Discover How Portion Control Can Help You Effortlessly Lose Weight

We know that losing weight seems to be a challenging process for many. Most people feel like they will have to deprive themselves or miss out on their favourite foods. As a matter of fact this doesn't have to be the case at all. If you're not ready to count calories or have no desire to then I encourage you to consider portion control as your next step. It's easier to do than you might think.

Do Calories Matter?

The science behind weight loss is calories in versus calories out. We are not talking about health or health issues here which requires that you eat certain foods but in terms of weight loss, it doesn't matter what foods you eat. What matters is that you are in a calorie deficit. If you're not losing weight then this means you're eating enough calories to maintain your weight. We can make tiny adjustments that will make a world of difference and finally produce results. Portion control to the rescue!

Portion Sizes For Weight Loss

Let's have a look at suitable portion sizes for weight loss. Our hands are our built-in portion control meters. Our palm size and thickness represents our protein portion for a meal. Our closed fist represents the size and thickness of our vegetable serving. Our cupped hand represents a fruit serving and a complex carbohydrate serving such as rice, pasta, beans or potatoes. And lastly, our thumb length represents our fat serving such as nuts and oils.

How Many Portions Per Day?

If you're a female who weighs less than 160 lbs have:

• 4 protein portions

• 4-5 vegetable portions

• 2-3 complex carbohydrate portions

• 2 fruit portions

• 2-3 fat portions

If you weigh more than 160lbs or are a male then have:

• 5-6 protein portions

• 5-7 vegetable portions

• 4-5 complex carbohydrate portions

• 3-4 fruit portions

• 4-5 fat portions

These recommendations are very general and do not take into account your lifestyle and activity levels. It's always best to start out somewhere and monitor your progress. If you begin to gain weight you may want to cut out a fat, fruit or a complex carbohydrate portion. Keep protein and vegetable portions constant because those are key to retaining muscle mass, feeling satiated and staying regular.

Putting The Portions Together

Here's an example for a woman's day for weight loss:

• Breakfast: 1 protein, 1 vegetable, 1 complex carbohydrate

• Snack: 1 protein, 1 fruit (smoothie: 1 scoop of protein powder + 1 cupped hand frozen fruit + water and blend)

• Lunch: 1 protein, 1 vegetable, 1 fat

• Snack: 1 fruit, 1 fat

• Dinner: 1 protein, 1 fat, 2 vegetable, 1 complex carbohydrate

Here's an example of a man's day for weight loss:

• Breakfast: 2 protein, 2 vegetable, 1 complex carbohydrate

• Snack: 2 fruit, 2 fat

• Lunch: 2 protein, 2 vegetable, 2 complex carbohydrate

• Snack: 1 protein, 1 fruit

• Dinner: 1 protein, 2 vegetable, 2 fat, 1 complex carbohydrate

Can I Eat Treats?

You certainly can! It's all about portion control. Instead of taking the whole bag of chips with you to the couch, look at the label on the back that shows you a portion size. Measure out the portion size in a small bowl and dig in! The same goes for ice cream and cookies, you can eat them just stick to your portion sizes. Most cookies and ice creams are going to count towards your fat, fruit and complex carbohydrate servings. Remember, keep the vegetable and protein servings the same and you can make room for some fun foods by adjusting and swapping out other portions.

We don't need to make weight loss so complex - simple portion control can do wonders for our waistline. Have a look at your hand and now get started!

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Top Things About Magnesium Goodness for the Body

We all know that vitamins and minerals are essential for our body to stay healthy. Besides calcium, zinc, and potassium, magnesium is extremely critical in nutrition and is essential for over 300 biochemical reactions in the human body. In this post, we will talk about the significance of magnesium, along with the natural sources and other things that matter.

The significance of Magnesium:

Magnesium is vital for transmission of different nerve impulses and helps in regulating the temperature of the body. It also helps in maintaining the natural energy in the body and is vital for bones and teeth. Health experts have time and again emphasized on the significance of having magnesium, zinc, potassium and calcium in the diet. Besides being vital for the different functions of the body, magnesium also helps in absorption of calcium too. Women should focus on the intake of this mineral, as it helps in keeping osteoporosis away and can offer relief with menopause symptoms. It is known to aid with common premenstrual symptoms. Magnesium also helps in protein synthesis in the body and can help in absorption of other minerals. It works wonders on the muscles and can also reduce the impact of common health issues such as hypertension, sleep disorders and headaches related to migraines. People do not ensure enough intake of magnesium has a greater risk of type-2 diabetes.

The Best Sources of Magnesium:

You don't need to rely on supplements, as long as you have enough of magnesium-rich foods each day. The mineral is found abundantly in some of the typical leafy greens, including kale and Swiss chard. It is also found in most of the nuts and seeds, including sesame seeds, pine nuts, cashews, and almonds. If you love to fish, you can increase your intake of mackerel, which is rich in the mineral, besides other options include tuna. Vegetarians can go for soybeans, white beans, and French beans, along with foods like avocados. Some people also claim that switching to vitamin enhanced water can also offer excellent benefits. Alkaline water or natural spring water has added minerals including magnesium and calcium, which provides a natural energy boost to the body and may help in improving the bodily functions.

What Else to Know?

First things first, don't run behind supplements right away, unless suggested by your doctor. Magnesium supplements may be advised in some cases, but only after your physician has run a few tests and checked other aspects. Healthy adults can get their share of the mineral from natural foods easily. Just make sure that you eat foods, mainly fishes, veggies and fruits that are high in mineral content. It is also important to be informed. Don't follow fad diets and focus on eating healthy and fresh foods. Natural foods have the right balance of all the necessary minerals, and your body will get its share of magnesium. It is also wise to replace your packaged snacks with healthier options like nuts and seeds.

If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor.

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