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** DOWNSIZING YOUR PLATE TO REDUCE WEIGHT

7 Tips on feeling satisfied when cutting calories

Clean your plate! It’s a mantra in America, and a contributor to the
ever-increasing obesity problem. A major part of the obesity problem
is portion sizes, which have grown substantially over the past four
decades: A Coke has increased from 6.5 to 20 fl oz. or more, a bagel
from 2-3 to 4-6 oz., and a chocolate bar from 1 to 1.5-8 oz.

Another part of the obesity problem is satiety; we often just don’t
feel full when we control our calories. According to researcher
Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., a nutritionist at Pennsylvania State University
and co-author of The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan, “Satiety is the
missing ingredient in weight management. Cut calories simply by eating
less and you’ll feel hungry and deprived.”

Here are some weight control strategies for controlling your portion
sizes while still eating enough to feel satisfied.

* Weight Control Tip 1 — Know Your Portion Sizes. There’s a
difference between serving size and portion size. A serving is a
standard amount of food containing a set amount of calories; a portion
is what you actually put on your plate. So a portion could be a lot
more than a single serving — and therefore contain a lot more
calories than you might expect.

* Weight Control Tip 2 — Check Food Labels Closely. You can’t assume
a package contains a single serving just because the label lists
calorie and nutrient information for one serving. Look for the number
of servings per package (it’s listed directly under the serving size)
to determine the true calorie count.

* Weight Control Tip 3 — Divide and Conquer. Research shows that the
bigger the plate, bag, or container of food, the bigger your eyes (and
it appears that the eyes have more control over how much you eat than
your stomach).

* Weight Control Tip 4 — Go High Fiber, High Water.  Eat foods that
have a high water and/or high fiber content and are low in fat. This
is the key concept behind Dr. Rolls’ Volumetrics approach. Soups,
salads, stews, casseroles, fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk, cooked
grains, and beans are all good choices.  These “wet” foods have a low
energy density — meaning the water and fiber they contain will fill
you up with a small amount of calories — as opposed to “dry” foods
like cookies, cereal, and crackers, which have a high energy density.

* Weight Control Tip 5 — Start Meals with Soup or Salad.  Dr. Rolls
has found that people tend to eat less when they precede a meal with a
low calorie soup or salad (with fat-free dressing).

* Weight Control Tip 6 — Eat a Variety of Foods.  Dr. Rolls’ research
reveals that even when you’re full from one type of food, say a salty
snack, you can still make room for another type of food, say a sweet
dessert. By eating a small amount of different-tasting foods, you can
create a sense of fullness without a lot of calories. 

* Weight Control Tip 7 — Emphasize What You Can Eat, Not What You
Can’t.  Positive thinking extends to weight management, too: After
all, diets often fail because we feel deprived. By focusing on what
you can eat, you’ll feel better about your weight loss program than if
you focus on all you’re missing.