portion control

yes, it's true. we simply eat too much these days. portion control can go a long way when it comes to weight loss efforts. but in order to properly control portions, we first have to know what a portion is. the following are some good visuals to help understand what a portion really is...always a good reminder!

1 serving of fruit or vegetables = 1 cup, or the size of a tennis ball

1 serving of chicken, fish, or meat = 3 ounces, or the size of a woman’s palm or a deck of cards

1 serving of whole grains = 1/2 cup of cooked grains or 1 slice of 100% whole grain bread

1 serving of pancakes = 1 4-inch pancake, about the size of a CD

1 serving of pasta or rice = 1 cup of cooked pasta, or the size of a woman’s fist

1 serving of dressing = 1 tablespoon, or the size of your thumb, tip to the top joint (1 teaspoon is about the size of your thumbnail)

1 serving of potatoes = 1 small (3-ounce) baked potato or ½ cup mashed potatoes, about the size of a small computer mouse

1 serving of cheese = 1 ounce, or about 4 dice stacked on top of each other

1 serving of nuts = 1 ounce, or the size of child’s handful

good free info

wow...ran across this very cool offer today. fitness pro jon benson released a bombshell last week on the fat-burning world. he's giving away a book's worth of material in his free 7-Day Personal Fat Loss Certification Course. yes, it's free, and get this: anyone who completes the course gets his book "The Radical Fatloss Blueprint" free as well. you don't have to buy anything and you get tons of great information from a fat loss authority. pretty cool stuff, to check it out go to: fit365online

here is a short review:

the course is for anyone who wants to become their own "personal" fatloss expert. It is complete with a quiz each day and more material than most people sell in a book... and it's totally free.

after the course, you get his "Radical Fatloss Blueprint" free too. this is all about how he and a group of "guinea pigs" experimented with natural techniques and got up to 21 lbs of unwanted bodyfat off in just 21 days.

the average was 17.5, but some people got as much as 30 lbs off...all with little to no muscle lost. it then outlines the 'exact' workout and supplement "feeding" schedule Jon still uses to get into top shape in 21 days. this is down to the 'hour'... and it includes home workouts or gym workouts. your choice. this is great stuff that i'm enjoying and am excited to share. go here: fit365online

enjoy the course!

todays eats.
m1: egg and egg white omelette w. spinach, green pepper, mushroom, romano cheese, butter
m2: shredded wheat, nf milk, hazelnuts, strawberries
m3: string cheese, bell pepper, celery, baby carrots
m4: protein shake w. banana, berries, nf yogurt, whey and greens powder
m5: curry w. coconut milk, green beans, asparagus, onion, scallops, calamari, brown rice
m6: 2 ak mak crackers w. peanut butter
m7: big ole salad

week 3's progress

it's been a few days. as inevitably happens, i've gotten too busy to keep up with my daily food posts. but really, who wants to read about every little thing i put in to my mouth anyway, right? what's most important is compliance and results and since i last wrote, it's been pretty on track. i did have one day that i would have been ashamed to report. i had a pounding headache all day and ate two (yes two!) pastries and had a lot of coffee. it was like i was trying to chase the headache away with a healthy dose of caffeine and sugar. it only partially worked and of course i didn't feel too great about my food choices afterwards. regardless of my slip up, i still made good progress last week. only down 1 lb but i lost .25 from waist, hips, and thighs. updated progress pics will be forthcoming at some point. my activity level has been really high lately, which seems to give me a bit more leeway with my diet, but i know i have to be careful of falling into the trap of feeling too comfortable. but, in addition to my regular workouts, i've played around with the following pursuits...a few bike rides up and down some steep hills 2-3 times (biking uphill has never been my strong suit), a 35 mile leisurely bike ride, finally trying my hand at rock climbing again for the first time in years, and taking my first ever kettlebell class. i love being so active, but i do often worry about getting enough recovery. speaking of, it's off to bed for me to try to get my 8 hrs. sleep is always the first thing i sacrifice...

