Portion Proportions, or...How portions Can Be Deceiving

Portions count when trying to maintain a healthy diet. We all want to feel full after eating, but not too full, I hope. If you get too full, your stomach stretches. Then, the next thing you know, you’re more likely to stay full and gain weight.

While what you eat matters, portion sizes do, too. Since not all foods are equal, the portions you eat make a big difference. There are some foods you can eat in plentiful portions. There are others you can eat in moderate portions, and there are the tasty, unhealthy foods you should avoid or eat as little of as possible.

All You Can Eat!

Eat bigger portions of filling, nutritious foods like of raw, steamed, grilled or baked vegetables. That includes tomatoes, broccoli, asparagus, lettuce, celery, cauliflower, bell peppers, zucchinis, radishes, and mushrooms. If you’re not excited about the flavor of any of these, add all the delicious spices you like including oregano, basil, cilantro, rosemary and pepper. Be sure to use salt within your health guidelines.

Leave the potatoes out of this category, they’re coming soon.

It’s a common assumption that you can eat plentiful portions of fruit. On a whole that’s true because fruit is nature’s dessert. Fruit is full of vitamins and add lots of color to the way our food looks and tastes. Eat as many blackberries, raspberries and strawberries as you like. Limit your portions of higher sugar fruits like apples, mangos, pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew and bananas. The sugar comes with calories and carbohydrates that can wreck your diet if you aren’t careful.

Eat in Moderation.

Eat foods higher in carbohydrates in smaller portions with less frequency.  That includes all grains, rice, white and wheat flour-based pasta, breads, tortillas and pita chips.

Some vegetables are in this category including all forms of potatoes. Yes, that means be cautious when eating Russet, Yukon Gold, New, Sweet and even fancy Fingerling potatoes. They’re delicious and can be prepared in so many ways, but they’re also high in complex carbohydrates, which means it takes cardio work outs to burn them off, so eat them in moderate portion sizes. When it comes to vegetables, steer clear of large portions of beets, corn, plantains and butternut squash because they have much higher concentrates of carbohydrates.

Legumes are a category of food you wouldn’t guess require you to watch your portion sizes. They are healthy, but they’re also high in carbohydrates. These are all beans like black beans, fava beans, lima beans, lentils, and peas. Vegetarians eat tons of legumes because they are filling and a great source of carbs and protein. For example, one cup of legumes has much more protein and is more filling than one cup of pasta.

Eat milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and cream cheese in moderate portion sizes.

Eat fish, lean meats like white meat chicken and turkey, pork tenderloin, a beef tenderloin in moderation, and prepare it grilled, baked or pan sautéed, never fried. Preparation makes a big difference. If you fry food, the quality drops to the “eat as little as possible” category. I’d say eat as much as you like of these, but it’s possible to eat too much of a good thing. Don’t order a 12-ounce steak, but if you do, split it with someone and eat more veggies.

Eat as Little as Possible.

We love these foods because they taste so good. They can also be dangerous for our long-term health. These are the foods that most fast-food places thrive on like burgers, shakes and fries. Others include: all fried foods, pizza, and foods covered in cream sauces. Avoid fatty cuts of meat of meat like rib eyes, pork sausage, salamis, and sugar roasted ham. Limit sugar-loaded desserts.

Diet Matters.

Your kind of diet and lifestyle plays a factor in how much you should eat of different categories of food. If you are on a low fat diet, you should eat fat free dairy, very raw or steamed vegetables, and lean cuts of meat prepared with a light cooking spray. Low fat dieters can eat more carbohydrates than low calorie or low carb dieters.

If you’re a low carbohydrate dieter, you get to eat more high-fat and protein foods like fatty steaks and sausages, eggs and full fat dairy, while avoiding all breads, pasta, legumes, and fruit. Low carb diets are ideal for someone required to sit a lot of the work day. This diet has been made famous through the Atkins diet.

If you’re a low calorie dieter, blend the low fat and low carb diets to stay on track. Filling your calorie limit with high carbohydrate foods will defeat the purpose of your dieting.

Size Matters.

If you’re a 6 foot 5 man, you’ll eat far more that a 5 foot 3 woman. Your portions should be relative to your healthy weight size. If you have a weight problem, eat the amount of food you would eat if you were at your optimal weight or decrease how much you eat until you reach your ideal weight.

Preparation Matters.

If you take vegetables and deep fry them, they lose their “all you can eat” value. Watch out for breaded and fried foods because the preparation ruins their nutrition. The preparation drops them into the “eat as little as possible” category. The best way to consume vegetables in this order is: raw, steamed, baked, grilled and sautéed. The best way to consume legumes is steamed or boiled. Eat meat baked, grilled or pan sautéed.

Tips and Tricks.

A good trick to all of these things is to only keep the good choices in the house. If you don’t have them, you can’t eat them. When you make your food list before going to the store, don’t include the food you shouldn’t buy, avoid impulse buys, and don’t go to the grocery store hungry.

Eat on a smaller plate. When you fill a smaller plate, you feel like it’s full just because there’s less empty space. You can trick yourself into believing there’s more food there.

Graze. Eat small portions throughout the day. It helps stabilize your metabolism and keeps your eating in control when you go out to a restaurant. Remember, it’s okay to take left overs home when you eat out, and it isn’t necessary to be in the “clean-plate club” every time you eat.

Use an online diet tracker. There are great apps and sites that you can use online that sync with your phone to help you stay on target.

