Proportion

Holiday weaknesses:

• Christmas trees
• Snowmen
• Fluffy scarves
• Wine
• Fireplace
• Red

My biggest holiday weaknesses:

• Candy
• Cookies
• Cakes
• Brownies
• ...anything with lots of frosting and sugar...

I have a feeling some of you can relate.

Spring break is only three months away, and my friends and I have been planning a trip the the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, FL.  I am happy with who I am, but I could really use a little work around the waistline.  So here it is.  Fairy Godmother, make over my diet.

I've gone on pretty much every diet in the books.  Pills, juice and water fasts, no carbs, etc.  Some of them did work for a while, but I fell straight back into my old habits of chocolate, chips and dip, and pizza.  This time, I'm looking to do something that I can stick with, something that still incorporates my favorites so as not to feel deprived, yet at the same time is healthy and will help me drop the at-least 25 lbs. I want before March.

It's all about the proportions.

Using an average dinner plate, half of it should be vegetables, preferably raw.

image from http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1311&bih=518&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=7wNPBTiXcIDpEM:&imgrefurl=http://justaddcayenne.blogspot.com/2011/07/15-healthy-cooking-and-eating-tips.html&docid=DoX47pqeF0t6vM&imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zudJVgxn-oA/Th35bVafjhI/AAAAAAAAAFY/cjJV1LVn5-4/s1600/Half_Plate_Veggies.jpg&w=300&h=300&ei=XUviTsrcOMHk0QGB5NXnBQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=745&vpy=161&dur=130&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=130&ty=133&sig=110483274935033513659&page=3&tbnh=156&tbnw=156&start=30&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:30


One quarter of it should be protein: fish, lean meat, tofu, beans, cheese, or a protein smoothie will do.

image from http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1311&bih=518&tbm=isch&tbnid=kZqs0aX2aMjxdM:&imgrefurl=http://pilateswithjessicafisher.blogspot.com/2010/05/superfood-of-week-fish.html&docid=i-PdYqW1lp1kqM&imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzssygtX_8745z9yA8E1FBYEMw-l-FrHgzBXAjg0GmpC3nYaz0BDAe0pzeJIUNXpr-n6G44DmxhpN2btPSzDXguYu-fu8FlD3InVTrd8h9Vc7YKN0ci-fPHNfjTdKF2uK_mxqFDMzH9tEo/s400/fish%252Bcooked.jpg&w=300&h=300&ei=00ziTsyGJcPr0gH00Lz1BQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=200&sig=110483274935033513659&page=1&tbnh=134&tbnw=138&start=0&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0&tx=60&ty=78





An eighth of the plate should be fruit.

image from http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1311&bih=518&tbm=isch&tbnid=yxITm6UXjFzwwM:&imgrefurl=http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/blog/berry-nutrition-facts-%25E2%2580%2593-health-benefits-of-berries&docid=TG6wKEV8cU_JdM&imgurl=http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/images/berry%252520nutrition%252520facts_health%252520benefits%252520of%252520berries.jpg&w=500&h=335&ei=jk3iTtwyqdvRAaXGwIMG&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=781&vpy=71&dur=260&hovh=184&hovw=274&tx=168&ty=80&sig=110483274935033513659&page=2&tbnh=154&tbnw=218&start=12&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:12


And the final eight can be a carb or starch.  Try to use whole grains.

image from http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1311&bih=518&tbm=isch&tbnid=yxITm6UXjFzwwM:&imgrefurl=http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/blog/berry-nutrition-facts-%25E2%2580%2593-health-benefits-of-berries&docid=TG6wKEV8cU_JdM&imgurl=http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/images/berry%252520nutrition%252520facts_health%252520benefits%252520of%252520berries.jpg&w=500&h=335&ei=jk3iTtwyqdvRAaXGwIMG&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=781&vpy=71&dur=260&hovh=184&hovw=274&tx=168&ty=80&sig=110483274935033513659&page=2&tbnh=154&tbnw=218&start=12&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:12



Don't forget to drink lots and lots of water.  See my post about Project H20 for tips on that!  Happy healthy eating!