todays eats.
m1: omelette w. egg/egg white, spinach, asparagus, onion, mushroom, romano cheese, butter
m2: oatmeal bar w. oats, flax seeds, cranberries, cashews
m3: coffee w. 1T half n half
m4: post wo shake w. banana, berries, whey and greens powder, nf yogurt, nf milk
m5: beef stew w. kale, mushrooms, carrots, onions, black eyed peas, cabbage, 1 slice whole wheat toast, mixed greens, cucumber, avocado, olive oil, 1 square dark chocolate

yesterdays eats.
m1: omelette w. egg/egg white, spinach, asparagus, onion, mushroom, romano cheese, butter
m2: baby carrots, string cheese
m3: nf cottage cheese, blueberries, protein powder, coffee w. 1T half n half
m4: beef stew w. kale, mushrooms, carrots, onions, black eyed peas, 1 slice whole wheat toast
m5: salad w. mixed greens, snow peas, avocado, cucumber, tomato, carrots, olive oil, tuna
m6: handful granola, 1 square dark chocolate, peanut butter, apple

todays eats.
m1: omelette w. egg/egg white, spinach, asparagus, onion, mushroom, romano cheese, butter
m2: nf cottage cheese, blueberries, flax meal, walnuts, agave, 6oz lf latte
m3: salad w. mixed greens, queso fresco, avocado, tomato, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, chicken breast, sweet potato fries
m4: beef stew w. kale, mushrooms, carrots, onions, black eyed peas, 1 slice whole wheat toast
m5: post wo shake w. banana, berries, whey & greens powder, nf yogurt, nf milk
m6: salad w. mixed greens, queso fresco, avocado, cucumber, tomato, carrots, pumpkin seeds, cashews, olive oil, chicken breast, 1 square dark chocolate, handful of granola

week 2 update

so my measurements haven't changed much at all since last week. everything was more or less the same, so i'll not bother to repost it. i'm actually okay with that though for a few reasons. number one, i know from experience that my body sometimes tends to release a few pounds, then hold steady, then let some more go. also, i do know that i wasn't as disciplined last week as i was week 1 and it showed in my results...a good reminder to redouble my efforts and keep the end goal in mind. finally, i am feeling stronger, which is always a good sign. i am determined that next week i will see a more substantial drop in numbers, meaning i'm on really good behavior. and this week is off to a good start in terms of activity...rock climbing yesterday, an hour bike ride today with some decent uphill battles, and this is in addition to my regular turbulence training workouts. i'm all over week 3!

todays eats.
m1: baby carrots, tangerine, string cheese, hazlenuts, 8oz lf latte
m2: wok w. broccoli, cabbage, onions, bean sprouts, cauliflower, mushrooms, chicken, brown rice, red coconut curry, baby carrots
m3: hummus, pine nuts, celery, red pepper
m4: post wo shake w. banana, berries, whey & greens powder, nf yogurt, nf milk
m5: cherry tomatoes, steamed asparagus, cauliflower, sweet potato fries, beef stew w. kale, carrots, mushroom, black eyed peas, lentils

today has been one of those days where i cannot get full. i just can't. i feel like i've eaten a ton today and it's all been pretty good food, but it's also been a higher carb day too. also had a glass of wine at happy hour with a friend. had a kick-butt workout this morning and then went rock climbing this afternoon, so my arms are pretty much jello. will be taking measurements later on today :).

m1: omelette w. egg/egg white, spinach, asparagus, mushroom, onion, romano cheese, butter
m2: post wo shake w. banana, berries, whey & greens powder, nf yogurt, nf milk
m3: oatmeal bar w. oats, flax, dried fruit
m4: wok w. broccoli, cabbage, onions, bean sprouts, cauliflower, mushrooms, chicken, brown rice, red coconut curry, baby carrots
m5: tangerine, americano w. dash half n half
m6: 2 pieces whole wheat toast, hummus, avocado, bell pepper, cucumber, mixed greens, turkey breast
m7: 1 glass red wine, 1 bite mac n cheese
m8: beef stew w. kale, carrots, mushroom, parsley, black eyed peas, lentils, snow peas, 3 ak mak crakers, peanut butter, honey