Controlling your food portions......

Although weight loss diets can seem rather complicated, the essential elements are extremely simple. Many folks get caught up in the details rather than focusing on the components that are truly essential for losing weight. First and foremost you must create a caloric deficit in order to lose weight. This can be done by increasing activiy levels, lowering calories consumed, or a combination of the two. Either way, you must take in fewer calories than your body uses in a day in order to lose the weight. The most important elements for effective weight loss are:

A) Serving Size (how large or small your portions are)
B) Food Choices (Better food choices are lower in calories. For example, choose baked chicken vs. fried)
C) Number of Feedings per Day

If you can manage those three simple elements you will be on your way to long term weight loss. For many people the most difficult thing to manage is serving size. It is time consuming, and inconvenient to measure or weight everything that you eat. But, it isn't necessary to be that precise with serving sizes. Check out the chart below for a simple guideline and remember to say NO when asked if you would like to "SUPER SIZE". By the way, it is probably in your best interest to avoid eating at the type of restaurants that offer Super Size menus (refer to rule B. above).

• “Serving Size Rule of Thumb”
• 
  The list below provides you with a simplified method for determining an appropriate food serving size. Using this list will eliminate the need to weigh and/or measure your foods. Obviously, this isn’t a precise measure. But, it should be close enough for the vast majority of people.

A Seving of = The Size Of
Raw vegetables = Your Fist
Cooked vegetables = The Palm of Your Hand
Pasta = 1 Scoop of Ice Cream
Meat = A Deck of Cards
Grilled Fish = Your Checkbook
2 Tbs. Margarine = Your Thumb
Pretzels or Chips = One Handful
Chopped Fruit = A Tennis Ball
Apple = A Baseball
Potato = A Computer Mouse
Pancake = A Compact Disc
Steamed Rice = A Cupcake Wrapper
Cheese = A Pair of Dice