It sounds like a healthy snack: hummus and baby carrots. Except I can go through a container of hummus and half a bag of those baby carrots at warp speed, especially when I get home from work, I'm starving, and I don't feel like cooking. (Did I mention I never cook?) Well, my nutritionist Marissa informed me that a serving of hummus is about 1/6 of a container of my favorite Sabra brand, or 2 to 4 tablespoons. That's MEASLY! Other nuggets of wisdom I gleaned from Marissa that I intend to put into practice from now on:
-- Don't bother with nonfat foods. Marissa says that they're not satisfying, so you end up eating more later. Stick to 1 or 2 percent yogurt and milk. Yes! (Personally, I love fa*ge Greek yogurt and Horizon organic milk).
-- Cereal is okay, but only for breakfast. Because I don't cook, I'm apt to grab a bowl (or two) of my favorite organic cereal (Bear Naked granola), add berries, skim milk and make an evening meal of it. "Bad idea," says Lippert, who calls cereal a "gateway food" and "the road to disaster." She adds: "Too many women overdose on cereal at night--they eat it just to eat, and because they rationalize that it's healthy, they eat more of it than they should." Guilty as charged.
-- Think in halves, as in filling HALF your plate with salad or veggies. Then divide the rest between protein and whole grains/carbs. If you're eating in a restaurant, leave HALF the portion on your plate, have it wrapped up and bring it home. (We all know that restaurant portions are supersized!)
My new, nutritionist-approved refrigerator!
--Paula Derrow
More from The Pleasure Diet:-The Pleasure Diet: Day 1
-The Pleasure Diet: Day 2 - Mindful Eating
-The Pleasure Diet: Day 3 - How slowly can you eat a raisin?
-The Pleasure Diet: Day 4: I'll take a half pound of weight loss!
-The Pleasure Diet: Day 5: A date with my very own nutritionist
