U S Public Health Service Fit for Duty

U. S. Public Health Service “Fit for Duty, Fit for Life” Weight Management Program: Session 4

Review of last session • Physical activity Have you made any changes in physical activity habits in the past week? • Healthy food preparation • Cooking techniques • Ingredient substitutions Have you prepared any foods differently based on this information? How successful have you been meeting your goals in the past week?

Topics for today • Ever-expanding portion sizes • Reading food labels with attention to portion size • Hints for eating out These sessions are not meant to substitute for individual recommendations from your personal health care provider(s).

What’s the difference? Portion versus Serving • A portion: the amount of a specific food you choose to eat • A serving: the amount of food recommended from each food group • the amount of food listed on the Nutrition Facts panel on packaged food • the amount of food recommended in My. Plate

Portion Distortion: Cheeseburger Source: “Portion Distortion” National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

Portion Distortion: Cheeseburger Calorie Difference 257 Source: “Portion Distortion” National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

Portion Distortion: Spaghetti and Meatballs Source: “Portion Distortion” National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

Portion Distortion: Spaghetti and Meatballs, cont. Source: “Portion Distortion” National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

Portion Distortion: French Fries Source: “Portion Distortion” National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

Portion Distortion: Pizza Source: “Portion Distortion” National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

Portion Distortion: Chocolate Chip Cookie Source: “Portion Distortion” National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

Food Portions • The bottom line: portions today are 2 to 4 times larger than 20 years ago, and 2 to 4 times more calories. • Strategies: • • • Use the label to determine your portion size. Measure your foods whenever possible. Learn to eye-ball appropriate portions. Limit portions of high calorie foods. Enjoy larger portions of low calorie foods like vegetables.

What does a serving look like? Grains, Vegetables and Fruit Grain Product Looks Like Vegetable and Fruit Looks Like 1 cup of cereal flakes Fist 1 cup of salad greens Baseball 1 pancake Compact disc ½ cup cooked rice, pasta, or potato ½ baseball 1 baked potato Fist 1 medium fruit Baseball 1 slice of bread Cassette tape ½ cup of fresh fruit ½ baseball 1 piece of cornbread Bar of soap ¼ cup of raisins Large egg

What does a serving look like? Dairy, Cheese, Fat, Meat and Alternatives Dairy/Fat Product Looks Like Meat and Alternatives Looks Like 1 ½ ounce cheese 4 stacked dice or 2 cheese slices 3 ounces meat, fish, and poultry Deck of cards ½ cup of ice cream ½ baseball 3 ounces grilled/baked fish Checkbook 2 tablespoons peanut butter Ping pong ball 1 teaspoon 1 dice margarine or spreads

Tricks to control your portions • Bigger containers → bigger servings • Use smaller plates, bowls, and cups. • Choose narrow (not wide) glasses. • Spread out the food on your plate so it looks like more. • Measure your foods and drinks whenever possible.

Tricks to control your portions, cont. Pay attention to how much you are eating: • Don’t eat directly out of a big bag. • Measure out your portion. • Use smaller utensils and take smaller bites. • Eat slowly; savor each mouthful. • Read food labels carefully.

Reading a Food Label

Label reading: Start here • Serving Size • Standardized as cups, pieces, ounces, etc. • Followed by metric amount How much is a “serving” for this product? • Servings per Container How many servings are in this package?

Label reading: Check calories • Calories Are listed for 1 serving How many calories are in 1 serving of this product? • Guide to calories: 40 or less = low 100 - 300 = moderate 400 or more = high • Calories from fat • Based on 2000 calorie diet • Not useful information

Label reading: Limit these nutrients ûTotal fat ûSaturated Fat ûTrans Fat ûCholesterol ûSodium To reduce risk of • heart disease, • some cancers and • hypertension

Label reading: Get enough of these nutrients üDietary Fiber üVitamin A üVitamin C üCalcium üIron To improve health and reduce risk of some diseases

Label reading: %DV • Percent Daily Values % DVs are based on 2000 calorie diet • The “ 5/20 Rule” 5% DV or less = Low 20% DV or more = High

Label-reading: summary • First step: Check the serving size listed. • Second step: Check the number of servings per container. • Third Step: Determine calories in your usual portion.

Potato chips: 4. 5 ounce bag How many calories are in this bag of chips? Serving Size 1 ounce Servings Per Container 4. 5 Amount Per Serving: Calories 150 Total Fat 10 g Saturated Fat 3 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 180 mg Total Carbohydrate 15 g Dietary Fiber 1 g Sugars 0 Other Carbohydrate 0% Protein 2 g

Potato chips: 4. 5 ounce bag, cont. Answer: 675 calories (150 calories x 4. 5 servings) Serving Size 1 ounce Servings Per Container 4. 5 Amount Per Serving: Calories 150 Total Fat 10 g Saturated Fat 3 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 180 mg Total Carbohydrate 15 g Dietary Fiber 1 g Sugars 0 Other Carbohydrate 0% Protein 2 g

More on label-reading… Make Your Calories Count: Use the Nutrition Facts Label for Healthy Weight Management • An interactive learning program that provides consumers with information to help plan a healthful diet while managing calorie intake http: //www. fda. gov/Food/Resources. For. You/Consumers/NFLPM/ucm 275438. htm

Eating out • How many times each week do you eat out? • How often do you get carry-out food? • Which meals? • How often do you eat in the car? On the bus? • Do you eat larger portions when you eat away from home? • Are these foods higher in fat and calories than those prepared at home?

Restaurant eating tips • Check ahead for appropriate food choices by looking the restaurant menu up online. • Request lower cal/fat foods even if they are not listed on the menu. • Instead of fries -- ask for salad, soup, or plain baked potato. • Ask for lower cal/fat preparation techniques: baked, broiled, grilled. • Request salad dressings and toppings “on the side”.

More restaurant eating tips • Share the entrée, or doggy-bag half. • Eat just one course: appetizer, entrée, or dessert. • Order low-calorie appetizer(s) as main dish. • Remove temptations: Ask that the basket of bread or chips be removed from your table. • Watch your beverage choice.

Fast food eating tips Better Choices: • Grilled chicken sandwich • Small hamburger • Turkey or roast beef sandwich • Kids meals (smaller portions) • Ask for no mayo/ special sauces • Main dish or garden (side) salads • • • with low-fat or fat-free dressings Few (if any) fries Small frozen yogurt/cone Diet drink or water

Where else do you eat? At your desk? In the car? On the bus? Are these meals or snacks? Are you a “grazer”? (One who eats constantly rather than eating defined meals and snacks) It adds up!

Portion Control Links • Just Enough for You: About Food • Aim for a Healthy Weight • Avoiding portion size pitfalls to help manage your weight

Summary of today’s session • Portions today are 2 -4 times larger than 20 years ago. • Measure your foods whenever possible. • Check labels first for serving size and number of servings, and compare to your portion. • Eat out less often. • Eat out carefully!

Assignments for the next session 1. Continue to keep food and physical activity records. 2. Focus on recording portions: measure foods and drinks whenever possible. 3. Practice reading food labels and determining calories in your portions. 4. When eating out, practice making special requests.