It can be a real challenge exercising proper portion control at the office, in the schoolyard or on the road. That’s a big issue, because we spend most of us spend the majority of our time in one or more of these places. If you’re managing your weight, blood sugar or metabolism, you know that success doesn’t stop at home, and you need a solution that works wherever you do – and now there’s an easy one. The freshest addition to our portion control dinnerware collection is a covered, sectioned to-go plate.
Designed by dieticians, this to-go plate helps you reach your goals by letting you choose the foods you want to eat and portioning them according to the best and most current nutritional guidelines. You can enjoy lunch again, eating the foods you love and staying on track to achieving your goals! What’s in the box? 4 – 9″ covered to-go plate divided into 3 sections for precise portion control 1 Eat & Learn Nutrition Control System Disc Crafted from durable, dishwasher and microwave-safe plastic and featuring an easy-sealing lid to prevent accidental spills, your new portion control to-go plate is designed to be as discreet as it is effective thanks to its attractive design.
Eating a healthy lunch is easier and more enjoyable than ever, even if you’re managing weight, blood sugar or metabolism, because now, you’ve got more freedom of choice than ever before. Just stay inside the lines – healthy eating is that simple. With Precise Portions‘ designer portion controldinnerware, it’s really that easy to succeed. Ready to reduce your health risks, reach your fitness goals, and feel great doing it?Get started today!
Some years ago, the USDA discarded the food pyramid to make way for MyPlate food guidelines which are less confusing and easier to follow. These guidelines recommend that half your plate should consist of fruits and vegetables while the other half be divided between whole grains and lean proteins. However, how does this apply to the vegan diet?
If you are a diabetic or looking after a diabetic and are planning to adopt the USDA ‘MyPlate’ guidelines in the daily diet then this excellent MyPlate meal planning food guide is a must read article!
Think of the MyPlate concept as a representation of the entire day’s meals. Here are three typical MyPlate based meal plans that should give roughly 2,000 calories – use them for easy meal planning.
While the USDA MyPlate is fairly easy to understand, putting together a meal that meets the MyPlate criteria is less easy. So, to help you achieve your weight management goals, our experts have come up with a daily menu plan that meets the MyPlate dietary guidelines, and yet simple, tasty and interesting. Read on.
MyPlate five food groups demystified! Our article explains in simple terms, the concept of the MyPlate food groups, what its purpose is, and what each food group consists of. Read on.
Eat food from the right food groups in precise portions and our mind and body takes off and performs in a spectacular manner. Do otherwise and we feel lethargic, dull and perform in a less than spectacular fashion in fact, there’s a good chance you might have to see a doc or even end up in the hospital.
We need fruits every meal every day. But we also have to be aware that fruits still have calories. Each measure or exchange is computed as 10 grams carbohydrate and is 40 calories. Then again, we need fruits every meal everyday. Therefore it is just necessary that we know how much is within our caloric requirement and how much per meal can we take.
PrecisePortions have seen to it that you can tell how much with MyPlate portion control bowls. This time your serving of your favorite mango cubes will be just as it should be; one, two, three servings? Just make sure you have clarified with your Dietitian, if you consulted, that you are not a Diabetic because mango have high *glycemic index which is not always well tolerated by people with Diabetes.
With MyPlate portion control bowls, one can easily tell how much calories is taken from fruits if serving portion is followed thus also can tell if within the daily caloric requirement. And it does not even look like you are measuring because measuring is not obvious with the way each bowl is designed.
As mentioned above, fruits contain differing nutrients. It is then advisable that there is a variety of fruits taken each day. Below are some fruits and their content they are most rich with for your choices:
Let’s face it, most Americans eat with their plates filled with starchy foods like the all-time favorite mashed potatoes (or fries!) and of course – meat (favorites being burgers and steaks!) You’ll be surprised if you can see some veggies on the plate, anywhere. This just proves that people are totally unaware of what SHOULD really be on their PLATE as well as the proper serving sizes. Health concerns arose because of the rapid growth in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity cases all over the US. With this in mind, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched “MyPlate”, a tool which shows a picture of a plate divided into four portions (Fruits, Vegetables, Grains and Protein plus Dairy on the side). Well, if you will ask me, it was just a simpler version of the Food Pyramid Guide because it’s all visual and easier to follow. But it lacks a bit of information which I believe is very important to know – it didn’t say how big the plate should be and you have to hunt to find the ideal portion size or percentage of food per category. And these factors ultimately affect our caloric intake per day.
