We have all heard that losing weight is about portion size.  That is real easy but exactly what is a portion size?  It is real hard to picture the proper portion on your plate especially with the ginormous meals you can get when eating out.  Use this simple guide to help you figure out your portions:

Carbs:  Starches like potatoes or pasta should not take up more space on your plate than a baseball.

Vegetables:  Greens are a clean slate, so think of them as a bar of soap.  If they are free of butter and salt, you can have as much as you want.

Protein:   Your recommended 3 to 5 oz serving of meat should be about as big as a BlackBerry Phone.

Condiments:  Keep your sauces to about a tablespoon or roughly the size of a container of lip balm.

Here are a few more handy reminders:

1 serving of peanut butter=golf ball

1 serving of bread=hockey puck

1 serving of sugar=small stick of gum

1 serving of ice cream=computer mouse

1 serving of salad dressing=a shot glass

Try this healthy drink out.  Lots of heat to help your metabolism and the protein you need to build muscle.

1 cup tomato juice

1 scoop protein powder

1 habanero pepper

Mix all in a blender and enjoy!

Restaurant chefs are great at creating menu items that have delicious sounding appetizers and entrees.  The problem is that these meals can sound fairly healthy but actually are very high in fat and calories.

Order proteins that are described as grilled, broiled, or poached.  Avoid anything that is breaded, crispy, pan fried, or crusted.  These mean that it has been fried in some way.

Ask for your sauces on the side that way you can get the taste without having your food swimming in it.  Avoid sauces that are described as creamy or buttery because they will be very high in fat and calories.

Stick with the steamed veggies when you can over heavy starches.

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest mistakes that you can make when it comes to overeating at restaurants.

1. The Bread Basket- An average dinner roll can have anywhere from 100-200 calories, and that is before you add any butter.  Do yourself a favor and ask the server to remove the bread from the table.
2. Sweetened Drinks- Sweet tea, punches, and sodas can add hundreds of calories to your meal.  Stick to unsweet tea or water.
3. Dessert- If you are craving something sweet after dinner, wait until you get home where you can control the content and portions.  Restaurant desserts are a disaster- with at least 300 calories

So just think if you have only one dinner roll, one soda, and one dessert, you would have added 600 calories in addition to the rest of your meal.  Wow!

Some people are prone to exertion headaches that kick in shortly after vigorous activity.  Although there may be multiple causes, an exertion headache is triggered by sudden dilation in blood vessels.  You can reduce your chance of having a workout headache by warming up properly and staying well hydrated and well fueled and getting a good night’s sleep every eventing.  Of course, if you get an exertion headache for the first time or a headache that feels worse than you’ve ever experienced, call your physician immediately.