Portion control

There are lots of ways to say it: Portion control, everything in moderation, calories in/calories out. Although it wouldn't be healthy, you could eat donuts all the live-long day if the portion size were reasonable and met your daily caloric requirement. (Please don't try this at home.) Although weight loss is a mystery to lots of us, when it comes down to it the idea is simple — it's just hard to put into practice: Keep your portions small, and you won't gain weight.

Right.

So what exactly is a "small" portion? And isn't just hearing the word "small" an instant turnoff? It's almost like the word "diet" itself. Lots of women only have to hear the word diet before they start feeling instantly deprived and begin hoarding calories as a sort of last supper. Pizza, ice cream, cookies, Coke, give it all to me now, and fast — I'm about to have to face a grim reality. Portion control. Calories in, calories out. (Yes, I know I just said that.) But with skyrocketing obesity rates in our country and others, it's clearly something we need to repeat over and over, ingrain into our brains and make into a daily (or several-times-a-day) mantra.

Below are some accurate healthy portion sizes. Don't be shocked if you have to cut back on something you love — just try filling up on high-fiber foods as your sides, or foods that naturally contain a lot of water — like broth-based soup, watermelon or salad. It IS doable, and we can all use some help combating the outrageous portion sizes that have developed during the past 50 years.

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast: Three ounces, or about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand. What's good with chicken? Healthy, filling brown rice and sauteed veggies. Make a stir-fry out of it!
• Whole grains (notice I don't even mention the white kind): The obvious is one piece of sliced bread — Ezekiel is by far my favorite, it's so filling — but when it comes to pasta, the correct portion size is actually only one-half cup. Gasp! I know that only sounds like a little, and it better be whole wheat, but again — throw some veggies into the mix. Try a red sauce with eggplant, my new favorite, or sauteed zucchini and peppers. Note: If you've saved on carbs during the rest of the day, perhaps you can afford to splurge on a bit more now (1-1.5 cups, max). For whole-wheat crackers, stick with a smart six. Top them with low-fat cheese, add a piece of fruit, below, and you have yourself quite a healthy snack.
• Fresh fruit (again, notice I say fresh — I'm a big advocate of eating in-season local produce, but frozen is OK if you're on a budget; just avoid anything canned in heavy syrup): Your obvious choice again is one unit. An apple, an orange or a pear. They should be about the size of a tennis ball, so if you have a giant Pink Lady or a mammoth banana, count it as two servings. Now, it is actually hard to eat too much fruit. But remember the calories in/calories out equation. If all of your fruit is oversized, it could very well throw your food budget out of whack. For fresh-cut fruit OR 100% fruit juice, limit yourself to one-half cup again.
• Fresh veggies: Here's where you get to go big. Noshing on spinach, kale, romaine lettuce or mustard greens (anything leafy)? You can eat two whole cups! If numbers are your game, veggies are the winner. Looking to crunch on some raw celery or carrots? Cut it back to just one cup, which will also fill you up — trust me. For chopped, cooked or canned vegetables (watch the sodium in anything canned), stick to the ever-popular one-half cup. That number keeps coming up, doesn't it? Not hard to remember, so don't use it as an excuse when you're on the go.
  
• Low-fat dairy: When drinking 1% or skim milk, you can guzzle a hefty cup-full. Low-fat or fat-free yogurt can be consumed in the same quantity, but avoid yogurt with the fruit already mixed in. Try Greek yogurt, or mix fruit, honey or maple syrup into plain yogurt — even skip the vanilla flavor there because it's likely unnatural and code for pure sugar. For low-fat cheeses (mozzarella, feta, etc), eat just one ounce, or about the length and width of your index finger.
  
• Skinless fish: Three ounces, just like chicken. My faves? Mahi mahi, cod and wild Alaskan salmon. Do not eat farmed fish, no matter how many times "they" tell you to eat tilapia or catfish. It's just not safe in the long run because we can't be sure of the side effects of all those chemicals in fish farms. If you're a big fish eater, stick to the wild kind.
  
