I recently noticed when serving a particularly tasty meal I
tend to reach for the larger dinner plates in my cabinet. When my children were growing up I had to
purchase a second set of dishes to accommodate the sometimes large number of
people at my dinner table. This second
set are made of a beautiful purple glass so I thought they were perfect. Because of their beauty I didn’t notice they
were smaller than my other set. Since I
have become acutely aware of the relationship of meal portion size and healthy
body weight I realized my preference for the larger plates when I prepare a
favorite meal. Studies have shown that the size of our plate effects how much
we choose to eat. So, I thought I would
share with you three easy steps to downsize the servings, then the plate. Credit on this particular meal comes from Cooking Light Magazine.
Step 1 –Big Plate,
Big Portions
Using a 13-inch charger you can place the following:
9-ounces grilled chicken breast
1 cup brown rice
6 tablespoons mushroom sauce
½ cup mixed greens salad with 1 tablespoon oil and vinegar
dressing
¼ cup butter-roasted carrots
Wheat Roll with ½ teaspoon butter
A large 9-ounce cooked chicken breast looks suitable on this
large plate, leaving space to double up on starch but you end up with 830 calories.
Step 2 – Big Plate,
Healthy Portions
4 ½ -ounces grilled chicken breast
½ cup brown rice
3 tablespoons mushroom sauce
1 ½ cup mixed greens salad 2 tablespoons oil and vinegar
dressing
½ cup butter roasted carrots
no roll with butter
The chicken is a more reasonable portion and requires less
sauce. Half the rice and no roll cuts
out on unnecessary starch but still getting good fiber and nutrients from the
rice. This leaves more room on the plate
to increase the salad and the carrots which increase your antioxidants for good
health for a total of 443 calories. However, right sizing the portions make the
plate look a little stingy.
Step 3 – Smaller
Plate, Healthy Portions
Using an 8-inch plate shrinks the surface area by 62%,
leaving less room for food. The
advantage to the smaller plate is that it guides you to smaller portions – in
this case by almost 50% less than the big 13-inch plate, for a
total of 443 calories. The bonus is that even if you go for seconds,
they will be smaller.
Now, wasn’t that easy?
I thought it was a brilliant way to trim excess calories out of a meal
without sacrificing flavor and satisfaction with a meal. So give it a try. Choose your smaller plates next time you set the table. Let us know if this trick worked for you!
Health Tip: DIY
Tricks To Sag-Proof Your Skin
1.
Slather on SPF 30 everyday
2.
Don’t smoke
3.
Limit alcohol consumption to one or two drinks
once or twice a week
4.
Use peptides at night
5.
Exfoliate
Sunscreen is a necessity 365 days a year. The damaging UV rays are actually stronger in
the winter. Smoking cuts off oxygen to
the skin, wrecking collagen and elastin and lowers levels of estrogen, which
are essential for keeping skin firm.
Alcohol increases insulin levels, which creates low-grade inflammation
and can hasten sagging. Peptides are
proven to boost collagen and accelerate cell renewal. Exfoliation is critical to remove dead skin
cells in order for skin to absorb repair treatments. Look for mild scrubs with ultra fine beads or
use a gentle-yet-thorough electric cleansing brush.
