Today’s guest post is by Michelle Remkus. Michelle is a Registered Dietitian with her Masters in Nutrition and Wellness and writes a blog on her website, Live…Don’t Diet. Michelle did a cool visual collage of 100 calories 24 different ways to give you an idea of how calorie density varies. Pretty cool! I’ll take the blackberries please!
When you look at the amount of each 100 calorie food you can see that some foods fill up the whole bowl like the strawberries, apples, or bell peppers, while others are only a few pieces like the Hershey’s kisses, M&Ms, or gummy bears. 100 calories can go so far with some foods, but with others can add up quickly. Something called “mindless” eating can take over and without you being conscious of it you may devour 500 calories of a snack food. For example only having 13 gummy bears can be difficult when you have a whole bag in front of you.
If you’ve ever over-indulged and ate a whole bag of potato chips, you aren’t alone. In fact millions fall victim to this unconscious eating. Unfortunately, this mindless eating habit can be the answer to many people’s weight gain. Food psychologist Brain Wansink, PhD coined the term mindless eating after he discovered through experimentation that people eat more if served food in larger cups, bowls, and plates. In one study people ate 34% to 45% more popcorn if it was served in “extra-super-size ginormous buckets” than in regular large containers — even if the popcorn was stale” Wansink says. “Even a kid’s cereal bowl can be a trap,” according to Wansink. “Children poured about twice as much cereal into a 16-ounce bowl than into an 8-ounce bowl,” he says.
Wansink suggests mindless eating can be stopped if we change aspects in our environment. The best approach is to keep the candies, chips, and soda out of view and instead keep healthier foods at eye level. By filling your refrigerator and pantry with fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and whole grains you are more likely to snack on these healthier, lower calorie foods. Another change is to swap out your large bowls, cups, and plates for smaller ones. The smaller our plates are, the less food we can fit on them, and the less food we will eat overall. Lastly, don’t eat in front of the TV or computer. Wansink states this is “where you’re likely to lose track of how much you’ve eaten.”
Another healthy eating tip is to eat foods that have more volume with the same amount of calories. This helps you fill up and you’re more likely to stay satisfied until your next meal. For example, you can eat 5 Hershey kisses as your afternoon snack or have 2 medium apples. Obviously the apples are the healthier choice, but not only are you getting more fiber and nutrients, you are also filling your stomach with more volume of food for the same calories. Many times it’s the volume of food that we are eating that tricks the mind into thinking “I’m satisfied and full.”
In a study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, participants were given either an entree of mac and cheese or an entree of mac and cheese with 25% pureed squash and cauliflower blended in. The participants who ate the mac and cheese with squash and cauliflower consumed 360 fewer calories per dish because they tricked their brain into thinking they were eating more, when in fact they were eating less energy-wise. The simple recipe modification of adding vegetables to a recipe reduces the calories, but still allows you to eat the same amount and feel just as satisfied.
Learning to eat mindfully and follow portion control can be your key to a healthy weight. Reach for fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, lean meats, and whole grains. These foods will give you more volume per calorie, keeping you full and satisfied. Portion control can be one of the most difficult aspects of maintaining a healthy diet, but by eating these healthy foods you get more bang for your buck…or I guess I should say more bang for your calorie.
What Does 100 Calories Look Like?
1 cup of blackberries
5 Hershey’s kisses
1 and 1/2 eggs
1 and 1/2 graham crackers
2 and 1/2 rice cakes
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1 cup Chex
1 cup strawberries
1 slice of bread
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon peanut butter
13 almonds
13 gummy bears
2 bell peppers
2 small apples
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2 tablespoons chocolate chips
2 tablespoons jelly
28 M&Ms
3 clementines
1/2 cup dry pasta
8 saltine crackers
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup dry oatmeal
Michelle Remkus is a Registered Dietitian with her Masters in Nutrition and Wellness. She is currently a consulting dietitian in long term care, as well as a dietitian at a local wellness center where she does one-on-one nutrition counseling. But her most important job is being a mommy to her daughter, Hannah. Her thoughts about healthy eating is that nothing is off the table. The most important factor in healthy eating is having a balanced diet, watching portions, and eating foods you actually enjoy. Hence her motto “Live…Don’t Diet”. On her blog she has information, recipes, advice, and tidbits to hopefully help you to improve your nutrition and live a healthier life.
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