Portion Control

above image: Portion Size Plate via (webmd.com)

Over the years portion sizes have gotten larger and larger, and this makes It's hard to control how much you should eat when you have so much food in front of you.

Make sure you portion your plate right. When you are loading up your plate you should be aware that at least half of your plate should be filed with veggies, the more color the better. The other half of your plate should be half low-fat protein that has been baked, broiled or grilled, not fried. The other half of the half plate should be whole-grain starches, which are good for your heart and will keep you feeling full for longer. Vegetables like corn, potatoes, and yams are high in starch and should be kept on the 1/4 part of the plate instead of the vegetables side of the plate. 

Basic guidelines for estimating portions are: 

• Baseball = 1 cup. Serving size for yogurt, 1 fruit, salad greens, or cooked veggies
• Lightbulb = 1/2 cup. Serving size for ice cream, frozen yogurt, rice, or pasta, 
• Golf ball = 1 oz or 2 teaspoons. Serving size for peanut butter or hummus 
• Poker chip = 1 teaspoon. Serving size for fats or oils like butter, salad dressing, or mayo, and oil
• Cassette tape = 1 slice of bread 
• Deck of cards = 3 oz of meat (chicken). Serving size for a slice of cake, tofu, lean meat or poultry, 
• Checkbook = 3 oz of fish
• CD = 1 oz lunch meat 
• Hockey puck = 3 oz muffin or biscuit
• 3 dice = 1 1/2 oz cheese
• Computer mouse = baked potato
• Dental floss container = brownie or piece of chocolate

Healthy Living Myths

So, picture this: You’re at lunch with one of your friends and they begin telling you all about this crazy article they read the other day. It’s all about how to improve your health by following some simple eating habits. As your friend explains the dos and don’ts of healthy eating, you recollect hearing them before.  About this time, you are thinking to yourself: “Alright, my close friend – whom I trust – is telling me about plausible healthy eating tips after learning about it through a reliable source. AND, I have heard it before. Yep, it’s true.”

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Lets talk about this for a second! There are many common and popular health food myths out there, and just because it sounds legitimate doesn’t mean that it is. Let’s debunk a few of those myths. Right. Now.

Myth #1: Carbs Make You Fat

Wrong. Carbohydrates are one of the best sources of energy for your body. The problem arises when we over-consume carbohydrates and then sit in a classroom and at a workspace all day. When we don’t use the carbs, they store themselves in our bodies as fat. So, if you have a meal that is high in carbs, make sure to have some kind of activity planned to use up that energy! Oh, and try to stick to plant-based carbs, like those found in whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables.

Myth #2: Eating Healthy is too Expensive

Looking at price tags in the organic and natural foods section of the grocery store can be frightening, but who said that organic was the only healthy food in the store? You will find healthy options throughout – and at a low price! A large bag of beans is about the same price as a small can. Frozen produce is often healthier than fresh, simply because it is flash frozen with the nutrients trapped inside, while fresh produce loses nutrients in its trip from the farm to your fridge. Ditch the creamy dressings for light vinaigrette at the same price. Before you know it, you have taken leaps to a healthier you, while keeping the cash in your pocket.

Myth #3: Vegetarians Can’t Build Muscle

Just because most vegetarians don’t have muscle, doesn’t mean they can’t build muscle! You might be surprised to know how many world-class athletes are vegetarian or vegan. The point is you don’t need to eat like Gaston to be strong. And you don’t need to have meat in your diet to get protein. Believe it or not, most people in the United States get more than 3x the amount of protein they need. As long as you are striving to eat a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly, you will be able to obtain the strength, endurance, and overall health that you are looking for – regardless of your meat intake. Now, give that poor vegetarian a break!

Three myths debunked, countless more to go. Hopefully, this list will be a good jumping off point for researching details of a factually sound healthy diet. As you are looking to improve your health, be smart how you do things. If you need some help, the folks at Health and Wellness Services at SLCC are here to help you! They are pretty cool too, if that helps. Just give us a call or stop by one of our offices for more information!

Healthy Snacking

Got the munchies and the candy bar is just not satisfying those hunger pains? Some people have the mindset of snacking is “bad” for you, but the USDA recommends we eat 4-6 small meals throughout the day, and that includes 2-3 snacks! When choosing healthy snacks, you want to look for food items that are between 100 – 200 calories and nutrient dense. Nutrient dense?  It means that a particular food is packed with nutrients! So when you’re reading that food label and looking at the fat calories versus total calories, the fat calories should not be more than 1/4 – 1/3 of the total calories. Reading the ingredient list also helps to identify nutrient dense food items.  Looking for whole grain ingredients or raw fruits and veggies helps. Avoid food ingredients that are enriched, processed, bleached, refined, preserved, etc. All of these words mean the ingredient has been stripped of nutrients and gone through a process where preservatives have been added to sustain it longer.

Tips to be mindful of when packing those snacks – know your portion sizes beforehand, avoid mindless snacking in front of the TV, reading, or while driving, avoid shopping when you’re hungry to decrease impulse buying at the store, and stock up on healthy options.  Remember, when you’re getting ready to go in the morning and you’re grabbing your packed lunch of PB&J on wheat, water, fruit and veggie slices, and a cheese stick, don’t forget to throw in a snack for mid morning and late afternoon!

Here are some great ideas for a quick snack! And don't forget to download our Healthly Lifestyle Cookbook (on the right side of the page) for more recipies and ideas for healthy meals and snacks!

 Snacks with less than 5 grams of carbohydrate

• 3  celery sticks + 1 Tablespoon of  peanut butter
• 5 baby carrots
• 5 cherry tomatoes + 1 Tablespoon ranch
• 1 hard-boiled egg
• 1 cup cucumber slices + 1 Tablespoon ranch dressing
• ¼ cup of fresh blueberries
• 1 cup of salad greens, 1/2 cup of diced cucumber, and with vinegar and oil
• 1 frozen sugar-free popsicle
• 1 cup of light popcorn
• 2 saltine crackers
• 10 gold-fish crackers
• 16 green olives
• ½ cup sugar-free gelatin
• 1 piece of string cheese stick
• 2 Tablespoons pumpkin or sesame seeds
• ¼ of a whole avocado (~4 g.)

About 10-20 grams of carbohydrate

• ½ cup almonds or other nuts
• ¼ cup dried fruit and nut mix
• 1 cup chicken noodle, tomato (made with water),  or vegetable soup
• 1 small apple or orange
• 3 cups light popcorn
• 1/3  cup hummus + 1 cup raw fresh cut veggies (green peppers, carrots, broccoli, cucumber, celery, cauliflower or a combination of these)
• ¼ cup cottage cheese + ½ cup canned or fresh fruit
• 1 cheese quesadilla (made with one 6-inch corn or whole wheat tortilla + 1 oz shredded cheese) + ¼ cup salsa
• 2 rice cakes (with a 4-inch diameter) + 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
• 5 whole wheat crackers (or ¾ oz) + 1 piece of string cheese
• ½ turkey sandwich (1 slice whole wheat bread + 2 oz turkey + mustard)
• ½ cup tuna salad + 4 saltines