Hi everyone!

I had a funny discussion with someone earlier this week about how skewed our meal portions are now a days.  Ok, so some of you are reading this and thinking "boring"...and some of you are nodding your heads in agreement...and some of you are saying "really?".  This blogg entry is for anyone saying "really?"

You may have heard of suggestions such as "eat meat servings the size of a deck of cards, or cheese should be the size of two dominos, or rice should be in a serving the size of a baseball.  All of these can be helpful, however our perception of things can often get the better of us once the plate is infront of us.  Is that about the size of two dominos?

A really simple solution:  Use your hands to determine the size of your meals.

This works and here is why...because you always have your hands with you when you eat...perhaps not baseballs or cards.

For one MEAL:  use TWO hands as your guide...this is the amount of food you can eat.  One hand will represent your vegetable portion, one palm for your protein, three fingers for your grain portion, and two fingers for your fat portion.  How simple is that?!

For one SNACK:  use ONE hand as your guide...this is the amount of food you can eat.  A snack should be around 150 calories.  An idea snack would include some protein and vegetables or fruits.  Try a few almonds and a few cherry tomatoes.  Remember that the entire snack should fit into one hand. 
I encourge you all to try this next time you have a meal and snack.  It might surprise you at how much or perhaps how little you might be eating.

Have a wonderful Friday!!  I'm off to train another client!!

Angela

Hi everyone,

We all know that eating a balanced diet full of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, good fats, and little (or better yet) no processed foods, is a huge component to a healthy life.

We have also been told over and over that portion size is a big key for aquiring and maintaining a healthy weight.

But did you know that the TIMING of your meals and the TIMING of certain food components such as Carbs and Protein can take you to the next level?

Just by making a few simple adjustments to your diet can take your body to the next level.  So what are a couple of these tricks?

1.  Eat your whole grains only in the morning and after a workout...you will burn them off faster at these times.  It is never a good idea to cut Carbs completely out of your diet...they are essential for heart health, energy levels, great workouts, etc.

2.  Eat protein BEFORE and AFTER a workout (I call this a workout sandwich).  By doing this you will help your body develop lean muscle faster.  Protein is the building block to develping lean muscle mass (lean muscle is crucial for weight loss, overall strengh, injury prevention, etc.)

If you are starting out on a new weight loss plan it is best to start with small adjustments to your lifestyle first.  You won't feel overwhelmed and will be much more likely to stick to a plan long term if you do so.  The food timing tricks are great for individuals that have already been eating a healthy diet, exercising, and simply want to take things to that next level. 
If you fit into the later category - wanting to take things to the next level, try these few tricks out for about 1 month and see the amazing results you will get.  I'd love to hear about it!!

Ang