Food journaling and weighing/measuring your foods are some of the best ways to stay on track with your eating. If you want to lose weight, you need to know what and how much is going into your body. Yet measuring foods all the time can be time consuming.
If you find you never “get around” to measuring your foods, make it easier. Don’t worry about lower calorie foods. Just eat a moderate portion of them. High calorie foods, however, you should always measure and pre-portion. It’s way too easy to overeat them and pack on extra calories.
Eat Up
Most vegetables are low in calories and high in nutrients. You can chow down on lettuce, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, and cabbage till your belly’s full. No worries about gaining weight with these.
Even fruits, though a little higher in calories, can be enjoyed all day long without blowing your diet. Sure, eating a whole pineapple at one sitting isn’t the best thing, but it’s still better than a whole container of ice cream! Fruits are highly nutritious too and their natural sugar fructose can satisfy your sweet tooth.
For meats, you can easily “eye ball” a portion. It should be about the size or your palm. Always choose lean cuts with no skin or visible fat. Prepare in a low fat way (grilling, broiling, baking).
Diary, if using nonfat and low fat items, can actually be helpful with weight loss. Use small glasses and dishes for serving it up. Stay away from jumbo-sized glasses and bowls. Enjoy three servings a day.
Measure!
Peanut butter, almonds, sunflower seeds, pecans – all nuts and seeds are very calorie dense. Don’t scoop PB right out of the jar or grab a handful of roasted nuts. For peanut butter, use a tablespoon and level it off for true measuring. For nuts, try measuring 1/4 cup into snack baggies so the portions are ready to go.
Salad dressings, mayonnaise, oils, and butter spreads are high in calories and in fat. Use a set of measuring spoons to make sure you’re getting one portion.
Cheese has a lot of calories even if it’s reduced fat. Either take a small pinch (although a pinch is highly variable) or use a measuring cup. An easy way to keep portions in check is to use cheese sticks or cheese slices (low fat).
Ice cream, puddings, cakes, and candy – all sweets are going to be loaded down with calories. There is no one who can scoop out a 1/2 cup of ice cream with the naked eye, or grab a handful of chocolate-covered peanuts without getting a few extra. Measure, or better yet, get sweets in pre-portioned sizes, such as low fat ice cream bars, single pack pudding, and 100-calorie packs.