Finally, Eat with a smaller fork or spoon. You put less food in your mouth per bite which forces you to SLOW DOWN. There are not benefits to inhaling your food. In fact, the opposite is true. Put your fork or spoon down between each bite and allow yourself to enjoy the flavors of the food.

If you pay attention to what and how much you’re eating, maintaining a healthy diet is easy. Make slow changes, and before long, your eating habits will change, and the choices you make will feel like instinct.

A Word for Parents.

Parents, we all know you can eat larger portions than children, so don’t give them the same size portions as you. I was in a frozen yogurt shop recently and saw a man giving his child a full cup of yogurt just like his. Sadly, the child was already overweight. He was setting up his kid for poor diet habits from an early age.

I encourage you to eat more of the “all you can eat” foods, less of the foods you should “eat in moderation” and as little as possible of the foods you should “eat as little as possible”. Make appropriate adjustments according to your diet. If your doctor has you on a special diet, follow that. These are some simple things to consider while eating out or stocking your pantry and fridge.

Viktoria Rill
Source: BCBS Wellness Blog

Beat Brown Bag Boredom: Make Fun, Healthy Lunches

Do you dread packing lunches ? Does packing a brown bag seem like a never-ending exercise in blah-dom? It’s like groundhog day packing the same pb&j and baby carrots day in and day out.

It’s easy to get into a lunchtime ritual that is packed with equal parts boring and panic when you’re not sure what to take. But it pays to pack a lunch -- eating out usually costs you more (in calories AND money). A typical fast food meal of large fries, a cheeseburger and soda can have about 2,100 calories and 100 grams of fat.  

Stock Up on the Right Stuff
To make sure you don’t have last minute stress trying to figure out what to take for lunch, stock your fridge and pantry with less expensive, healthy foods like hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter, tuna, vegetables and beans. 

And lunch meats are convenient and often low in fat and calories, making them a solid lunch selection; however, they can have high sodium, so read the label. A daily value of less than 20 percent is best. Be sure to avoid or limit high-fat luncheon meats like salami, corned beef, or liverwurst. Items with 13g fat or more are considered high in fat.

Tips for Packing Lunches:

·         Use reusable containers. It saves money and it’s better for the environment.

·         Keep it cold. To keep your lunch cold, pack it with re-freezable soft ice packs or even frozen water bottles or juice boxes. You can prepare your food the night before and keep your whole lunch bag in the fridge overnight, and use an insulated bag if you can. Keeping your food items cold is especially a good idea if you are packing anything perishable, such as meats, dairy and leftovers. These foods can harbor harmful bacteria if left at room temperature for more than two hours.

·         Ban the boring bread. Use whole-grain choices, like pita pockets, tortilla wraps, hot dog buns, flatbread or mini bagels. Or try flaxseed chips, crispbread, pumpernickel, muesli or dark rye. Bread can be high in sodium and added sugar, so take a look at the labels.

·         Prep work pays off. Pick times during the week when you have some extra time to wash and cut fruits and vegetables in advance so they’re ready for packing. Most cut fruits and vegetables will keep for two to three days. If they’re easier to access, it’s more likely you will choose to eat these rather than chips or other unhealthy snacks. 

·         Sassier salads. Chicken, egg, farro and quinoa are all tasty, healthy ingredients for your salad. You can prep the salad ingredients separately and then throw them together each day to prevent sogginess.  

·         All about the base. Toast some bread and try an interesting base layer of ricotta, avocado with lemon, hummus or Greek yogurt with a honey drizzle. Top at lunchtime with your choice of any of these: sautéed mushrooms, peaches, arugula, spinach, cucumber, roasted peppers, radishes or sliced figs. 

·         Surprising sides. Slice up jicama or green and red pepper strips; or, pack sugar snap peas, a side of almonds or whole grain crackers and sliced cheese. Dish out hummus with pita chips and carrots, bag some popcorn or layer some Greek yogurt with berries and honey. Make fruit kabobs or slice a kiwi in half and eat it with a spoon.

·         Blaze a trail mix. Store-bought granola or trail mix can be high in fat, salt and calories. But trail mix can make a great substitute for salty snacks like pretzels and potato chips. Make your own to control the content and quantity. Choose almonds, peanuts, pistachios, dried apples, cranberries, pineapple, blueberries, raisins, shaved coconut, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. 

Trying new recipes doesn't need to be a complicated process.  The internet is filled ideas for sandwiches, salads, and more creative options. Here are a few lunchtime options to try: 

·         Salad mix mash.  Combine finely chopped hard-boiled eggs and a tablespoon of capers or diced pickles with Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. Spread it on a slice of multigrain bread. Blend drained canned tuna, chopped celery and red onion, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Spread that on the other slice of bread. Add chopped dill and mash together when ready to eat.

·         Roll-up. Mash an avocado with lemon juice, and then spread it on a thin, whole-wheat tortilla. Top with cooked and crumbled turkey bacon, chopped tomatoes and arugula. Roll up and wrap in parchment or wax paper to pack it up.

·         Not-so-basic beans. Whisk 1 part lemon juice to 2 parts olive oil; season with black pepper. Add finely chopped green onion and let it sit for a few minutes. Then toss with 1 can of rinsed garbanzo beans, feta cheese crumbles, cucumber chunks, and chopped fresh dill or parsley. Pack with multigrain pita chips or pockets. You could also add a can of drained tuna or chicken for more protein.

Viktoria Rill

Source: Blue Cross Blue Shield Health & Wellness Blog