|
Tuesday, 10 February 2009 |
|
 Staff photo/Katie Yantis
Lois Clark gives a presentation about portion control during a meeting Monday night for the Grand Lake Health Challenge.
BY KATIE YANTIS
Staff Writer
ST. MARYS — Participants of the Grand Lake Health Challenge met at the Union Hall Monday night to hear who the biggest losers were for the past month and tips on continuing the weight loss.
The total amount of weight loss was announced and during the past month, the participants more than a ton of weight.
The top 10 teams were: in third place, the Losers from Lima; second place went to the Carb Crunchers and first place went to the Flab Four.
Grand Lake Health Systems Community Outreach Coordinator Anne Larger said she was happy about the weight loss thus far.
“I was amazed and very pleased,” Larger said.
While Larger said she was pleased with the weight loss, she said participants need to remember to exercise.
“The importance of keep moving,” Larger said.
“Exercise can take away thoughts of hunger and it keeps you busy and keeps you from eating.”
Joint Township District Memorial Hospital Dietician Sue Wiseman started the presentation by congratulating the members on the weight loss.
“It’s about making changes for a healthier lifestyle,” Wiseman said.
Wiseman introduced the topic of portion control and portion distortion.
“It’s really about how much you eat,” Wiseman said. “The changes you make need to be realistic, sensible and flexible.”
Wiseman told the participants, diet changes need to be sustainable and small over time.
She also encouraged participants to write down each thing they eat.
One topic that was repeated throughout the evening was that of the mypyramind.gov Web site.
Lois Clark, an associate professor at the Ohio State Extension office, built on Wiseman’s discussion of portion control and mypyramid.gov.
“The old pyramid is done by serving size and the new is done by total amount,” Clark said. “You need to get to mypyramid and get a pyramid for you.”
Clark also pointed out the portion distortion of the society we live in today.
She explained the difference in portion sizes from 20 years ago to today such as donuts, French fries and soda.
From 20 years ago to today, there are 400 more calories in a serving of French fries, 165 more calories in a soda and 525 more calories in a serving of spaghetti and meatballs.
“To burn all the calories we like to eat will take a lot of effort to burn them off,” Clark said.
Clark also mentioned that for each day a person takes in 100 extra calories than needed adds 10 pounds each year to a person’s weight.
Clark and Wiseman used visuals to describe the food distribution on plates that people should intake.
“Next time you look at your plate, think of portion sizes,” Clark said. “Take a plate divide it in half, half of the plate should be vegetables, take the bottom half and divide it in half, one half should be lean meat or poultry the other side is grain. For supper it is the very same thing, but with a dinner plate.”
Clark ended her presentation on portion distortion with one challenge for the participants.
“I would like to challenge you to really look at what you are eating,” Clark said.
“Really make a concentrated effort to increase the amount of fruits you eat, vegetables you eat and make half of your grains whole grain.”
During the meeting, participants were able to receive a free blood pressure screening.
Information was available to help participants continue on their weight loss path as well.
Larger emphasized the importance of knowing the important numbers such as blood pressure, BMI, LDL, HDL, total cholesterol and blood glucose among others.
Participants will be able to go to the hospital to receive a lipid profile test as well as a C- reactive protein-HS test, for a reduced price.
Those wishing to participate in the testing can go to www.grandlakehealth.org to print a coupon for $5 off the regular price of the testing or cut the coupon out of the paper.
The next meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. March 9 at the Union Hall in St. Marys. |
|
Last Updated ( Friday, 13 February 2009 )
|
