Portion control in an increasing world

This week, Susie, our Registered Dietitian, talked about dining out. When restaurants are continually increasing their portion size, it certainly makes it challenging for us to lose or maintain weight!

A great example Susie shared was the size of a sandwich 20 years ago compared to restaurant sandwiches today. Today’s version? Now more than 500 calories! Two easy ways to skirt the extra calories (and avoid overeating) – share with a friend or eat half now and take the rest home! You’ll find that you really won’t miss the extra food. And if you’re still hungry, munch on some fruit or veggies. You will feel better and look better for it!

I can’t believe this is the last week of class! This has been such a great group of Get Fit participants! I believe each person has improved their overall health and well-being as a result of the program. Most everyone has lost weight, inches or body fat since the start of class in June. And I know everyone is feeling better physically and emotionally; which is what regular exercise and healthy eating is all about! All of the participants should be proud of what they’ve accomplished and continue to include exercise in their daily routine.

Interested in joining our next Get Fit! session? Classes begin September 13 and 14. Spaces are filling so register today!

~Kim

1 lb. = 3500 calories

Does this sound familiar? “I gained weight over the weekend because I ate a brat and a piece of cake.” We do not gain weight by eating a brat or dessert one time. But we do gain weight when we accumulate an extra 3500 calories (1 lb. = 3500 calories). A safe and effective way of losing weight is to cut back on 250 calories and burn an extra 250 calories per day. If you do this each day, you should lose 1 lb. per week.

Do you have to count calories and measure food? While counting calories can be effective it’s often not realistic. Simply reduce the amount of food you are eating and make sure you are exercising 30 minutes each day. One easy way to reduce the amount of food you are eating is to reduce the size of your dinner plate to a salad plate. This will help to keep the portions smaller and help you feel full when eating less. Studies have shown that people feel more satisfied with less food when they are served on 8-inch salad plates in place of 12-inch dinner plates. Another tip: place the vegetables on your plate first and enjoy a piece of fruit for dessert.

Previewing the week ahead: On Saturday our Get Fit! participants will discuss how to effectively set personal goals. It’s easy to state our goals but following through is another story. The program will teach each participant how to follow through and maintain their goals. They are already doing a great job attending class and most of the 15 participants are losing 1-2 lbs. per week. I am so proud of their motivation and enthusiasm.

~ Kim