Let’s talk portion control!

When I tell people I eat 5 to 6 meals a day, they think I am crazy. Most of you know it is 5 small meals a day. Why is eating 5 small meals a day important for losing weight? 

Reason number 1: Eating the right stuff more often through the day keeps us from becoming ravenous and then eating too much. 

Reason number 2: You are keeping your body fueled, which keeps you running more efficiently. 

Reason number 3: The more often you eat, the better portion control you will have.

So what do I mean by portion control? As we all know, portion control is out of control here in the United States; everything is super-sized!  Restaurant portions are way too big. Now, this would not be such a big problem if we only ate half the amount that was served to us. I know I have no problem taking home the leftovers; I don’t feel like I am wasting food at all. I have overheard and been at the same table with people saying “you’d better eat everything on your plate”. I agree with that statement if the portion size served is correct.

 

Here is a quick way to make sure you have the correct portion size.

 

Proteins, like lean red meat, fish, and chicken, should be the size of a deck of cards.

 

Carbs, like potatoes, rice, and pasta, should be the size of the palm of your hand.

 

Veggies (the good carbs) should make up the rest of your plate - half.

 

You can use this when you are out also: Just ask for a to-go box with your meal and split the meal before you eat. This also helps you from having just one more bite (6 bites later).

 

I just want to say a quick thank you to those who took the time to answer the survey. I appreciate your honesty and thank you for the feedback. I am glad you like the workouts! I do my own programming, unlike most boot camps leaders, who follow a plan they have purchased. It was also nice to hear that the group camaraderie was important to you gals.

 

I had some suggestions to make the class better, so I would like to incorporate them. The first was changing up the music, so I am looking into different music for you. If you would like specific music, please feel free to bring it in. As long as it is “clean” I would love to use it.

 

Another suggestion was starting class early to get a better warm-up. I am at the studio by 6am; you all always welcome to come in and walk/run laps to warm-up before class. Class starts at 6:15 and I will add some stretch and warm-up moves for the first 5 minutes. The same goes for the 9:15 class. Lastly, it was suggested to have more structured stretching at the end of class. I am going to offer options, and you can follow me or choose to stretch on your own. Everyone has areas that need to be stretched a little, i.e. hamstrings, calves, quads, etc., so if you need different stretches for specific areas, just let me know.

 

Dedicated to all of you,
Debbie