Health - Weight Loss Tips

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HEALTH AND FITNESS

Weight loss tips
by Tangerine Manning

Last month I stated that there is no magic pill or miracle diet. What I can tell you that is true is basic physiology. If losing body fat is your goal, or even if gaining muscle is your goal it is all about calories in, and calories out. I wish there was an easier answer, but it is truly about calories and exercise.

So in this month's article I would like to take the time to educate you on portions and servings.

Let us pretend we are discussing an individual that is trying to lose body fat. This particular person would need to consume 1600 calories a day in order to lose body fat successfully. Next let's say this individual is planning on having dinner at a common franchised Italian eatery (we will not mention any names), and orders a pasta dish with chicken and red sauce. Did you know most restaurants serve anywhere from 4 to 6 cups of pasta per dish?

Do you know that 1/2 cup of pasta yields 100 calories? So now we are talking 800 to 1200 calories per pasta dish, and that does not even include the chicken and red sauce. That makes a 1600 calorie plan for the whole day very difficult to maintain.

In order to understand portions and calories better I always recommend to my clients to keep their foods they eat through out the day in a food journal, and to get a book that has foods listed with size amount, calories, fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

Also, to help you understand weights and measures of foods it is helpful to buy a food scale, and also to use measuring cups.

What is also helpful with a food journal you can better understand how certain foods make you feel. When I first started recording my foods I found any red meat made me feel very sluggish, and nauseated.

I also learned that peanut butter gives me amazing energy, and keeps me full for a long period of time. So now if I know if I need energy for an extended period of time I will eat peanut butter in some form. The journal will also teach you timing and balancing of your meals.

It is very important to eat every four hours when trying to lose fat or gain muscle. Finally, you might also learn who you eat with may be what influences you to eat certain way

Through the years I have learned some visual techniques that are helpful when eating out in restaurants, like 1 cup of rice usually looks like the size of a tennis ball.(268 calories long grain, 200 calories instant). A 200 calorie baked potato is usually the size of a baseball. Be aware baked potatoes from some restaurants are oversized, and can be around 300 calories. 3 ounces of meat looks like a cassette tape or a deck of cards. One ounce of cheese looks like a 1 inch cube, or 1/4 cup shredded (110 calories).