PORTIONS MATTER

Nutrition Tips for Optimal Health

by

Dr. Kristine Clark, RD Director of Sports Nutrition, Pennsylvania State University

Katherine Young couldn't understand why she wasn't losing weight. She'd been walking 30 minutes daily and choosing healthy foods. Her frustration got the better of her and she sought nutrition advice. In describing her eating regimen, Katherine indicated she ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Each morning she poured oat cereal and milk, sprinkled it with sugar, poured on milk, had two slices of whole wheat toast with jam and butter, and had a half a grapefruit. For lunch, she ate a sandwich along with pretzels or popcorn and a 16 oz. bottle of fruit juice. She ate a balanced, varied meal at night consisting of a vegetable salad with dressing, potatoes, rice, or pasta, either poultry, fish, or beef (baked or grilled), usually a roll or two with butter, and water to drink. Before bed strawberries or peaches sprinkled with sugar or cottage cheese sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar were favorite snacks.

Sounds like healthy eating, doesn't it? But for Katherine, healthy eating wasn't working. She wanted to lose weight - and in fact had been told to do so since learning she had high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Katherine's diet needed a portion make-over! The only problem in her diet was HOW MUCH she was eating - not WHAT she was eating. To help Katherine lose weight, I suggested she:

1. Measure cereal and eat only ONE CUP,

2. Use skim milk instead of whole milk on her cereal,

3. Have one slice of toast instead of two,

4. Select either butter or jam instead of both for her toast (I told her to switch off every other day if she wanted to).

By making these changes she saved 250-300 calories.

In addition, at lunch I suggested eating a piece of fresh fruit (more fiber) and drinking water, to save 100 calories. Lastly, for dinner I suggested one roll and only one cup of either potatoes/rice/pasta. She had been eating closer to three cups and having two rolls. I also suggested she make her own salad dressing from olive oil and use a smaller amount. The calorie savings at night equaled around 500. Together, by making portion changes Katherine began to lose weight. She saved calories daily to lose 1-1.5 pounds/ week, a rate of loss supported by the American Dietetic Association and the American College of Sports Medicine.

Within two months Katherine reached her goal weight. She didn't give up anything - not even the sugar on her cereal or fruit which she'd expected to be told! She understands that portions matter. Eat what you want, but eat half. Leave food on your plate - there is no such thing as a "Clean Plate Club!!"