Small Diet Changes, Big Rewards

The Right Serving Size: 4 Ounces of Protein

The next small change would be to make sure that you are actually only eating a 4-ounce serving of protein. If you are like most people, you are consuming a much larger portion. What I suggest here is making sure that your plate is half-filled with vegetables, and another quarter of the plate should be a whole grain, i.e. brown rice, quinoa or whole wheat couscous. With three-quarters of the plate full, there won’t be as much room for the steak or chicken or pork chop. The vegetables and the whole grains are both high in fiber, which will help fill you up so you’ll still be satisfied from your meal.

Makeover Your Hamburger

If you love hamburgers, no problem. If you love the cheese and bacon too, then think again. Consider the toppings and sauces you are using. In addition to lettuce, tomato and onion, try your next burger with avocado, and you may find out that you enjoy it more this way. If you were to simply swap the bacon for the veggies, you could save almost 184 calories and 14.4 grams of fat per burger. If you ate this healthier hamburger weekly instead of the fattier version, in one year, you could lose another three pounds.  

Choose Your Carbs Wisely

For many people, a much-needed small change is a carbohydrate makeover. Carbs themselves are not a bad choice, but what kind, how much and your toppings could be. The key is to choose carbs that are high in fiber, i.e. whole wheat pasta, barley or whole grain bread. Learn what a portion size is, and just like with the steak example, add lots of veggies to your meal.