I am still amazed and impressed by how well everyone is doing, after the first 4 weeks. Not only has everyone lost weight and inches, their fitness levels have improved dramatically. Over 140 pounds for the group, and 36 inches around the waist gone!
Just to recap, we have our 21 Healthy Lifestyle Challenge participants on 4 different eating plans. Here is the breakdown of how each group is doing so far, based on a percentage of weight and inches lost.
(*Not everyone was present for the 4 week weigh in, and depending on the makeup of each group, it is a bit difficult to directly compare each group directly. For example, heavier people tend to lose weight and inches faster during the initial few weeks.*)
Percentages lost are based on starting weight and waist measurements, and total for the group.
Superstore Healthy Eating Plans
2.92% weight reduction
2.47% waist measurement reduction
3.67% weight reduction
6.16% waist measurement reduction
4.83% weight reduction
3.7% waist measurement reduction
2.87% weight reduction
5.38% waist measurement reduction
For detailed information about each eating plan, click on the “Healthy Eating” Tag Cloud on the right-hand side of the page. Or use this link, scroll down the posts and you will find one for each of our HLC eating plans.
The most important thing our HLC participants have learned, regardless of their eating plan, is about PORTION CONTROL.
Here is a fun, interactive quiz by the US National Institute of Health. Test yourself to see how well you know about portion size.
| Grain Products | What One Serving Looks Like |
| 1 cup of cereal flakes | The size of a fist |
| 1 pancake | A compact disc |
| ½ cup of cooked rice, pasta, or potato | ½ of a baseball |
| 1 slice of bread | A cassette tape |
| Fruits and Veggies | What One Serving Looks Like |
| 1 cup of salad greens | A baseball |
| 1 medium fruit | A baseball |
| ½ cup of raisins | A large egg |
| Dairy and Cheese | What One Serving Looks Like |
| 1 ½ oz. cheese | 4 stacked dice |
| ½ cup of ice cream | ½ baseball |
| 1 cup serving of milk, yogurt, or fresh greens | The size of a fist |
| Meats and Alternatives | What One Serving Looks Like |
| 3 oz. meat, fish, and poultry | Deck of cards |
| 3 oz. grilled/baked fish | Checkbook |
| 2 Tbsp. peanut butter | Ping pong ball |
| Fats | What One Serving Looks Like |
| 1 teaspoon of oil | The size of your thumb tip |
Here are some visual examples of portion size:
It’s not about limiting what you eat, it’s about controlling how much of it you eat. Remember, everything in moderation! Otherwise healthy eating won’t be something you can stick to forever.
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