Healthy Eating Tips

Healthy Eating Tips:

Grazing. Eating small meals throughout the day is not a new concept, but have you mastered it or mutilated it?  The challenge with the grazing eating plan is that we didn’t mean continue to eat three large meals and add two snacks.  We meant, eat small meals and small snacks throughout the day.  Make certain that all choices are healthy.  A grazing plan to try would be:

                7am light breakfast

                10am morning snack (see snack ideas section)

                1pm lean lunch

                4pm afternoon snack (see snack ideas section)

                7pm easy dinner

Salad is for Dipping. Again not a new concept and easy to do when you are at a restaurant, but are you prepared to do this at home?  Purchase small portion controlled dishes that your family will use for salad dressing dipping – and yes, everyone gets their own; no, you cannot share the same large dipping dish with your 2 year old.

Eating out.  OK, I am an American and extremely proud of it, but we are gluttons – and perhaps not of our own doing… Restaurants serve portions that would be appropriate for a New England Patriots linebacker.  What restaurant manager wants you to leave “comfortably full” or worse yet, still hungry?  He or she wants you to be absolutely stuffed.  You can still win when you eat out – order a lunch portion.  Ask for a box BEFORE you begin eating and portion onto your plate what you should eat and box up the rest.  Are you checking the portions on your kids plates too?

Portion control.  If you are not currently on a healthy eating plan this is the first step to take.  CONTROL THOSE PORTIONS!  A serving of anything on your plate should be no larger than the size of your palm. 

Buy items pre-portioned.  This is not as cost-effective as buying in bulk, but if it helps you plan – GO FOT IT!  Be certain to check labels and compare the “serving size” to the ounces you know are allowed for that food component.

Water consumption.  So you think you have heard this song and dance?  When your body breaks down fat where do you think it goes?  Well, it does not mysteriously evaporate through your skin.  It must get out of your body.  If you are dehydrated, this cannot happen.  The appropriate consumption of water in a given day is approximately 64oz.  When exercising vigorously 80oz may be required.  Take a 20oz water container and place 4 rubberbands at the top, fill the bottle and move a rubberband to the bottom rim of the bottle.  Repeat throughout the day.  At the end of the day, you should have all rubberbands at the bottom.  Add a lemon or lime to the bottle at the beginning of the day and the taste will help get all those fluids in.

Parties.  Control your selection when you go to that summer picnic or holiday party by taking a healthy snack or salad that you know you can eat regardless of what other items are served.  Make a small plate and get away from the food!  Control alcohol consumption to reduce “the munchies”.