Does plate size really matter when it comes to watching your weight? Or is it a silly trick your stomach probably won’t fall for?
As it turns out, in this case, size does matter. Researchers found that when you dish up your meal, you’re likely to clean your plate, regardless of serving size. And when you use a large serving spoon and a large plate or bowl, you’re more likely to help yourself to over 50% more food than if you use smaller utensils and dishes. To avoid doubling the self-sabotage, think petite. Petite plates and petite spoons mean petite you.It may be an optical illusion. The same amount of food that completely fills a small bowl may look lost in a large one, prompting you to spoon in — and eat — more. You also may find yourself more mentally satisfied if you eat from a small plate that’s heaping full than from a large plate with a lonely-looking entrée in the middle of it, even though both have the same amount of food. Try using salad plates for dinner, martini glasses for ice cream, coffee cups for cereal, and petite salad forks and dessert spoons for all your meals. It may drive you or your family a little crazy at first, but you’ll get used to it. And isn’t it more fun to be unique?
Compliments of RealAge.com. Originally published on 10/12/2006.
Tip References: Ice cream illusions bowls, spoons, and self-served portion sizes. Wansink, B., van Ittersum, K., Painter, J. E., American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2006 Sep;31(3):240-243.
The Toadal Fitness Teens are working hard to perform in a dance recital in December 2006! I started teaching them the choreography in September and they are looking great so far. Please call Toadal Fitness at 831-464-3764 for exact dates and further details.
You may be so tired that you could fall asleep right here, right now, on your keyboard. But before you pop open another energy drink, read the list of ingredients on the label. Some so-called “energy” drinks are high in sugar and low in caffeine, a combination that, according to research, could actually have you crashing even harder about 70 to 80 minutes later. A better remedy: a cup of coffee (not decaf) or a 20-minute nap. You’ll feel like a new person.
High-sugar drinks make your blood glucose rise — and fast. Your body’s response? Pump out massive amounts of insulin to handle the load. Your system metabolizes all that sugar just as quickly as it entered your system, leading to a big drop in blood glucose about 70 to 80 minutes after you consumed the beverage. Essentially, you crash — hard. In fact, you’ll feel worse than you did before you had the drink, and you’ll probably be mentally slower. That’s what happened to a small group of sleep-deprived people who performed a computer test to determine their reaction times after drinking a high-sugar, low-caffeine energy drink. Participants performed much worse on the test 70 to 80 minutes after consuming the drink than they did just 10 or 20 minutes after downing it. In other words, they were bum-rushed by the sugar. Power up with a nap, a walk, or a cup of joe instead.
Compliments of RealAge.com. Originally published on 10/04/2006.
Tip References: A high sugar content, low caffeine drink does not alleviate sleepiness but may worsen it. Anderson, C., Horne, J. A., Human Psychopharmacology 2006 Jul;21(5):299-303.
I presented to the 9th grade class at Cypress Charter High School. This seminar included basic info on proper nutrition, hydration, and fitness. We did some fun quizzes to reinforce food combining principles and identify good sources of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Then we covered the basics for aerobic conditioning and strength training and discussed the importance of stretching. At the end, all the students got a free day pass to the teen workout center at Toadal Fitness!
