Enjoy Holiday Food with a Lose Weight Attitude
December 6, 2011During this time of year the parties and feasts can be endless. This is a time of celebration, and celebration calls for a lot of delicious food. Although we enjoy the festivities that go on around Christmas, we dread it at the same time because of weight gain. We get caught in the struggle between two desires which is the desire to look better in the mirror and the desire to eat whatever tasty food catches our eye. Dealing with this issue is no easy task, but it can be achieved.
Many of us have already thought of what are New Year’s resolution is going to be, and if yours pertains to weight loss maybe you can start taking small steps now. One of the best ways to do this during Christmas is by controlling your portion sizes. When I go to parties or family dinners there is usually a huge variety of food and I want to try everything. I have a sweet tooth as well so the same goes for desserts. I’ll be the person who comes back with cheesecake, a brownie and apple pie on the same plate. As bad as this might look, it’s really not that bad at all. I just eat a little of everything. In Neil Schoenherr’s article on portion control during the holidays, he interviews Connie Diekman, RD, director of Washington University in St. Louis Nutrition and immediate past president of America Dietetic Association:
While many of us know that consuming an extra-large hamburger is less healthy than eating a chicken sandwich, recognizing a good portion size can be more challenging, especially when dining out or at a holiday party.
How do you know how much you should eat?
It’s as easy as looking at your own hand, says Diekman.
According to her, a woman’s fist is about the size of one cup. The tip of the thumb is about the size of an ounce. The flat outstretched hand is about the size of three or four ounces of meat, fish or poultry.
Most adults should eat between five and seven ounces of meat, fish or poultry per day, not per meal…We should also be getting around two cups a day of both fruits and vegetables and three cups of dairy.
Portion control can be more important than what you’re eating in many cases. In today’s society we are tempted by the idea that bigger is better. Keep in mind that you don’t have to necessarily give up the foods you love; all you need to do is eat less of them. Go ahead and try everything this holiday season, but make sure you limit your portion sizes. According to Smallsteps.gov, it’s also a good idea that you wait 10-15 minutes before going back for seconds because you might realize you don’t even want seconds.
Trying these tips this Christmas will start you on the path to a healthier you. This is also good practice for the New Year’s resolution you have in mind. You can reinforce your weight loss efforts with our Zumba and Pilates classes coming up in January. If you’re interested in taking the next step towards your weight loss goals, these classes can get you there! For registration information visit www.ColumbusState.edu/CE or call 706.507.8070.
-Kindra Hunter
Schoenherr, Neil. “Portion Control Key to Keeping Holiday Weight Gain at Bay | Newsroom | Washington University in St. Louis.” News.wustl.edu. 14 July 2008. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. <http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/12013.aspx>.
“Portion Control.” Smallstep.gov. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. <http://www.smallstep.gov/portion_control.html>.
Thanks for the suggestions shared on your own blog. Yet another thing I would like to mention is that weight-loss is not about going on a celebrity diet and trying to shed as much weight as you’re able in a couple of weeks. The most effective way in losing weight is by taking it slowly and gradually and using some basic ideas which can enable you to make the most through your attempt to shed pounds. You may understand and be following some tips, nonetheless reinforcing know-how never does any damage.