with remaining 2 Tbsp. dressing. Place in prepared pan.

GRILL 20 min. or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are crisp-tender.
Kraft Kitchens TipsUse Your Grill BasketOmit foil pan. Place vegetable mixture in grill basket. Grill as directed, shaking basket often. Creative LeftoversToss leftovers with hot cooked pasta for a quick Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Pasta.


See All Ratings and Comments BBQ Scalloped Potatoes Rated by kraftfoods.com visitors Nutritional InformationCalories 200 Total fat 6 g Saturated fat 1 g Cholesterol 75 mg Sodium 240 mg Carbohydrate 8 g Dietary fiber 2 g Sugars 5 g Protein 29 g Vitamin A 25 %DV Vitamin C 60 %DV Calcium 4 %DV Iron 10 %DV Healthy Living InformationLow FatLow CalorieGood source of vitamin A or CLow sodiumDiet Exchange1 Vegetable,4 Meat (VL),1 Fat

Nutrition BonusFire up the grill and enjoy this low calorie, low-fat dish. It's rich in vitamin C from the red pepper and the asparagus and red pepper team up to provide vitamin A.