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…More Portion Control…

When it comes to health and fitness related topics, the two topics that I am passionate about are

  • food/drink portion controls
  • adequate exercise routine

The two things listed above are some of the most important when looking at creating health and fitness goals and they are usually the two things that are either overlooked or not properly applied to health and fitness plans.

Portion control is important because without it, you will not see the results that you are looking for!  A frequent questions that is also asked when talking about portion control is “I do not know if I ate enough”…”I do not know if I ate the suggested portion sizes”…”I do not know if I am eating as frequently as I should be”.

When it comes to eating the right portion sizes you just have to learn what is the right size and what is the wrong size.  When it comes to knowing how often to eat there is no magic answer for that.  That is something you will have to figure out. Everyone’s body is different.  One important fact…DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF!  If you are hungry between meals have a small, nutritional, low-calorie snack!  My go to snack is yogurt and a handful of nuts…If I am between snacks and I get a craving I always go to something like popcorn or Greek yogurt.  These types of snacks will leave me satisfied  and allow me to make it to my next meal.  This is just something you will have to learn with your own body.  Learn what will leave you feeling satisfied for longer periods of time.

The goal is to plan ahead. You want to make sure that you have snacks and meals available for you at home, at work, in your gym bag, or anywhere close by so you are not tempted to “grab something quick” from the local fast food establishment.

You can check at the following links for some great healthy low-calorie snacks:

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2011/10/18/the-perfect-snack/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/01/17/more-healthy-snack-ideas/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/02/02/more-healthy-snacks-part-3/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/02/23/more-healthy-snacks-part-4/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/03/07/100-calorie-snacks/

 

More Portion Control Tips:

  • Split up food into bags or Tupperware.  This will allow you to pre-measure your food and have it ready when you need it.  It can save you time and allow you to grab something if you are in a hurry!
  • This can be a great thing to do for the family! Put family members names, dates, or even times on the bags/containers so children will know what is OK for them to grab then they are in the kitchen!

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Portion control is also about eating the right things for you. Yes it is OK to have a piece of chocolate or your favorite ice cream…but only ONCE IN A WHILE! Achieving your health and fitness goals requires you to understand what you are putting in your body and what your body needs.  Once you start to eat better, combine that with a great workout routine and you are on your way to achieving your goals!

…Taco Tuesday?…

Does your family regularly participate in weekly meals?

When I was a child, I knew that some days of the week we would be graced with tacos…or spaghetti…or burgers. And as a child,  I think there is nothing more exciting than expecting to have one of your favorite meals each week!

BUT this could be a potential problem for those who are trying to adapt healthier eating habits,

NO WORRIES! I am sharing some healthier alternatives that can turn your Taco Tuesday into a HEALTHIER Taco Tuesday.  Now you and your family can keep your taco date each week without you breaking your healthy eating habit! 🙂

  • Try using LOW FAT sour cream and cheese.  This can help cut those unwanted calorie intake in almost half!
  • Try using soft tortillas and try to use WHOLE WHEAT tortillas instead of the traditional shells.
  • Have you ever considered using ground turkey meat instead of regular meat?  If you do not like turkey meat try to get LEAN hamburger meat.
  • Try to have steamed veggies instead of Mexican rice and beans (or you can use black beans for a healthier option!)
  • Try to measure out correct portion sizes for your tacos/taco salad so you are sure to not double the food you are supposed to consume for the meal!
  • Skip the carbonated drinks or sweet tea! Try to stick to water for your beverage of choice
  • try to limit or cut out guacamole!  Yes it is healthy for you but it packs a lot of calories!
  • Think about using shopped baked chicken or shrimp instead of beef!

Still want chips with your meal? Try to make your own! Get a normal round tortilla, lightly spread some olive oil on top, slice the tortilla into the desired chip sizes you would like, then sprinkle it with sea salt (or any other spices you may have).  Put your over on 350 degrees.  Place your tortillas in the over for about 15 minutes.  MAKE SURE TO WATCH IT!  They get brown pretty quickly.  You can let them get as brown as you would like before they burn (the browner they are the more crunchy they are!)  Take them out and let them cool for about 10 minutes, and you have healthier “chips” for you to enjoy with your meal.

There are a lot of things you can change or add to make your family meals a healthier meal!  You just have to be mindful of the ingredients you are using and learn what to substitute to help make it taste just as yummy as you would like! You do not have to sacrifice good tasting food so you can eat healthier!

Happy Taco Tuesday!

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