Healthy Monday Tip: Measure Portions, Parent Better

Remember the days when, in most families, you weren't allowed to leave the dinner table until you finished all the food on your plate?  That rule has disappeared in many settings, possibly because portion control has been pushed to the front burner in the fight against childhood obesity.  But a new study raises some interesting questions about who's portion decision really matters at the family supper table.

Kids Eat More When Parents Eat More

A new study released in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition evaluated the eating habits of parents and children. Specifically, researchers wanted to see if the amount of food that children consumed was affected by the amount of food that parents served themselves. Not surprisingly, study authors found that kids were likely to eat larger portions if parents served themselves larger portions.

Raise Healthier Kids

If you've been a parent for more than a minute, the study findings won't surprise you.  Kids model their parents behavior.  But the research serves as a reminder that it's not just what we eat that we need to be mindful of, but also how much we eat that matters. If we want to raise healthy kids, we need to teach them how to exercise moderation when serving themselves food portions at mealtime and throughout the day.

Avoid Portion Size Mistakes

There are a few different ways to be more mindful of your own portion control habits in the home.  The first step is to understand serving size.  This handy reference can serve as a guide for how much food you should eat at each sitting.  There are also some foods we are more likely to overeat - like cereal.  Find out what they are and measure them if necessary so you don't eat too much.  And if your family is trying to lose weight, consider the Lifesize Portions system. I reviewed the product last year and really liked it because it's a great way to make sure you're not eating too much food during any meal or snack.

Improve Self-Efficacy to Lose Weight

How Do I Build Self-Efficacy?

So how do you turn a negative belief system into positive thoughts? Researchers have identified four things that impact self-efficacy: mastery of experiences, social modeling, social persuasion, and emotional responses. You can learn more about each one from Kendra Cherry, the About.com Guide to Psychology. But if weight loss is your goal, here's how you can improve each self-efficacy factor to lose weight.

4Ways to Improve Self-Efficacy to Lose Weight

Set and reach small goals. To improve your mastery of experiences, you want to successfully complete small goals that will act as stepping stones to larger accomplishments. Break each long-term goal into smaller achievable goals, and as you complete each one, acknowledge it in your journal and remind yourself of your success. The completion of each small task will build your level of self-efficacy for completing larger tasks in the future.

Surround yourself with positive messages. If the people that surround you are successfully completing the goal that you want to achieve, you're more likely to believe that you can do it, too. Find friends that have some habits you admire. Skip the lunchroom snacks and spend your break with a crowd that eats a healthy meal. Instead of going to happy hour with your buddies, find a few friends that want to hit the gym and exercise.

You can also surround yourself with positive messages electronically. Sign up for newsletters that provide healthy messages, fill your Facebook feed with posts from weight loss coaches and successful dieters, and follow health-oriented Twitter feeds.

Social Persuasion. Talk to your family and friends. Let them know that their encouragement and positive messages make a difference. Then, make it a habit to acknowledge the compliments when you get them.

If your friends and family are not supportive, this is another area where social media can help. Several recent studies have found that positive messages sent electronically can help people lose weight. Get connected with others and with me! Sign up for my newsletter, my Facebook page and my Twitter feed. You’ll find messages from me and other dieters who have lost weight.

Learn to Relax. If you have intense emotional reactions to situations, your self-efficacy with regards to your ability to handle that situation will probably be low. Take some time to identify the situations that cause you to react strongly. Then, learn relaxation techniques that will help you to manage them with a calm demeanor.

If the concept of self-efficacy is new to you, don’t worry. Simply your awareness of your positive and negative beliefs may help you change the things you need to adjust in order to lose weight. Remember to start small, make changes gradually, acknowledge your successes and move forward from there

Weight-Loss Basics

Your weight is a balancing act, and calories are part of that equation. Fad diets may promise you that counting carbs or eating a mountain of grapefruit will make the pounds drop off. But when it comes to weight loss, it's calories that count. Weight loss comes down to burning more calories that you take in. You can do that by reducing extra calories from food and beverages and increasing calories burned through physical activity.

Once you understand that equation, you're ready to set your weight-loss goals and make a plan for reaching them. Remember, you don't have to do it alone. Talk to your doctor, family and friends for support. Also, plan smart: Anticipate how you'll handle situations that challenge your resolve and the inevitable minor setbacks.

If you have serious health problems because of your weight, your doctor may suggest weight-loss surgery or medications for you. In this case, you and your doctor will need to thoroughly discuss the potential benefits and the possible risks.

