In response to a recent column on calorie counting, several readers offered their own suggestions.
Karen K. of Dallas (who describes herself as the daughter of a nutritionist) writes, “As an alternative approach for those who don’t like counting calories, simply eating less has essentially the same effect. With eating rates reaching astronomical levels in the US, my husband and I have had success controlling our portions. We mostly eat at home, but when we go out to eat, we almost always share an entree. When dining with girlfriends, we share a meal or order a to-go box right away and save half for later. This is another perspective I wanted to share.”
Thank you, Karen. I remember a patient who came to see me a few years ago after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and obesity. She had an intellectual disability and needed a simple meal plan. However, she wasn’t willing to change her old habits of eating out for most of her meals. She did, however, heed the advice to only eat half her meal and save the rest for the next meal. A few months later, her diabetes was under control and she had lost 38 pounds. Portion control certainly works.
A. Wilson, also from Dallas, reminded us of the old adage, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.”
“You might want to look into this, but John Nance Garner, who served as Vice President of the United States from 1933 to 1941, followed this advice and lived to be almost 99 years old,” he writes.
Al, I couldn’t verify if Garner was the original author of this quote. Some say the quote is from the late, sometimes controversial nutritionist and author Adele Davis. That’s not the issue. Some, but not all, studies have observed that more weight loss may be achieved by consuming a higher percentage of calories earlier in the day than later in the day. You might also like this quote: “Eat your own breakfast, share your lunch with your friends, and feed your dinner to your enemies.” (nutritionfacts.org)
Tina N. from Arizona sums up what works for her: “No need to diet. We have maintained low cholesterol, low blood pressure and good health by eating the following every day for years: Breakfast: Warm oatmeal with a variety of nuts, raisins and bananas. Fresh fruit. Lunch: Beef, lamb, fish or chicken with brown rice, herbs and vegetables. Fresh fruit. Dinner: Plain yogurt with herbs, vegetables and bread. Fresh fruit. Fresh milk, green tea and water whenever I want. Thank you.”
Absolutely! What you eat is just as important as how much you eat.
So there’s more than one way to peel an orange. Make sure you eat it.
(Barbara Intermill is a registered dietitian and syndicated columnist. She is the author of Quinn-Essential Nutrition: The Uncomplicated Science of Eating. Email her at barbara@quinnessentialnutrition.com.)
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