Community of Losers: Divide and Conquer

When the seam in my pants began to look like The Great Divide, I figured it was time to take a closer look at how I was dividing up my plate. My favorite plate is the big round one covered with pizza. Unfortunately, short of being a member of the Donner party, I cannot think of a single circumstance where that would be the most healthy choice.

Enter plate division, not to be confused with long division or infantry division, although weight loss is a battle. We are at war! The battle of the bulge! Let’s take a look at several options for plating up our food.

The American Diabetes Association suggests dividing your plate into three portions. Using this method, you should have lean proteins on one-quarter of your plate, starchy vegetables/grains on another quarter of your plate, and the remaining half of your plate should be filled with non-starchy vegetables and fruits.

The USDA recommends dividing fifty to sixty percent of your plate into fruits, vegetables and whole grains and the remaining percentage be divided into lean proteins and healthy fats.

Just so our dividing lines don’t get blurred, some examples and nutritional contents of healthy fats are:

Olive Oil = 1 Tbsp = 120 cals = 13.5g fat, (drizzled on after cooking to reap the nutritional benefits).

Almonds = 1 oz. (22 whole) = 170 cals = 8g fat

Avocados = 1 medium = 115 cals = 15g fat

Natural Peanut Butter (not hydrogenated), = 1 Tbsp = 100 cals = 8g fat

Ground Flax Seeds = 1 Tbsp = 50 cals = 4g fat

Flax Seed Oil = 1Tbsp = 115 cal = 15g fat

Some examples of lean proteins could include: Fish, beef, chicken, legumes, soy and tofu. Cold water fish that contain high concentrations of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids make good choices. Among these are salmon, herring, trout, mackerel, halibut and sardines. Top sirloin and sirloin tip steak are among the leanest cuts of beef. When choosing chicken, don’t cry fowl, go for the breast meat. Just soy you know soybeans are among some of the highest legumes for protein.

Starchy vegetables can include potatoes, corn, peas and chickpeas to name a few. For the purposes of plate division, include foods such as rice, pasta and breads in this category. Be sure to opt for brown rice and whole grain pastas whenever possible. Whole grains and non-refined foods contain much better nutrients which all count when dividing up your plate. These are high in complex carbohydrates.

Non-starchy vegetables are not high in complex carbs and should make up at least half of your plate. Some examples of these veggies are broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, beets, Brussels sprouts, green beans, turnips, collards, beets, squash, carrots, mushrooms and the list goes on. There is something for everyone, even the pickiest vegetable eater.

When you are dieting or trying to maintain a healthy body weight, the idea behind dividing up your plate is just one more component in fighting the war against fat. It is important to find what works well for you and stick to it. Once you get used to preparing your food and dividing up your plate accordingly, your body will begin to crave those foods which are healthier for you.

You may find it helpful to allocate a special plate that is easy to divide for the purposes of committing to a healthy lifestyle. If following this method for your diet, you might want to purchase a divided plate available at many mass merchandisers, Walmart, Target, etc.

I also found a fun and helpful plate at: http://www.theportionplate.com/products.html

You are invited to join our Community of Losers. There are no fees. Please email me for the details. As always, I hope to see less of you soon.