Dear readers,
I am so thrilled that Jane Brody, a long-time and well-respected writer for the New York Times, not only praised my book in her column today (yes, I’m super excited!) but she also espouses portion control for lasting weight loss. I know first hand from the many clients that I’ve counseled over the years that you can lose weight by following just about any diet. But what’s the point if you don’t develop some healthy habits along with a positive relationship with food? You will, most likely, end up regaining the weight. Portion control, as I write in Finally Full, Finally Slim, is not a diet, but a healthy way of life that won’t leave you feeling deprived. Today, Jane Brody reinforced that in her column.
You can read the full article here.
Below are some points Jane highlights.
- Jane begins her column by stating that she was hoping to avoid writing another diet related column, but three things changed her mind: rising obesity rates, new food label serving sizes, and the release of my book. Here’s what she writes: “Some good news for a change: the publication of an eminently sensible approach to weight loss, “Finally Full, Finally Slim,” written by a leading expert on portion control, Lisa R. Young, a registered dietitian and adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University.” Thank you Jane!
- “Unlike the myriad diet fads that have yet to stem the ever-increasing girth of American men and women, what Dr. Young describes is not a diet but a practical approach to food and eating that can be adapted to almost any way of life, even if most meals are eaten out or taken out. It is not prescriptive or even proscriptive. It does not cut out any category of food, like carbohydrates or fats, nor does it deprive people of their favorite foods, including sweet treats.”
- “If you’re serious about losing or maintaining weight, you’d be wise to learn the size of a healthful portion of various categories of foods and treat what is typically served in restaurants to individual diners as servings for two or more.” I second that!
- I love that Jane Brody herself used portion control to lose weight and keep it off. Here’s what she writes: “And it works. I know, because more than half a century ago I lost 40 pounds in two years following Dr. Young’s approach, and I’ve kept the weight off ever since without dieting or deprivation. It fills me up with delicious, nutritious foods and allows me to enjoy a frequent nightcap of ice cream — half a cup (measured) at 150 calories or less.”
- Jane also makes the case for cooking and eating at home more often. As she says: “Still, Dr. Young insists — and I agree — that it’s far more helpful to prepare and eat most of your meals at home. You’ll know what’s in them (was that grilled fish you ordered prepared with a tablespoon of butter?) and how much lands on your plate. In fact, start by downsizing your dinner dishes to salad-plate size, and you can save nearly 600 calories a meal. Use measuring cups to dole out reasonable portions until you are able to eyeball them accurately. You might also invest in a kitchen scale to help you keep meat, poultry and fish servings to three or four ounces.”
- And finally, Jane and I both recommend that you indulge in that occasional treat. As she writes: “At the same time, Dr. Young and I recognize the dangers inherent in feeling deprived of cherished, not-so-good-for you foods. When I was shedding those 40 pounds, I included one small treat a day — a few tablespoons of ice cream, a small cookie, a slice of quick bread, or sliver of cake or pie — lest after weeks of no treats I break down and devour half a cake or quart of ice cream at one sitting.”
So enjoy that cookie or serving of ice cream as you read the full article. Cheers!
Photo credit: Gracia Lam/New York Times
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