• Beans and legumes: Serve up one-half cup, or about the size of an ice cream scoop. Canned beans (rinse first, please) are delicious in salads or with rice for a simple vegetarian meal. Heat and season them with a little olive oil, cumin and chili powder and you have a great Southwestern-style entree or side, and it's a complete package — protein, whole grains from your rice and healthy fats in the oil. Who can beat that? Toss in some onions or, better yet, stuff the mixture inside a tomato or pepper, bake it in the oven and you even have your veg taken care of.

Until you're comfortable eye-balling portion sizes, keep the measuring cups handy. There's no shame in that. And, of course, when you're out at a restaurant or the quantity is out of your control, first try eating half of what's been served to you. Eat slowly, taking it all in, put down your fork in between bites, you know the drill. If you're still hungry, try eating half of that half. Continue that process (or not) and you'll be much more conscious of your satiety level so you can know when to stop.

What's the other side of the coin? Remember that phrase "everything in moderation." It can apply to most foods (except for trans fats, for example), but it's also something you have to learn. If you can stick to one pour of wine (four ounces or a little bit less than half of a standard glass), have it with dinner. If you don't immediately devour all evidence of chocolate once it's in the house, have a square or two for dessert. But remember, until you have a good idea of the calories you need to maintain or lose weight, you should try the measuring and counting thing. Once you've got these portion sizes down, it's a bit of knowledge you'll never forget.

Sleep city

Ahhhh, nap time.

Does it sound like I'm fondly thinking back on kindergarten or pre-k? Are you envisioning nubby green rugs and sleep circles, little tiny overalls and shoes lined up against the wall? Well, to be honest, I don't even remember if I had nap time in preschool. I'm fondly thinking back on a Saturday afternoon last month.

Oh yes, that's right, I nap.

I wish I was one of those people who could fall asleep anytime anywhere, like my husband, but such is life — I sometimes send out a prayer to the universe that I'll fall asleep fast at night because otherwise there's often a fair amount of head-spinning thoughts, tosses and turns, drinks of water and mental debates about whether or not I need an allergy pill.

So I'm a napper. I get caught up once or twice on the weekends, after lunch on Saturday or Sunday, with a couple hours of glorious afternoon nappage.

Sleep, of course, is imperative. And yes, sometimes it feels like all I do is eat, sleep and work. But while I may have a bit of trouble from time to time actually falling asleep, I'm not one to get up in the middle of the night and check my email, have a drink or read a book. I'm lucky, and I know that a lot of people out there are not. However, how do you expect to function in the morning — let alone get in a good workout — if you're not getting enough zzz's? Below are some tips to help you fall, and stay, asleep, if you're ever having trouble hitting the hay.

• Turn off the tellie. It may sound obvious, but at the very least don't fall asleep to wretched flashes of infomercials and outdated comedic monologues. If you have a DVR or TiVo, set it to record any shows that begin or end near your bedtime — if you really want to keep up with the program, you'll find time to watch later (like on the treadmill or while cooking dinner). I think my DVR only costs about $5 a month, and it's so worth it.
  
