Building motivation to make a change in your eating habits is never easy. It takes a desire to change, and dedication and knowledge of how to go about doing so. To enhance your ability to make change in your diet and get you on the way to a healthy diet, you need to know some fundamental facts about obesity and nutrition.
Energy Balance
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity is caused by an energy imbalance. If you are consuming more calories than your body is using during the day, you will gain weight. The opposite is also true -- if you use up more calories than you consume during the day, you will lose weight. To find out the amount of calories you should be eating in a day, visit chooseMyPlate.gov for a customized daily food plan.
Portion Size
To avoid excess caloric intake, it is important to be aware of portion sizes. One large bagel might really be equal to three servings of carbs, not just one. Try controlling your portions by using the following tips as a guide: One serving of meat, fish or poultry should be the size of a deck of cards, one serving of cheese should be equal to one domino, 1 tsp. of peanut butter should be the size of the tip of your thumb and a half cup of pasta should be the size of a tennis ball.
Beverages
An easy way to cut calories from the diet is to eliminate sugary drinks altogether. This includes fruit drinks, soda and coffee drinks. Some drinks, depending on the size, could have up to 800 calories. For example, a 64 oz. soda contains approximately 780 calories. An excess intake of 500 calories per day beyond what your body requires will result in 1 lb. of weight gain per week, as 1 lb. is equal to 3,500 calories. An easy way to avoid consuming excess calories through your beverages is to only choose water and diet or low-calorie beverages. To make water more appealing, try adding a slice of lemon or orange for a little flavor.
Eating Out
You can eat out in a healthy way if you know what to look for on the menu. Stay away from appetizers and desserts because they will add extra calories to your meal. Ask for sauces on the side such as gravy, salad dressing and butter. Look for food items that are grilled and not fried. The American Heart Association recommends choosing entrees that feature seafood, chicken or lean meat, and if ordering meat to remove all visible fat. Many restaurants now offer “light” menu options that are lower in calories. If you do not see them listed on the menu, ask your server for suggestions. You can familiarize yourself with the calorie content of different menu items by visiting the restaurant website and looking for nutritional information.
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