Challengers, you made it to Week 3! I am so excited you keep coming back for more. The best part about the challenge is every time you put food in your mouth you have the opportunity to start again. I typically eat 5-6 small meals per day. That is 5 to 6 opportunities to eat more plants!
I have already introduced the concept of portion sizes in Week 2. Using your fist as a portion guide is an easy way to determine the size of the meal or fruit/veggie we should be eating. Your stomach is approximately the size of your fist. Our goal should be to leave a meal with a good gut feeling. We accomplish this by eating high-quality foods, staying hydrated and not over-stuffing ourselves. This is also a universal gauge – a toddler fist is smaller than the fist of a 6′ man. They are equally likely to ingest the appropriate amount of calories for their needs if focused on the QUALITY of food. (I’m sure we all know pre-schoolers and 6′ tall teenage boys capable of polishing off a sleeve of goldfish in 30 seconds flat!)
For most of us the main goal of focusing on portions is for weight-loss or weight control. Avoiding spikes (in our blood fats and blood sugar) is our best bets for weight loss, weight maintenance and reducing inflammation. How do we reduced the spikes?
Follow the Rule of 2’s:
1. Eat half as much.
2. Eat twice as often.
3. Chew twice as long.
4. Take twice the time to dine.
There are lots of tips and tricks to help us follow the Rule of 2’s. I will share them this week on social media. Remember you can see my posts on Instagram and Facebook by clicking on those images in the right hand column.
Your goal this week is to focus on PORTIONS. So break up the three big meals into smaller meals, chew-chew-chew your food, and be mindful of what you are eating and with whom you might be eating. The result will be less food, better digestion, happy hormones and lots of good-gut feelings! Who doesn’t want that?
If you are in the east, I think we are going to get some SNOW. Let’s all share some healthy recipes and stock up for a long weekend of planning and prepping for the final week of our Fruit & Veggie Challenge. Stay safe.
Have a great week, Challengers!