Dearest readers and eaters,
Is one of your new year’s resolutions losing weight and getting in better shape? Yeah, me, too! Like minds, huh? Along with every other woman and most men I know. So when I came across an article about figuring out perfect portions in The Power of Mindfulness magazine, I knew I had to share it with you. And then commit the whole thing to memory.
And I am linking up with Lauren at Shooting Stars Mag and Ashley at Happy. Pretty. Sweet. for their Glossies Made Me Do It series. For this link-up, participants share what magazines have inspired them to do or try.
Figuring Out Perfect Portions
In the winter of 2010, PC and I bit the weight loss bullet and joined Weight Watchers. We started out great guns, just like most people do when they undertake a new weight loss program or exercise regimen. And we lost weight. Stuck with it, hardcore, for about 3 months. Attending meetings every Saturday morning, tracking our points, exercising on a regular basis.
And then baseball season approached, and PC had practice and then games on Saturday mornings. We stopped attending Weight Watchers meetings but continued tracking for awhile. I met my predetermined ‘ideal weight’ by summer and became a lifetime member. Meaning I no longer had to pay for the program IF I weighed in once a month and maintained my ideal 138 pounds.
The biggest challenge was staying on track when eating out. But our Weight Watchers coach taught us a couple of portion control tricks of the trade. She shared that 3 ounces of meat was approximately the size of the palm of our hand. And that a shot glass was the perfect mini-measuring cup; a full shot glass equaling 1 ounce. That took some of the guess work out of determining the size of restaurant portions.
Eating Mindfully
Fast forward to winter of 2019 (this is the winter of 2019, right? or 2018? but it’s 2019!). I am almost as heavy as I was when we started Weight Watchers 9 years ago. Not exactly something to celebrate. But I know I can lose this weight and will.
I am tracking points via the Weight Watchers mobile app. Not attending meetings – at least not yet. But I came across this great tool for determining perfect portions in The Power of Mindfulness magazine, centennial health edition, in the article entitled “The Art of Eating Mindfully” by Judy Koutsy.
The article suggests several great tips for successful and healthy weight loss.
- Put away your devices and be mindful at meals. Focus on the process (and reason) for eating.
- Go slow. Set a timer for 20 minutes and take that much time to eat your meals.
- Savor each bite. Notice the taste and texture. Take time to completely chew each bite.
- Tune into your body. It’s okay to surrender your membership to the clean your plate club. Eat until you are full. Not til you are bloated and regretting having eaten so much.
- Plan out your meals. Know what you are going to eat for the next few days, plan meals and menus.
- Avoid emotional eating. Ugh. While I was in Kentucky, I couldn’t get the food into my mouth fast enough. Find other ways to combat stress…like exercising, working puzzles, taking up a hobby.
Serving Size Equals
The article also included this great graphic. I want to make copies and tuck one in my purse and stick one on the frig. It compares portion sizes to the sizes of familiar objects or body parts (now, now, don’t go there, girls…G-rated body parts). No cucumbers or melons mentioned.
[source]
Not sure how easily you will be able to read the information in the graphic. So, let me write it for you, here.
- 1 cup of cereal = the size of a closed fist
- 1 pancake = the size of a compact disc
- 1/2 cup cooked rice = half a baseball
- 3 ounces of meat = a deck of cards or the palm of your hand
- 3 ounces of fish = a checkbook
- a salad = two fists
- slice of bread = a flat hand
- 1 spoon of peanut butter = a thumb
Hope this handy dandy guide to perfect portions will simplify this weight watching business.
Your Turn
Do you have a perfect portions tip to share? Would love to hear it! Or maybe you have a trick that is helping your realize your new year’s resolutions. Please leave a comment below. We will all appreciate it!
Lots of additional posts to come this week. Busy, busy blogging week. Sentence a Day, Currently and I might even open my fashion haus! Won’t you stop back by for another visit again soon?
Family hugs,
Good old WW, I swear it is the best and the magic is in those meetings! I led two Saturday morning meetings for years – one at 7 am and one at 8:30am. We always had packed rooms with no seats available. The energy was incredible and everyone left with renewed vim and vigor just the way I liked it. I used to tell them I needed them to come week after week for that shot in the arm to last another week! I have been a Lifetime member for 18 years and I still use the same principles I learned all those years ago.
You will do it my friend! This was a great post! I am on the Gotta Lose Weight Bandwagon so I feel better in mu skin. Just about 5 pounds left. It’s all about the portions and the healthy food!
One last thing – I always told my members to get rid of clothes that were too big for them and only keep the clothes that fit. I think it helps with maintenance – it’s too easy to grab the larger jeans when yours are tight, ya know? Eliminate the mini-mall in your closet and your weight won’t spiral out of control – that helps me so much!
xo,
Kellyann
You doll, I followed your good lead and purged yesterday. Mini-mall evicted. Except for a couple of comf sweat pants that I wear on the coldest days to work.
I know you were the most inspirational WW leader. It is truly a lifelong weight management program because you can eat whatever you want, it is just about balancing. I am about to finish the Valentine’s M&Ms, thank you, Jesus, so I should begin making progress now. That darn tier tray had a Ball jar full of them on it for ‘decoration’. Ha!
Thank you for the words of encouragement. If you ever go back to being a WW leader, hope it will be here in El Paso. Our leader was very good and she even wanted to train me to be her ‘second’ and sub but I couldn’t commit to every Saturday. Don’t know how you did it. But I know you worked that crowd and got everyone going!! Love your spirit.
Thanks for sharing, and for linking up with Ashley and me. I like the portion control chart. Sometimes you need something like to know the right size. I’d heard the size of your fist for meat though! It’s a good tip. I’m struggling with losing weight at the moment. I’m kind of sitting around the same weight, so I’m hoping to get back on track with eating better and moving more and hopefully in a couple months I’ll have anywhere from 5-10 pounds. Nothing too drastic; it takes time.
-Lauren
Eating mindfully is definitely a part of my diet right now. I also have to be very disciplined if I’m somewhere where food is being served!
I need to learn to be more mindful of my food. I’m always eating till I’m miserably stuffed – which cant be good for your body.
& portions are really a problem for me. I used to use smaller plates & bowls & that really helped me keep things in check. Restaurant portions are CRAZY big.
Some great reminders on mindfulness eating. Thanks!
Thank you for coming by. I need to do as I say and follow these tips. I put the graphic from the magazine on my frig. Hope it inspires me. I noticed there wasn’t a portion for Valentine’s Day M&Ms. Oops. Must be an oversight.
I love the ideas of mindful eating and paying attention to proportions!
Great tips on Mindful Eating. They make good sense. Thank you for sharing them.
Now for me to follow these great tips on mindful eat instead of shoveling food into my mouth like it’s my last supper. XO
I’m a really slow eater, so I have that going for me! But, I eat when I’m stressed out or tired (to help me stay awake). The graphic is really helpful for portion control! I’m glad you shared this!
Jill – Doused in Pink