Think Slim, Issue #003 - Portion Distortion

September 29, 2004

Look great, feel great

Hi

We are getting the first autumn weather with wind and rain here in Scotland, and each week it's becoming that bit harder to get out of doors for a walk or run. I know once out there, I'll be glad I made the effort, I'll come back glowing and full of energy and I'll be one step closer to my fitness and diet goals. Now I'm trying to make myself follow the Nike slogan and "Just Do It".

Whatever the weather you're having in your part of the globe, I hope you're managing to fit in a few fitness sessions each week, indoors or out.

Contents

Feature article : Portion Distortion

Have you noticed that the amount of food considered a normal portion has crept up over the years? Everything comes in ever larger size packs as food has become so cheap. Marketing offers often tempt us to buy (and eat) even more with "30% extra free" or "two for the price of one". We are served far more in restaurants than we need to eat and encouraged to "supersize" our meals or work our way through "all you can eat".

The result? You may be eating more than you think you are and struggling to lose weight simply because of the size of your portions.

I came across a quiz on the internet the other day from the National Institute of health. It shows the difference between a normal portion from 20 years ago and a standard portion today and asks how much exercise would be needed to use up the difference in calories. The amounts are amazing!

A standard bagel from 20 years ago was 3 inches in diameter and 140 calories. The norm has now crept up to 6 inches and a whopping 350 calories. (And when did you ever eat half a bagel and save the rest for later?) Now to use up those calories you'd have to do 50 minutes hard raking of leaves. Multiply this one element by all the extra calories you now consume in a day through bigger servings and you would never be able to fit in enough activity to use them all up.

So what can you do avoid falling prey to Portion Distortion?

• Weigh and measure everything where you can so you stick to the portions in your diet. Where that's not feasible (for instance eating out) learn to judge a normal portion size. For example
  
  
  • Pasta, rice, cereal and potato - size of a small fist
  • Meat, chicken or fish – the size of a deck of cards
  • 1oz cheese – size of 4 dice or a small matchbox
• Buy the smallest portion of anything you can. Nothing is good value if it ends up in your mouth and on your hips. Only exception? Fruit and vegetables – make the most of any offers on these. If you must eat in a fast food restaurant try the children's meals (just the one!). Buy the smallest skinny latte at the coffee shop etc. Share with a companion wherever you can.


• You can regulate your portions more easily at home but if you are eating out consider ordering two starters rather than a starter and main course and don't feel you have to finish everything you ordered if you don't need it. Better in the trash or in the dog than adding to your weight.


• Read nutritional panels on food packets and look for the correct serving size. This is often not the whole container (or even half of it) so beware!


• Practise portion control at home by serving up the food in the kitchen and putting away any leftovers before you sit down.


• If you decide to have a TV snack, put a small portion on a plate and take it to the room where you watch TV. Taking the whole packet is fatal!


• Eat for quality and not quantity. Present the food well. Set the table and sit down to eat. Take the time to enjoy your food and any company you have – focusing on the conversation as much as the food.

From today start to be aware of how much you are eating as well as what you are eating. Notice how food manufacturers and restaurants subtly persuade you to eat more and decide not to let them get in the way of your diet. Think about how much less you could eat and still be satisfied. This may be all you have to do to lose the weight you want!

This month's tip : Well-dressed salad

Even if you're making a salad just for yourself always dress it properly by tossing it in a large bowl with a measured amount of low-calorie dressing.

That way the salad tastes great throughout and you're not tempted to add "just a little bit more dressing" to the parts you missed.

Recommendation: The Step Diet

I've just bought a book called "The Step Diet" which comes packaged with a pedometer. (From last month's attempts with my Kellogg's pedometer, I've found that on non-gym/running days I do frighteningly few steps (about 2000) and even on exercise days I barely make the recommended 10,000 steps a day.)

The Step Diet encourages you to build up your steps gradually from whatever your starting point is and gives lots of helpful hints for doing that painlessly. It also advocates (keeping with the theme of Portion Distortion above) that the main change you should make to your diet is to eat 75% of whatever you normally eat. Sounds like a simple plan which is worth trying. You can buy it from Amazon in the UK or US at a reduced price.

Wishing you a fantastic month, looking and feeling great

Janice Elizabeth Small

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. If you have any comments or suggestions for future issues, please let me know. I'd love to hear from you. Just reply to this ezine.

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copyright © 2004, J. Small. All Rights reserved.

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