• Get the pets out. The last thing you need is Fluffy waking you up at 3:45 for some kibble. I'll fess up right away to having my pets sleep in the bedroom, but they have their own bed in the corner — and they're relegated there when we all settle in for the night. Any attempts to claim a square of bed space by my pals is not welcome in this house.
• Try aromatherapy. You know that smell that undeniably says "spa" as soon as you walk in for a massage? That's lavender, and it has proven relaxation powers. Check out a sheet spray or eye pillow from Bath & Body Works or The Body Shop to bring that same sense of peace and tranquility to your very own bedroom.
• Upgrade your linens. Now, I don't mean you need to run out and buy sheets with a 500 thread count. I happen to like Martha Stewart's line from Kmart, and I keep a feather bed tucked between the fitted sheet and my mattress. (They go on sale periodically at Target, and it's getting me through until I break down and buy a new bed with a pillow top.) Having a cozy, comfy retreat in the bedroom is another key to feeling relaxed and pampered.
• Have a spot of tea. A cup of chamomile is a cure-all, as can be any decaf tea that tickles your fancy. Make it part of your wind-down ritual each night (see below) — whether it's French vanilla, Tahitian hazelnut or caramel pecan, tea is both soothing and calorie free. Score!
• Wind it down. Make preparing for bedtime a special experience, just like when you were a kid and Mommy used to read you stories. Wash your face with lukewarm water. Brush, floss, rinse. Indulge in a rich night cream; scare away those crows' feet with a thick eye treatment. Whatever you do, try to do the same thing every night (and around the same time). That helps to signal your body and mind that it's time to rest and rejuvenate before morning comes.
• Block it out. If street lights, neighbors or the early morning sun bothers you while you're trying to sleep, invest in your physical and mental health and get some blackout curtains. If it's somebody's incessant chatter or the sounds of local traffic that mess with your sleep cycle, check out a white noise machine or turn on a fan that will drown out the other noise with a constant, smooth hum. You can find either for relatively cheap (under $30).
• Focus on your breathing. I'm not the best at meditating, but when I'm having trouble falling asleep because of racing thoughts and insane worries I know there's one thing I can think repeatedly to calm down: In...out. In...out. It instantly slows and relaxes the pace of my breath, and I can't think about anything else. Sleep almost always comes within minutes.
• Put your cares away. If you just can't stop thinking about tomorrow's work presentation, write down in a little notebook exactly what you're worried about and stick it in a drawer. There — it's gone. Unless you should really be up researching instead of slacking off and napping, the thoughts running circles in your head are doing nothing but a disservice to you and your rest time. You can also put a basket in a corner of the bedroom, far from your pillow, where all your worries can go. Bills, phone numbers, to-do lists and random papers should all be collected there, not strewn about under your lotions and pajamas.
• Watch what you put where. Feng Shui guidelines dictate that nothing that worries or distracts you from sleep should be put anywhere near your head or the place where you sleep. That reading assignment for class tomorrow? Leave it in the living room, not on the bedside table. The permission slip you need to sign and date first thing in the morning? Leave it by your daily coffee cup, not next to the alarm clock. Each object's energy can disturb the precious peace that should surround your sleep space, so clear your night table and — in general — clear the clutter from the bedroom entirely. Less mess = more rest.
• Don't do anything else in bed. (Well, you know what I mean.) Bed is not a place for reading, eating, watching movies, talking on the phone or tackling the Sunday crossword. Your bed is meant for sleeping, and if you treat it well it will reward you right back. Wash your sheets weekly in hot water to kill any dust mites, make your bed every morning so that climbing in each night feels luxurious and comforting and then it's lights out. Leave your anxiety at the door.
  
• Repeat after me: I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight. Even if you try just one of these tips, say to yourself before reclining for the night that it's going to work like a charm. This is the magic spell that you need to get your rest tonight. You've never slept better. The power of positive self talk is truly irreplaceable.
• Don't sleep in — too late. I know it's tempting to laze around in bed on Saturday and Sunday mornings, but research has shown that you really shouldn't linger more than one hour past your usual wake time. It confuses your body's natural rhythms, so even if you have to back up your weekend ritual slowly, take baby steps until you reach a comfortable compromise. If the third World War wouldn't rouse you from your weekend slumber, buy a progressive alarm clock that uses light and sound to wake you gently, or make an early morning workout date with a friend so you're forced to keep your commitments.
  

I feel like someone just sat in front of me chanting "You are getting very sleepy..." — so nighty-night, darlings! Turn off the laptop and go to sleep smiling. You deserve it!

Picture this

Isn't it lovely, the sight of fresh veggies on your counter top, ready to be devoured? (And yes, that was one giant zucchini — about the size of a baseball bat originally.)

These were the ingredients for a Summer vegetable saute I made last month, and it was simple and delicious. Check out the recipe below before these seasonal gems are gone for another year!

1lb zucchini
2 yellow bell peppers
2T EVOO
1 pint grape tomatoes
Coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper

1. Quarter the zucchini lengthwise and then cut across into 1/2-inch pieces. Cut the peppers into 3/4-inch pieces, discarding the ribs, stems and seeds as you go.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, peppers and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serves four. Enjoy!

