With the first few days of 2015 officially on the books and in the full swing of our resolutions, I’ve been feeling a bit frustrated. But not for the reasons you would think. I work out all of the time, and eat really well, but sometimes I feel like I don’t look as toned or sculpted as I should. When I had this conversation with my boyfriend, he suggested some really great ideas, increasing my weights, and following a more high intensity workout instead of a cardio based workout. I’ve implemented this a few months ago, so I’m good there.
Then I started thinking about my portion size of my meals. This area could definitely use some work. I learned that protein should be the largest portion of my meal (about 6-8 oz), then my grains should be about a 1/3 of that and my veggies and fruit can be double my protein, I think I got that right. But what I learned next, astonished me. Some of my fav healthy foods, could be causing me to gain weight! Say it ain’t so!!!
The culprates:
1. Avocado: this yummy “snack” is about 50 calories per serving. IF you eat the entire thing, you’re looking at 350 calories. That could be a meal. Yes. It great for your heart. Yes. it is high in fiber. Yes, it has the “good” fats. But, if you’re goal is to lose weight, be real careful about how much of this yummy treat you consume, since they are high in fat and calorie dense. For a healthy alternative, try mixing green beans into your guac, you’ll get the same texture with half the fat and calories.
2. Almonds: These are my best friend, in the nut world. a 1/4 cup is about 130 calories. Nutritionists suggest, eating these portioned out as a serving and not straigt from the bag (like I do). Healthier swap? Add dried cranberries to the almonds to help reduce the amount you consume.
3. Trail Mix: this yummy on-the-go snack can pack hundreds of calories. Who knew?! Instead? Try grapes. Seriously, they have much fewer calories, ok-I know grapes and trail mix are nothing alike. Except they are both great on the go!
Healthy Food Pyramid
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