| It took me a year and a half to lost 25 pounds and | | | | sleep.IS IT A FAVORITE FOOD? I'm a noodle nut |
| my clothing size dropped from a 12 to an eight. | | | | and love pasta in all forms. So I have to be careful |
| Keeping a healthy weight was harder than losing | | | | when I eat Italian food. Most restaurants serve huge |
| weight. Most of the time I make good food choices, | | | | portions of pasta. I estimate the serving size and |
| but I can get off track at restaurants, wedding | | | | usually eat a third or less. Ice cream is another one |
| receptions, and other social events.After doing some | | | | of my favorite foods and eat a particular brand that |
| research on weight loss I realized it comes down to | | | | is fatfree and sugar-free.WHERE IS THE FOOD ON |
| what's on my plate. Amy Norton, in her Reuters | | | | THE PYRAMID? I follow the Mayo Clinic Healthy |
| article, "Cutting Calories, Portion Sizes May Really | | | | Weight Pyramid and plan meals around it. The meals I |
| Work," says portion size can play a vital role in the | | | | fix for my husband and I follow the pyramid |
| number of calories we eat. "If there's more food on | | | | guidelines pretty well. But I'm not always able to get |
| the plate, more goes in the stomach," she explains.So | | | | quality produce in the winter. (I live in Minnesota.) |
| I developed a system for making healthy food | | | | Often I have to go to several stores to get |
| choices. Before I eat anything I ask myself, "Do I | | | | vegetables and fruits, but our health is worth it.IS |
| want a portion or a serving?" A portion is the amount | | | | THIS A CALORIE DENSE FOOD? The idea that |
| of food I choose to eat, such as a large | | | | eating too much fat makes you fat is false, according |
| Chicken-Caesar salad. A serving is a measured | | | | to the American Diabetes Association. Weight gain |
| amount of food - a cup, four ounces, one piece - | | | | comes from eating too much food and too many |
| based on nutritional information.The answer to my | | | | calories. The association says "fat has more than |
| portion or serving question depends on the answers | | | | twice as many calories as carbohydrates or protein." I |
| to other questions.WHICH MEAL IS IT? Breakfast is | | | | eat calorie-dense foods, but small servings of them, |
| my start-up fuel for the day and I try to eat healthy. | | | | and have cut my protein intake by two thirds.After |
| According to "Harvard Men's Health Watch," research | | | | working hard to lose weight I'm not going to blow it |
| findings suggest that breakfast eaters are leaner | | | | by gaining the weight back. The National Institutes of |
| than those who skip breakfast. We have to make | | | | Health, in a publication titled "Embrace Your Health," |
| wise decisions, Harvard says, and eat high-fiber | | | | recommends smaller amounts of food, ONE serving |
| cereals, low sugar or non-sugar cereals, nonfat milk, | | | | of high-calorie foods, eating lower fat foods and |
| whole grain breads, soft margarine, and an occasional | | | | lower calorie foods. I try to follow these |
| egg. I always eat two fruits for breakfast.AM I | | | | recommendations.Deciding between a portion and a |
| REALLY HUNGRY? Humans eat for many reasons: | | | | serving took practice, but I've learned to do it in |
| hunger, family pressure (Aunt Edith's famous | | | | seconds. I'm very aware of how I "spend" my |
| dougnuts), social pressure (everyone else is eating), | | | | calories. Though I sometimes eat large portions, most |
| anxiety, boredom, and distraction. "Weight-Loss Help: | | | | of the time I eat normal servings. I walk 10,000 |
| How to Stop Emotional Eating," an article on | | | | steps a day and have maintained a healthy weight. |
| MayoClinic.com, notes that many of us turn to food | | | | Asking the question, "Do I want a portion or a |
| for comfort. Emotional eating can sabotage weight | | | | serving?" may help you to keep a healthy weight, |
| loss, Mayo continues, so "you need to learn to | | | | too.Copyright 2006 by Harriet Hodgson Hodgson has |
| recognize true hunger." I have learned to do | | | | been a nonfiction writer for 27 years. Her recent |
| this.WHAT ELSE HAVE I HAD? If I've already had | | | | work focuses on health and wellness and she is a |
| three balanced meals and healthy snacks I don't need | | | | member of the Association of Health Care Journalists. |
| popcorn and soda pop at the movies. Though I don't | | | | Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: |
| keep a food diary, I keep a list of what I've eaten in | | | | Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is |
| my head. I don't snack before bedtime because I | | | | available from A five-star review of the book is also |
| don't need the calories and would have a poor night's | | | | posted on Amazon. |