Chicken thighs with veggies

6 chicken thighs
Salt & pepper
1T EVOO
3T unsalted butter
2 large carrots, cut on a bias in one-inch pieces
4 celery ribs, cut on a bias in one-inch pieces
2 sprigs rosemary
Zest and juice of one lemon
2 1/2c low-sodium chicken broth
Buttered egg noodles

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or a large soup pot. Season the chicken on one side and, when the butter is melted, lay half of the chicken pieces, seasoned-side down, in the pot. Season the other side of the first three pieces and brown on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
3. Reduce the heat to medium, add the carrots and celery and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the lemon juice to deglaze the pan; with a wooden spoon scrape up the lovely brown bits that the chicken left in the bottom of your pot — that's where all the flavor lies. Add the broth, zest and 1t salt; bring to a boil.
4. Return the chicken to the pot and put the entire thing in the oven. Cook, uncovered, until the chicken is tender, about 40 minutes.
5. Remove the pot from the oven and discard the rosemary. From here you can serve the chicken and vegetables over buttered egg noodles (you have plenty of time to cook them while the chicken's roasting away) or, if you prefer, you can serve the dish as more of a soup and do away with the starchy carbs. If you serve the dish over noodles, save the "stock" for another soup another day. Serves three to four. Enjoy!
   

Take me out

Believe it or not, although I am a cooking fiend I do — from time to time — succumb to take-out.

Usually it's pizza: Cheese or spinach, now that I'm not eating meat. There's just something about Friday nights, my cool basement (even in summer) and movies that screams pizza. And although I rarely indulge in Chinese because of my soy allergy, if it's what's being served I like to know what I can eat ahead of time. Mexican? I've got that down. Italian? No sweat.

Do you break out in a sweat every time you head out to a restaurant or order take-out, confused and bewildered by all the options, never sure what's worse, a creamy sauce or a thick breading? Check out my list below and you'll know whether you should love it or leave it next time.

Chinese food

• Love it: Steamed shrimp and veggies — they'll be fresh and oil free, which is absolutely your best bet. (And don't skip the fortune cookie, it's only 45 calories!)
  
• Leave it: General Tso's chicken — you could be eating a day's worth of calories.

Sushi place

• Love it: Stick with sashimi. White rice = empty calories. Just don't eat too much tuna.
  
• Leave it: Tempura. Sounds exotic but translates to deep fried and calorie laden.

Italian joint

• Love it: Order the fresh fish from the specials menu, as long as it's wild-caught and doesn't come in a cream sauce, with cheese or is fried. If that's the case, try their roasted chicken.
  
• Leave it: If you're anything like me and can't avoid the bread basket, skip the pasta AND the dessert. I can't say no to wine and bread, so I have to say no to the "optional" carbs.

Sub shop

• Love it: Go for a regular veggie sub or double the lean meat and halve the bread. Pile on the lettuce, tomatoes and peppers, choose low-cal condiments like mustard and you'll be set.
• Leave it: Repeat after me: Meatball subs are the devil. Just. Don't!

Mexican

• Love it: Order the chicken fajitas, but don't use all of your tortillas. Fill up one or two with chicken and veggies, and skip the sour cream. Pile on all the salsa you want, and a dab of guac is OK too — it may be high in calories, but it's full of healthy fat.
• Leave it: If meatball subs are the devil, chimichangas are el diablo! Take a burrito the size of your head, then deep fry it. Great idea, right? Gross! Do not, under any circumstances, order this. And if you really want to be good, tell the waiter you're allergic to corn. No chips for you. Sweet!

Convenience store/gas station

• Love it: Pick up an apple or a banana from the counter, if available, and a jar of overpriced (sorry!) peanut butter. If there's no fruit, check the fridge for yogurt, or spread the PB on some whole grain crackers or bread. If you look hard enough, you can find something healthy anywhere.
• Leave it: Where to begin...chips, candy bars, ice cream, giant sodas, disgusting revolving hot dog machines, microwaveable taquitos, frozen slushy slurpy sugar bombs...just turn the other cheek. You can do so much better than that.

Coffee shops

• Love it: Hate me now or hate me later — but try herbal tea for once. Lots of them have caffeine anyways, and very few need much sweetener, if any. Think you need your joe? Go nonfat on the milk and skip the flavored syrups. If that's what you want, you're really craving sugar, not coffee. Feed your sweet tooth (wisely) elsewhere.
• Leave it: Okay, hate me now. Nothing healthy comes in a 20-ounce cup with four inches of whipped cream on top. If you must frap, go Coffee Light in the smallest size possible. (Some cafes will serve you a "short" or kiddie size even if they're not listed on the menu.)

