Monday, February 06, 2012
Making “delicious and nutritious” a reality
When I finally decided to get serious and commit to losing weight, I did a little research.
It seems that there were two things I needed to do: Eat nutritious and healthy food, but control the size of my portions.
Guidelines for portion size were a shock to me: 3 ounces of chicken or meat is the size of a deck of cards? That was only three bites for me!
One portion, or ½ cup, of cooked pasta, is the size of a light bulb. Are they kidding? My bowl of pasta was the size of the whole lamp.
One cup of salad greens = one portion = size of a baseball? I guess I had been eating basketball-sized portions of salad greens.
One portion of salad dressing is the size of a poker chip. I had poured on the salad dressing in an amount equivalent to a stack of poker chips.
Once I accepted that I would have to cut down the size of my usual portions by at least half, I realized I had to weigh and measure my food before eating it.
Then I found it was vital to log in every bit of food I ate. Dianne Rubin, leader of the “ Thin’s In” weight loss program, always says, “You bite it, you write it” and this became my mantra. I wrote down everything I ate in a log with the type of food and measurement. It kept me accountable and honest. It sure was an effective trick: I somehow resisted the urge to overeat when I knew I had to write it down.
The second challenge, making this healthy food delicious and inviting, is just as difficult. We have some help for that with our upcoming program, “Delicious and Nutritious” presented by Backus Registered Dietitian Sarah Hospod.
On Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 6:30-8 p.m, in the Backus main lobby conference rooms, Ms. Hospod will talk about healthy eating, snacking, and portion sizes, and how healthy food can still be delicious and appetizing. Register for the free program by calling 860-889-8331, ext 6381. Come join us and let her show how to make delicious and nutritious eating a reality.
Alice Facente is a registered nurse and clinical educator at the The William W. Backus Hospital Education Department. This column should not replace advice or instruction from your personal physician. If you want to comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy Living blog at www.backushospital.org/backus-blogs or e-mail Ms. Facente or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org