But don't forget the bottom line: The key to successful weight loss is a commitment to making permanent changes in your diet and exercise habits.

Diet Plans

When it comes to weight loss, there's no shortage of diet plans. Check any magazine rack, and you're bound to see the latest and greatest diet plans. But how do you know if a diet plan fits your needs and lifestyle? Ask yourself these questions about any diet plan you're considering:

·         Does it include various foods from the major food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products, lean protein sources, nuts and seeds?

·         Does it include foods you like and that you would enjoy eating for a lifetime — not just for several weeks or months?

·         Can you easily find these food in your local grocery store?

·         Will you be able to eat your favorite foods, or better yet, all foods?

·         Does it fit your lifestyle and budget?

·         Does it include proper amounts of nutrients and calories to help you lose weight safely and effectively?

·         Is regular physical activity part of the plan?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, keep looking. There are better diet plans out there for you.

My Weight Loss Success Story

FAQ

Here are some of the questions I get most often about my diet/weight loss:

WHAT ARE YOUR STATS?

I am 5’3”, with a starting weight of 151.6 lbs and 35%+ body fat, and used to wear a US size 7/8 in pants. As I write this I am 123.2 lbs and 24.5% body fat, and a US size 2 or 3 in pants. My ultimate goal weight is around 110 lbs and toned.

HOW DID YOU LOSE SO MUCH WEIGHT?

I lost weight by eating healthily and working out a lot and I used Weight Loss Green Store Tea it is really help for weight loss.

DID YOUR BOOBS GET SMALLER?

Yes. At 150 lbs I was a 36D, now at around 120 lbs I am a 34C.

WHAT IS YOUR WORKOUT ROUTINE LIKE?

I do an hour of high intensity cardio (“HIIT” training) about 4-6 times a week, which means an hour on the elliptical or treadmill at varying high speed and high resistance. I change the resistance every 5 minutes between levels 12 and 16. This burns between 600-700 calories per hour (more if you weigh more than me) and leaves me sweating, panting and feeling like I’m about to die by the end of the hour. But it makes a difference if you do this instead of just a steady, easy cardio workout, trust me!!! If you’re going to spend an hour at the gym you might as well get the most out of it that you can right??:)

Sometimes if I don’t wanna go to the gym or its too crowded I go for a 3-4 mile run or do video workouts at home that I find on TV or on YouTube.

One note on toning… I lost the first 20 lbs doing cardio only, but noticed myself getting “skinny fat” (when you are thinner but kinda mushy/soft) and just recently starting incorporating toning into my workouts as well. I started doing the 30 Day shred, with 5 lbs hand weights, but if you’re just starting out I’d recommend 2.5 lbs weights and moving up because this workout can be really intense!! Now I just do body weight exercises like crunches, leg lifts, planks, push ups, or anything else fun I find online.

WHAT IS YOUR DIET LIKE?

Short answer: 1200-1600 calories/day of healthy veggies, fruits, complex carbs and lean white meat or fish. Cheat food in moderation so I don’t go crazy. I used before meals weightloss green store tea that really help for weight loss

Also, WATER is the most important part of your diet! It makes a huge huge difference in weight loss. Staying hydrated will make you feel better, keep your metabolism high and help your weight loss. I drink 1-2 gallons of water a day.

I eat around 1200-1600 calories/day and try to eat as much healthy, unprocessed food as possible, especially whole grains, fruit, vegetables, lean white meat (chicken/turkey/fish), and eggs. I let myself have “non-diet” and cheat foods when I’m craving them as long as I have them in moderation… A glass of wine, small piece of dark chocolate or a small cookie with your meal isn’t going to ruin your weight loss and for me, helps prevent binging and out of control snacking. I think this is what has helped me stay eating healthy for so long because otherwise I’d be miserable and probably give up on this diet. Healthy eating gets easier and easier the longer you do it… after about 3 months of healthy eating I had zero cravings for crackers, cookies, fast food, etc. I used to loooove McDonald’s, Subway, Sonic, Burger King etc, but haven’t eaten it in months… the cravings just go away as your body comes to love healthy food that makes it feel good.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU WEIGHT  IN?