Local deli

• Love it: Two words — turkey and whole-wheat. (Is that three words?) Make sure your sandwich isn't premade (God knows what they put on there and how long it's been sitting), and order the turkey on whole wheat with mustard and whatever veggies you can. Get an apple on the side to serve as the crunch factor and you're off.
• Leave it: Stay away from any sandwich that has the word "salad" in it. That's code for fat, cholesterol and mayo. Blech.

Diner, drive-in or dive (oh yes I did)

• Love it: Egg-white omelet with spinach and onions. You can even skip the cheese; I swear it will still be good with salt, pepper and a piece of dry toast! Suck down that coffee and you'll lack nothing.
• Leave it: Why waste your calories on gooey, mushy pancakes? Are they really better than something you could make at home? I guarantee that your version would be healthier. Save the "cake" for your b-day.

Pizzeria

• Love it: Enjoy one to two (triangle) slices of veggie pizza. Don't think cheese is better because less stuff means less calories. Eat your nutrients; don't neglect them just because you're too lazy to cook tonight.
  
• Leave it: Stuffed anything means you'll be uncomfortably stuffed later. Thin crust is best, and eat slowly so you realize when you're getting full. Stop there and don't look back.
  

Did I miss anything? Let me know what your favorite take-out or restaurant is, and let's hash it out together. Unless you live in NYC, a lot of eating establishments are probably still hesitant to publish their nutrition info — so you have to be vigilant. But you can still eat out without fear, and, of course, take home a doggy bag (for you, not for Fifi). Leftovers for lunch mean one less thing to do tomorrow. Hurray for that!

Living fit — and green

Let's face it: Eating right and exercising is not easy. 64% of adults in the United States are overweight or obese. But judging by the title of this post, it's about to get harder, right?

Wrong!

If you're devoted to one cause — your health — directing even just a small portion of that energy toward keeping the planet healthy too doesn't have to be difficult. Below are some tips to help you and your family get healthy while going green.

• Ditch the plastic water bottles, ASAP. Plastic bottles take 700 years before they begin to decompose in a landfill. 700 years! Get one of the coolest water bottles out there, a SIGG, available on line or at Whole Foods, and you'll never buy another case of plastic bottles again. (If you're anything like me, you'll love your SIGG so much that you'll start a collection!)
• Try out some "green" workout wear. Pants and tops from YogaFit are cute and affordable, and because they're made from bamboo, you're supporting an environmentally conscious clothing line. (As if you needed another reason to shop!)
• Run around the block, not on a treadmill. In just two hours, you'll conserve enough energy to wash 24 loads of laundry.
  
• Recycle your old duds. From sneaks to yoga mats, the saying is true: One man's trash is another man's treasure. Don't just toss your tennis racket out with this week's garbage — even if you're donating it to a local charity or Goodwill, someone's going to find a way to get more use out of it than the landfill will.
• Multitask. Walk to town on Saturday. Ride your bike to Starbucks. Throw a Frisbee in the backyard with your pup. How is this multitasking? Why, you're exercising, of course! Taking an alternate means of transportation — even carpooling — is always good for the environment, and you can make it good for you too. Who needs a gym anyways?
• Go veg. The average American diet generates more than 3,000 pounds of CO2 each year, due in large part to the heinous amounts of greenhouse gases that cattle and livestock emit. Cutting back on the red stuff (a low-"carbon" diet) can decrease your risk of cancer and diabetes, among other diseases, so it's a choice you can also feel green about.
• Try good old McDonald's (farm, that is). I'm sure you're so over my love of the farmer's market by now, so I'll keep this part short and sweet: The closer a farm (ie, your produce source) is to you, the less fossil fuel is needed to transport the fruits and veggies to your table. This is a good thing.

Even if you just try implementing one of these tips, you're making a difference. Add up all the water bottles you'd use in your lifetime otherwise, or all of the steaks you'd eat, or each time you drive to the grocery store to pick up tasteless strawberries that were shipped here from some place in Mexico. Enough said! Go green, get fit and love it.

Ciao!