Portion control is understanding
how much a serving size is
and how many calories a serving contains.

Portion control is important for weight management
since a person’s weight is determined by their total calorie intake.

Healthy eating, (using Aristotle's philosophy)
is the desirable middle between
the extremes of excess and deficiency (over-eating and not eating enough).

A "serving size" according to a package
may bear little resemblance to the amount of the food
which most people eat at a time.

First-time dieters can find the process of calculating serving sizes
and calorie counting confusing;.
and because there are so many varieties of supermarket products,
serving sizes are commonly inaccurate.

Portion sizes can be estimated by using objects as a point of reference.
One way of determining portion size is to compare hand size.

For example a healthy serving of protein should not be larger
than a palm size piece of meat.

Carbohydrate servings such as pasta can be measured by fistfuls.
A healthy serving of pasta should be one fistful.

A great many people don’t understand that
a standard “serving size” is NOT the amount of food
that their parents, family, friends, or restaurant places on a plate
and serves to them.

Here are some examples of standard serving sizes.
If you only have half, you’re having one-half a serving;
and if you have more,
consider the fact that you’re having extra servings.

One serving of grain:
one cup of whole grain cereal, one fourth of a bagel, one cup of pasta.

One serving of vegetables:
five cherry tomatoes, five sticks of celery, one whole carrot.

One serving of fruit:
a medium apple, fifteen large grapes, half a banana.

One serving of dairy:
one cup of milk, three cheese cubes, half cup of low fat cottage cheese.

One serving of meat:
1/4 chicken breast, daily guide line: one fist full per meal.

Fats and Sugars:
as little as possible, dairy and meat contain plenty of necessary fat,
while fruits contain enough natural sugars.

The Fall season has started here in Central California.
The weather is getting cooler,
Days are getting shorter,
and the leaves are beginning to turn and fall from the trees.

Fall brings many changes,
but my commitment to maintain my weight loss isn't one of them.

I continue.

Minute by Minute
Hour by Hour
Day by Day
Week by Week
Month by Month

Some would say,  "It should be easier
after consistently following this behavior
for a 7 year period.

Possibly it should be.
But it's not.
And That's Okay.

Recently I posted another cooking video, Peach Quick Bread,
which is located at DietHobby, under RECIPES, Sweet Tastes.

This is a reduced-carb and reduced-fat recipe
and is low-calorie when eaten in small amounts.

It contains wheat and some sugar, and is a tasty treat
for those who have a food plan which allows those specific foods.

What is Burnout?

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical
exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.

It happens when we feel overwhelmed
and unable to meet constant demands.
As the stress continues,
we begin to lose the interest or motivation
that led us to take on an activity in the first place.

Burnout reduces our productivity and saps our energy,
leaving us feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful.
Eventually, we may feel like we have nothing more to give.

Most of us have days when we feel bored,
overloaded, or unappreciated;
when what we do isn’t noticed or rewarded;
when it’s hard to drag ourselves out of bed.
But if one feels like this most of the time,
they might be experiencing burnout.

Symptoms of Burnout:

• Every day is a bad day.

• Caring about self, work, or home seems like a total waste of energy.

• One is exhausted all the time. Most of the day is spent on tasks 
             that we find either mind-numbingly dull or overwhelming.

• We feel like nothing we do makes a difference or is appreciated.

There is a difference between stress and burnout
Burnout may be the result of unrelenting stress,
but it isn’t the same as too much stress.

Stress, by and large, involves too much:
too many pressures that demand too much physically and mentally.
Stressed people can still imagine, though,
that if they can just get everything under control, they’ll feel better.

Burnout, on the other hand, is about not enough.
Being burned out means feeling empty,
devoid of motivation, and beyond caring.
People experiencing burnout often don’t see
any hope of positive change in their situations.

Excessive stress is like drowning in responsibilities,
while burnout is being all dried up.

Another difference between stress and burnout is that
while one is usually aware of being under a lot of stress,
one doesn't always notice burnout when it happens.

Stress vs. Burnout

Stress: Characterized by over engagement
Burnout: Characterized by disengagement

Stress: Emotions are over reactive
Burnout: Emotions are blunted

Stress: Produces urgency and hyperactivity
Burnout: Produces helplessness and hopelessness

Stress: Loss of energy
Burnout: Loss of motivation, ideals and hope

Stress: Leads to anxiety disorders
Burnout: Leads to detachment and depression

Stress: Primary damage is physical
Burnout: Primary damage is emotional

Stress: Could kill one prematurely
Burnout: Could make life seem not worth living.

Burnout recovery strategies

Slow down

When one has reached the end stage of burnout,
adjusting one’s attitude or looking after one’s health
isn’t going to solve the problem.
One must force oneself to slow down or take a break.
Cut back whatever commitments and activities possible.
Give oneself time to rest, reflect, and heal.

Get support

When one is burned out,
the natural tendency is to protect
what little energy one has left by isolating oneself.
But during difficult times,
friends and family are more important than ever.
Turn to loved ones for emotional support.
If loved ones are unavailable, use professional help.
Simply sharing feelings with another person
can relieve some of the burden.

Reevaluate goals and priorities

Burnout is an undeniable sign that something important in one’s life is not working.
Take time to think about hopes, goals, and dreams.
Is something being neglected that is truly important?
Burnout can be the chance to rediscover what really makes one happy
and to change one’s course accordingly. 

Self-respect cannot be hunted.
It cannot be purchased.
It is never for sale.
It cannot be fabricated out of public relations.

It comes to us when we are alone,
in quiet moments, in quiet places.

When we suddenly realize
that, knowing the good, we have done it;
knowing the beautiful, we have served it;
knowing the truth we have spoken it

For those who are following my “Ask Grandma” videos
click to see my latest one: “ Dealing with Crushes and Relationship Drama”
which is located in DietHobby under RESOURCES, Videos, Ask Grandma.