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It's no longer just a plate; it's a platter
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| Healthy sizes: Healthy recipe with chicken and mushrooms. But although the portion is similar to that sold in restaurants, it actually measures three times a healthy portion. (Thelma Grimes/photo.) |
Thelma Grimes/San Pedro Valley News-Sun
There was a day when parents would say 'you can't leave the table until you clean your plate', but today, following those rules instilled in us as children only adds to the epidemic known as obesity.
Dr. Carter Mayberry said at one time it was important to finish all the food on a plate, but then, the plates were much smaller and portion size was not a concern.
"Now, it's no longer a plate of food, it's a platter," he said. "In order to be healthy and stay that way, you have to make a lifestyle change, and portion control is the biggest issue. It's ridiculous how much people eat now. Even a simple bagel or a muffin now is probably two servings, because society says everything has to be bigger."
That goes toward everything, go to Circle K for a soda, get the Big Gulp, go to Wendy's for a burger, get the large combo meal to go with it just so you can have the extra caffeine and the extra serving of fries.
"We have the bigger is better mentality," Carter said. "At home the plates being made are bigger than they use to be. At restaurants people want their money's worth."
Marilyn Hendricks, a clinical dietitian at the Benson Hospital, said whether in a restaurant or at home, people are no longer looking at how much they eat.
To lose weight, and make a difference in your life, one of the first things you have to do is start reading food labels, and weighing your food.
Carter and Hendricks said they work with patients on how to start eating healthier portions. Many find out quickly that they are eating two to three times the recommended amount, and eventually that equals unhealthy weight gain.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity is steadily increasing among the U.S. population. The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older, about 60 million people, are obese.
In order to maintain a healthy weight, a person needs to burn the same amount of calories consumed. Large portion sizes in a meal makes it very difficult to keep calories in balance.
Hendricks recommended looking at the Portion Plate system, which recommends a plate of food should be half fruits and vegetables, a quarter of it for grains such as rice and the remaining quarter to protein, such as chicken or beef.
Hendricks says the majority of her patients come in to her office, stating it's not what they eat, it's how much.
"Your have to be responsible," Hendricks said. "You have to make these choices to eat well at home, and make similar choices to eat well when you are eating out."
Hendricks said there are still plenty of tricks to reduce the number of calories you are eating, and at the same time enjoy good food.
A couple of those include: choosing a regular hamburger instead of a larger quarter pound burger with cheese, order a cup of soup instead of a bowl, eat half of a sub sandwich and drink water or skim milk instead of soda.
All the tricks can save hundreds of calories a day.
Besides looking at portion size, Carter said some helpful tips are to write down everything you eat, get a pedometer and walk up to 10,000 steps a day, eat breakfast and stay away from fad diets that may have results to start with, but never work unless lifestyle changes are made.
How to control portions
- Skip the appetizer, share an entree.
- Don't overeat. Pace yourself. Allow your stomach to let you know when you are full.
- An extra 100 calories per day translates into 10 extra pounds a year.
- Be aware of eating as a response to stress and use exercise, activity or mediation to cope instead of eating.
- Order a cup of soup, instead of a bowl, and cut 50-200 calories.
- Choose a regular hamburger instead of a larger quarter pounder with cheese, save 160 calories. Skip the fries and save even more.
- Order small drinks and french fries and other fast food items instead of large. A kids' meal can save many calories.
There was a day when parents would say 'you can't leave the table until you clean your plate', but today, following those rules instilled in us as children only adds to the epidemic known as obesity.
Dr. Carter Mayberry said at one time it was important to finish all the food on a plate, but then, the plates were much smaller and portion size was not a concern.
"Now, it's no longer a plate of food, it's a platter," he said. "In order to be healthy and stay that way, you have to make a lifestyle change, and portion control is the biggest issue. It's ridiculous how much people eat now. Even a simple bagel or a muffin now is probably two servings, because society says everything has to be bigger."
That goes toward everything, go to Circle K for a soda, get the Big Gulp, go to Wendy's for a burger, get the large combo meal to go with it just so you can have the extra caffeine and the extra serving of fries.
"We have the bigger is better mentality," Carter said. "At home the plates being made are bigger than they use to be. At restaurants people want their money's worth."
Marilyn Hendricks, a clinical dietitian at the Benson Hospital, said whether in a restaurant or at home, people are no longer looking at how much they eat.
To lose weight, and make a difference in your life, one of the first things you have to do is start reading food labels, and weighing your food.
Carter and Hendricks said they work with patients on how to start eating healthier portions. Many find out quickly that they are eating two to three times the recommended amount, and eventually that equals unhealthy weight gain.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity is steadily increasing among the U.S. population. The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older, about 60 million people, are obese.
In order to maintain a healthy weight, a person needs to burn the same amount of calories consumed. Large portion sizes in a meal makes it very difficult to keep calories in balance.
Hendricks recommended looking at the Portion Plate system, which recommends a plate of food should be half fruits and vegetables, a quarter of it for grains such as rice and the remaining quarter to protein, such as chicken or beef.
Hendricks says the majority of her patients come in to her office, stating it's not what they eat, it's how much.
"Your have to be responsible," Hendricks said. "You have to make these choices to eat well at home, and make similar choices to eat well when you are eating out."
Hendricks said there are still plenty of tricks to reduce the number of calories you are eating, and at the same time enjoy good food.
A couple of those include: choosing a regular hamburger instead of a larger quarter pound burger with cheese, order a cup of soup instead of a bowl, eat half of a sub sandwich and drink water or skim milk instead of soda.
All the tricks can save hundreds of calories a day.
Besides looking at portion size, Carter said some helpful tips are to write down everything you eat, get a pedometer and walk up to 10,000 steps a day, eat breakfast and stay away from fad diets that may have results to start with, but never work unless lifestyle changes are made.
How to control portions
- Skip the appetizer, share an entree.
- Don't overeat. Pace yourself. Allow your stomach to let you know when you are full.
- An extra 100 calories per day translates into 10 extra pounds a year.
- Be aware of eating as a response to stress and use exercise, activity or mediation to cope instead of eating.
- Order a cup of soup, instead of a bowl, and cut 50-200 calories.
- Choose a regular hamburger instead of a larger quarter pounder with cheese, save 160 calories. Skip the fries and save even more.
- Order small drinks and french fries and other fast food items instead of large. A kids' meal can save many calories.
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| What about the kids? | It didn't take a month to gain it; be patient trying to lose it |
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