Eating Correct Food Portions Help With Weight Loss/Diet

When I decided it was time for me lose weight, I started keeping track of everything I ate. I was very diligent about adding up the calories. I was so proud of myself for keeping such good track of my food and drink intake.

I’d add up my figures at the end of each day and finally have a grand total at the end of the week. According to my figures, I should have been losing at the minimum two pounds a week. It wasn’t happening. It didn’t take me long to get discouraged on my weight loss journey.

I figured out why I wasn’t losing two pounds a week. My calculation of what was a portion size was way off the mark. I wasmaking good food choices but I was eating more than what the National Institutes of Health described as a portion size.

If you use the following list as a guideline when eating, you will be able to successfully track your calorie intake:

1. ONE CUP of PASTA IS = A WOMAN’S CLENCHED FIST.
2. A HALF CUP OF VEGETABLES = HALF A TENNIS BALL.
3. ONE TABLESPOON IS = TWO THUMBS PRESSED TOGETHER. (thumbs up)
4. ONE TEASPOON IS = A THUMB TIP.
5. ONE FRUIT SERVING IS = ONE TENNIS BALL.
6. THREE OUNCES OF MEAT IS = A DECK OF CARDS.

It takes awhile to get acustom to using the correct method of portion size. It’s kind of like bowling, the more you practice, the better you get. I’ve started using smaller plates so it looks like I’m eating more. When growing up, my sisters and I were not allowed up from the table until or plates were clean. I have retained that mentality into adulthood which is partly what has caused me to be overweight. It only makes sense for me to use smaller plates….I can have a clean plate without excess calories.

You know the old saying…..What ever works!!

Best Fast Food For Weight Loss

We live in a fast paced world where food is often consumed while driving down the highway over the speed limit and watching for police vehicles. Fast food restaurants have figured this out and are stepping up to the challenge of providing healthier food to all of the patrons that go whizzing by their drive up service windows.

Panera Bread came in first place for their comprehensive menu offering multiple healthy choices for every meal. Panera Bread also received top honors for their kids menu.

Jason’s Deli, located in the Midwest, came in second. This particular deli has a penchant for organic foods and with this in mind, approximately one fifth of all of its ingredients are organic.

Third place belongs to Au Bon Pain, which has been a pioneer in the idea of healthy fast foods. They serve sandwiches, soups, salads and even hot entrees made with whole grains, veggies and even hormone free chicken.

Noodles and Company doesn’t sound like a name you would expect to make it in a top ten healthy fast food list however this Asian food court eatery makes healthy its business, cutting out all the grease and using soybean oil in their cooking. Which puts them in fourth place.

Corner Bakery Café is a Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern based café that has a breakfast menu full of healthy choices. It also has healthy salads, sandwiches and soups. They use whole grains, lean meats and vegetables. They also practice portion control. They land solidly in fifth place.

Chipotle takes sixth place followed by Atlantic Bread and McDonald’s takes a surprising 8th place. Einstein Bagels takes ninth place followed by Taco Del Mar. That rounds out the top ten. As with any menu, you will find more and less healthy items in every location.

Think You Are Doing Your Body A Favor By Ordering A Salad?

Many of us believe that eating salad at a restaurant is good for us. Sometimes we may be right but in most cases it is far from the truth. Most coffee shops serve a salad made from iceberg lettuce. This lettuce has no nutritional value, it is very basically fiber held together by water. In the digestive system iceberg lettuce has the nasty habit of turning into a slime that your body then has to break down.

On top of this leafy non-nutritional plate or bowl full, we pour all sorts of different types of salad dressings. Most of these dressings are a creamy sort that is full of fat and sugars. Why do we use these dressings in such large amounts on this particular salad? Because by itself iceberg lettuce has very little taste and this is because, as I said before, it is simply fiber and water.

So next time you think you are going to suffer through a salad in order to feel like you’re doing your body some good, consider this article and maybe decide to go with soup instead. The soup may not be all that good for you but at least you are getting some good flavor for your trouble and you aren’t telling yourself stories.

If a salad is available that has deep green vegetables of all kinds, that one will be healthy for you, but again, dousing it with a large dollop of dressing will negate it’s value to a degree.

Do You Suffer From Anxiety?

Most of us have suffered from some sort of anxiety during our lifetime; many of us suffer from it much more often. Anxiety produces a large number of different symptoms. Some people become obsessive compulsive, washing their hands over and over again, even though they know they are already clean. Maybe they feel uneasy about something, don’t know why, and see that other people are not affected. Maybe the anxiety is about a certain thing like riding an elevator or crossing a bridge or even going to a social event.

Panic attacks are an intense fear that lasts a short period and are more intense than any other type of anxiety. Phobias are also a type of anxiety where the person suffers unwarranted fears.

When suffering from these types of problems a victim will often ask what the matter is with them. This can just intensify your anxiety and possibly your symptoms. Anxiety is considered one of the most common afflictions people suffer from and it can be so strong that it can have a limiting affect on a person’s entire perspective and life.

If you are suffering a debilitating form of anxiety it is a good idea to find a qualified professional that will allow you to interact with an openness and honesty that will allow you to recover.

What You Might Not Know About OCD

Many people suffering from OCD will not seek help even if they have known for a long period of time that they have a problem. Since therapy is a crucial part of treating OCD, this is detrimental to the person’s healthy life.

It can be hard to find a professional that has an insight and understanding of OCD that also has the strength to keep you moving forward.

Once you find a qualified professional, you will not get full benefit of their help unless you follow their advice. If you have questions, make sure you have them answered to your satisfaction and understanding. Once you are aware and understand what is expected of you, you will need to trust that person well enough to follow their instructions. Give the therapist feedback; while you are not a therapist, you are the only person that truly knows how the therapy is affecting you. Your therapist may not fully understand the effects of OCD because they’ve never had it; however, they have been trained to a certain extent and their interaction with you will allow them to tailor their therapy to your needs.

You may begin to feel that the psychiatrist is your friend and your confidant, but there are boundaries that can never be crossed in that relationship. The relationship is a professional one and no inappropriate behavior should be accepted from either party. If you lose trust in your therapist then you might consider finding another one. Follow your needs and your judgment, however, don’t discount the therapist because you don’t want to follow the therapy.