I weigh in every single morning. This seems intense but it helps me start my day remembering my weight loss goal, and lets me see if I’ve made progress with good habits or gained back weight with bad habits… that influences my day A LOT! I don’t get sad if I’ve gained a little because if its after I’ve been healthy, I know its just normal weight fluctuation or maybe water retention… if I know I cheated on my diet or the gym the day before, I’ll know why I gained and make sure I don’t cheat again! I also log all my meals with My Fitness Pal. You can get the App or just use the online one… it seriously helps to be able to see just how much you’re actually putting in your body (even healthy eaters underestimate how many calories they consume!)

Healthy Monday Tip: Measure Portions, Parent Better

                                                       How Do I Build Self-Efficacy?

So how do you turn a negative belief system into positive thoughts? Researchers have identified four things that impact self-efficacy: mastery of experiences, social modeling, social persuasion, and emotional responses. You can learn more about each one from Kendra Cherry, the About.com Guide to Psychology. But if weight loss is your goal, here's how you can improve each self-efficacy factor to lose weight.

4 Ways to Improve Self-Efficacy to Lose Weight

Set and reach small goals. To improve your mastery of experiences, you want to successfully complete small goals that will act as stepping stones to larger accomplishments. Break each long-term goal into smaller achievable goals, and as you complete each one, acknowledge it in your journal and remind yourself of your success. The completion of each small task will build your level of self-efficacy for completing larger tasks in the future.

Surround yourself with positive messages. If the people that surround you are successfully completing the goal that you want to achieve, you're more likely to believe that you can do it, too. Find friends that have some habits you admire. Skip the lunchroom snacks and spend your break with a crowd that eats a healthy meal. Instead of going to happy hour with your buddies, find a few friends that want to hit the gym and exercise.

You can also surround yourself with positive messages electronically. Sign up for newsletters that provide healthy messages, fill your Facebook feed with posts from weight loss coaches and successful dieters, and follow health-oriented Twitter feeds.

Social Persuasion. Talk to your family and friends. Let them know that their encouragement and positive messages make a difference. Then, make it a habit to acknowledge the compliments when you get them.

If your friends and family are not supportive, this is another area where social media can help. Several recent studies have found that positive messages sent electronically can help people lose weight. Get connected with others and with me! Sign up for my newsletter, my Facebook page and my Twitter feed. You’ll find messages from me and other dieters who have lost weight.

Learn to Relax. If you have intense emotional reactions to situations, your self-efficacy with regards to your ability to handle that situation will probably be low. Take some time to identify the situations that cause you to react strongly. Then, learn relaxation techniques that will help you to manage them with a calm demeanor.

If the concept of self-efficacy is new to you, don’t worry. Simply your awareness of your positive and negative beliefs may help you change the things you need to adjust in order to lose weight. Remember to start small, make changes gradually, acknowledge your successes and move forward from there.

Healthy dieting and weight loss tip: Take charge of your food environment

    Your weight loss efforts will succeed or fail based largely on your food environment. Set yourself up for success by taking charge of your food environment: when you eat, how much you eat, and what foods are available.

            Eat early, weigh less. When you eat—as well as how much—may also affect your weight. Early studies suggest that consuming more of your daily calories at breakfast and fewer at dinner can help you drop more pounds. Eating a larger, healthy breakfast can jump start your metabolism, stop you feeling hungry during the day, and give you more time to burn off the calories.

§  Serve yourself smaller portions. One easy way to control portion size is by using small plates, bowls, and cups. This will make your portions appear larger. Don’t eat out of large bowls or directly from the food container or package, which makes it difficult to assess how much you’ve eaten. Using smaller utensils, like a teaspoon instead of tablespoon, can slow eating and help you feel full sooner.

§  Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. You will be more inclined to eat in moderation if you have thought out healthy meals and snacks in advance. You can buy or create your own small portion snacks in plastic bags or containers. Eating on a schedule will also help you avoid eating when you aren’t truly hungry.

§  Cook your own meals. Cooking meals at home allows you to control both portion size and what goes in to the food. Restaurant and packaged foods generally contain a lot more sodium, fat, and calories than food cooked at home—plus the portion sizes tend to be larger.

§  Don’t shop for groceries when you’re hungry. Create a shopping list and stick to it. Be especially careful to avoid high-calorie snack and convenience foods.

§  Out of sight, out of mind. Limit the amount of tempting foods you have at home. If you share a kitchen with non-dieters, store snack foods and other high-calorie indulgences in cabinets or drawers out of your sight.

§  Fast for 14 hours a day. Try to eat your last meal earlier in the day and then fast until breakfast the next morning. Studies suggest that this simple dietary adjustment—eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestive system a long break each day—may help you to lose weight.

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