We all know that America is facing an "obesity epidemic" and most of us want to lose weight at some point or another. The fact is that weight loss is difficult, and keeping it off can be just as challenging. There are a number of things you can do to achieve a healthier lifestyle that will help promote weight loss.
Understand Portion Control
There is no way to ignore it; we eat too much. Even healthy foods become problematic if overeaten. Fortunately it is harder to eat huge quantities of broccoli than potato chips, but still, understanding how much to eat of each food is critical. It is easy to find numerous dietary sites online that can help you understand proper portions, but here are a few basics.
For meat, a card deck is the right size. If you don't have a deck handy, 3 ounces, the recommended size, is about the size of your palm, no fingers. Vegetables, you get about 1 cup, which is the size of a baseball. Fruit, - a cup is the right size, and that is half a baseball. The same is true for pastas and rice. One serving of cheese is the size of 4 dice. Oils, and they should be heart healthy, think of the size of a poker chip, and peanut butter, which is great to fill you up, the size of a golf ball is one serving. Waffles and pancakes should be no larger than a CD, and one is a serving.
As you can see, most of us eat way too much in any given meal. Most places serve three pancakes, and they are considerably larger than a CD. If you go out to eat a lot, the best way to control portions is to share with a companion or, before you begin to eat, ask for a box and put half of your meal away. It is harder to be tempted by food that is already out of sight. Where possible ask for whole grain products and substitute starches for vegetables. Choose steamed or broiled over fried and saut'ed.
The Role of Exercise
Not everyone has the time to set aside an hour to exercise every day. Still, there are ways to sneak exercise into your day that takes only a few minutes here and there, and still add up. We all know the tricks like taking the stairs, or parking your car further from the entrance, but did you know that just 30 minutes of walking a day can help you keep your weight in check and even encourage weight loss? Of course if you are serious about wanting to add regular exercise to your lifestyle, the place to start is the doctor's office.
If you are already quite overweight you want to have your doctor give you the once over before starting a regular exercise program. Once you have the green light you have some choices to make. Joining a gym is a great way to incorporate exercise into your life, IF YOU GO. For many people it is very intimidating to step into a gym where so many of the people already look fit. If you are one of those, check out a variety of local gyms before you sign up. The closer a gym is to your home the more likely you are to use it. Most gyms have personal trainers, and purchasing a few sessions with one, especially if you are not familiar with the equipment, is a good investment. Getting a work out buddy who holds you accountable also increases your compliance with an exercise program.
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