So the question is, are you one of them? Are you confused and still don’t have a clear picture on how much food portion should really be on your plate? And also how big your plate should be?
Like we always say, when it comes to food… SIZE DOES MATTER!
Especially when you are watching your weight, or trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Over time, plates are getting bigger and bigger in size.
People nowadays use dinner plates which are 10 to 12 inches in diameter, but the American Diabetes Association recommends a 9 inches in diameter only, because the bigger the size, the more calories you get in your meals.
The HALF PORTION should contain Non-Starchy Vegetables (leafy greens, yellow and red veggies), a Quarter Portion for Lean Meat (about the size of a deck of cards), and another Quarter Portion for 2 servings of Starchy Vegetables it could be any of the following: beans, grains, bread or potatoes. A serving of Milk and Fruit should also be included in the diet but it is represented outside the plate.
I’m sure you would want to know “Why should half of your plate be filled with VEGGIES?
The answer is very simple – this is the best and the only way you can achieve “optimum health”. It is patterned after the American Diabetes Association’s “CREATE YOUR PLATE” or also known as the “HEALTHY PLATE METHOD”. This way you significantly reduce the amount of calories you consume in your meals, but would likely be better nourished and definitely feel full afterwards. This approach helps lower your total calories by half. Because NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES are naturally 95% water, most are very low in calories and don’t contain any fats at all, which are known to be beneficial to those aiming to lose weight. People with diabetes and cardiovascular disease will also benefit from this because eating this way, you get a high amount of fiber which helps lower sugar and cholesterol levels in the blood.
VEGETABLES are important and should be included in everyone’s daily diet because it contains key nutrients and beneficial compounds: fiber, vitamins (vitamin A, B-complex, C and K), minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium, selenium, and iron), and phytochemicals (these are non-nutritive compounds that help prevent free radicals from damaging cells in the body which may lead to chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.
Penn State University conducted a study in 2008, where the results showed the effectiveness of this HALF PLATE diet. Participants who used this method consumed fewer calories without feeling hungry, as compared to those who used plates with smaller portions of vegetables and larger portions of meats and grains. An additional study published in the “Archives of Internal Medicine” in 2007, showed that participants with Type 2 Diabetes who used store-bought portion-control plates shed more pounds and had better blood sugar control even with less medication than those who received usual care in the form of dietary teaching.
Need I say more?
There is no doubt that veggies are good for you, all you have to do is prepare it with less fat and salt. Your options are endless, just use fresh herbs and spices to add flavor in your veggie dish. Be creative and make it colorful – best if you could use all of the five colors (green, orange, purple, white, and red). Then fill half of your 9″ plate with it. Start now, practice the Plate Method wherever you are and you’ll be sure you’re on the right track with your diet!
Sources:
United States Department of Agriculture: “MyPlate”. accessed December 20, 2011. www.choosemyplate.gov.
American Diabetes Association: “Create Your Plate”. accessed December 20, 2011. www.diabetes.org.
New York Health and Hospitals Corporation – Diabetes Wellness Center: “Portion Control”. accessed December 20, 2011. www.nyc.gov.
University of North Carolina School of Medicine: “The Plate Method”. accessed December 20, 2011. www.med.unc.edu.
University of California San Francisco Medical Center – ILD Nutrition Manual: “Plate Method for Healthy Meal Planning”. accessed December 20, 2011. www.ucsfhealth.org.
Nanci Hellmich. “Small Diet Tricks Seem to Work, Says Experts at Obesity Society”; USA Today; accessed December 20, 2011. www.usatoday.com.
Archives of Internal Medicine Vol. 167 No. 12, June 25, 2007: “Portion Control Plate for Weight Loss in Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus”; Sue D. Pedersen, MD, FRCPC; Jian Kang, MSc; Gregory A. Kline, MD, FRCPC. accessed December 20, 2011. www.archinte.ama-assn.org.
The American Institute for Cancer Research: “The New American Plate: How It Works, Proportion and Portion Size”. accessed December 20, 2011
The latest that have garnered much comment is their MyPlate that is said to be the easier version of the Food Pyramid Guide. However, it failed to mention the sizes and the number of servings. If you are onto dieting and you will be provided with MyPlate, you will end up worrying how much of the food groups will have to be partaken.
