All You Can Feed On

Portion Control Is Easy With Personal Chef

We live in a super-size society. Fast food portions have grown two to five times their original size in the last 20 years and our own homemade meals aren’t far behind. A result of these larger portions is that obesity rates are on the rise. 

Americans are now so conditioned to eating large amounts that most cannot recognize appropriate portions anymore. Brian Wansink, PH.D. illustrates this issue in a study detailed in his book, Mindless Eating. Wansink’s “bottomless soup bowl experiment” looked at what diners would do if their bowl never became empty. During a dining scenario, unsuspecting diners had bowls that used hidden tubing and a clever knowledge of physics to stay partially full. The results of the study showed that diners with a bottomless bowl unknowingly ate 78% more than those with the standard bowl! 

Similarly, a study by the American Institute for Cancer Research revealed that 78% of Americans think that the kind of food they choose is more important in managing their weight than the volume of food they consume. Consequently, many trendy diet plans gain popularity because of their policy to allow you to eat limitless amounts of certain types of foods while cutting out others completely; however, most health experts recommend eating smaller portions of a wider variety of foods rather than eliminating foods when dieting. 

Confused about portion sizes yourself? Keep these examples of realistic food portions in your mind’s eye to help you choose appropriately:  

• One serving of milk, yogurt or pudding (1 cup) is about the size of a small fist. 
• One serving of meat, chicken or fish (3 ounces) is the size of a deck of cards or your palm (not including the fingers). 
  
• One serving of pasta, rice, oatmeal, potatoes or cooked vegetables (1/2 cup) is about the size of a tennis ball or one cupped hand. 
  
• One serving of cheese (1 ounce) is the size of the end of your thumb. 
  
• One serving of butter, oil or margarine (1 teaspoon) is about the size of a stamp or the tip of your pinky. 
  
• One serving of salad dressing (2 tablespoons) is about the size of a standard ice cube. 
  
• One serving of raw vegetables (1 cup) is about the size of a baseball or two hands cupped together.

Restaurants are beginning to recognize the appeal that portion control has for consumers; for example, one popular restaurant chain is launching a new meal portion size option that is two thirds the size of their original servings. There are other easy ways to indulge in delicious foods without scrutinizing your plate, too. Pre-portioned entrées such as the gourmet offerings from Personal Chef To Go are a perfect solution! 

Since many people feel that they don’t have the time to measure out proper portions, Personal Chef To Go’s delicious and nutritious meal plans have been designed to take the guesswork out of choosing the appropriate portions. Our perfectly portioned variety of freshly prepared food can help to train your eyes and stomach to learn what true servings sizes should be. 

Besides being easy, the Personal Chef To Go philosophy works! A 2004 University of Illinois study found that women who followed a 1,365-calorie diet in which they ate two packaged entrées a day shed about 5 pounds more in 8 weeks than those who were instructed to follow a diet (with the same number of calories) based on the food pyramid. 

Let portion control help you achieve your healthy lifestyle goals by considering these additional tips:

• Choose a variety of foods from all of the sections of the Food Guide Pyramid. For example, the Personal Chef To Go, Healthy Baked Chicken Parmesan when partnered with one cup of fresh berries topped with yogurt, provides servings of Meats and Beans, Fruits, Vegtables, Grains and Milk.


• Read labels – often nutrient facts labels are based on a smaller portion than expected, especially for snacks. Measure out the recommended serving into small bags to grab when you have the munchies in order to prevent overindulging by mistake.


• Use smaller scoops or serving spoons and a smaller dinner plate. An appropriate portion will look much larger and heartier on a smaller plate.


• When eating out, share plates or consider asking the server to split the portion before it arrives at the table, into a portion to eat now and one to take home in a doggy bag.

Bare All This Summer : 10 Tips

Are you ready for summer? Robert Snyder and his wife, Personal Chef To Go Fans, are getting there! Robert writes: 

"We have been using PCTG since January 2012 and we love it. We love everything about this product and service. Taste, convenience, recycling, it can be found with PCTG. Started with PCTG after extensive research with similar products and am glad we got it right on the first one we tried. Best of all PCTG has been a big part of the weight loss plan that my wife and I started this year. I've gone from a 36 waist to a 33. I haven't been in 33 pants since 1988. It really works. We can afford PCTG and a personal trainer 2 times per week for what we were spending eating out. So we are saving money as well."

So, are you ready to bare all this summer? If you are like most of us, you want to shed a few pounds, eliminate some cellulite, and feel good in your bathing suit. I am here to help you get your body ready for the summer heat so you can enjoy your summer. Here are some simple tips to help you get ready for summer.

Hit the stairs. Instead of taking the elevator, you can burn calories by taking the stairs up and down whenever you have the chance. You will burn a lot of calories just by bypassing the elevator. Give it a shot.

Pack your lunch. Instead of going out to lunch, pack a lunch or take a Personal Chef To Go meal with you to work and you will have more control over how many calories you consume. A Personal Chef To Go meal or salad is a  well balanced lunch with plenty of proteins and vegetables.

Eat at least 5 times a day. That's right, five times a day, but not five huge meals a day. Try to eat like a bird which means eating several times a day. Digestion burns calories, and you are less inclined to overeat if you are not starving when it's time to eat. Pack some snacks to eat between meals. This is my favorite way to actually lose weight because I love to eat, but if I wait until I am starving to eat, I ALWAYS overeat.

Don't park to close to the stores entrance. Most people drive around and around to get a close parking spot when going to work or shopping. Get in the habit of parking far away and walking. The fact is, you can't get lean by being lazy, sorry, but that is the truth. In addition, you will save a few dings on your vehicle.

Walk faster. You can dramatically increase how many calories you burn by simply walking faster. Don't be afraid to pass up those slow walkers and show them how it's done!

Drink more water. Not only is it good for you, but it will also keep you feeling full without the calories. Not only will it keep you full, but it will also help you allow you flush toxins out of your body. I know its cliche, but carry a bottle of water (preferably a BPA free reusable bottle) with you and drink often. Beware, you will be hitting the bathroom often.

Start a garden. If you have always wanted to start a garden, now is the time to do it. And no, don't hire anyone to do it for you, get out there and do it yourself.  Not only will you have vegetables and fruits that will be fresh and not contain any pesticides, but you will also burn tons of calories doing it. It is a win win situation. Plus, gardening is fun and nothing is as nice as eating the food you have grown yourself.

Use free weights instead of machines. Instead of using the machines, workout  with free weights. Unlike machines, you must lift weights to load and unload the bars and you also have to pick up and put back the weights. This increases the calories you burn because it increase the work you are having to perform. Instead of just changing the pin, you must actually move weights when working with free weights. By the way, free weights are not more dangerous than machines.

Clean the house. Cleaning the house will burn a lot of calories. Think about all the work that goes into doing the dishes and vacuuming the floors. Every time you move your body you are increasing the amount of calories you are burning. There is always something to clean, so quit putting it off and get to those chores you have been wanting to do.

Lay off the soda and juice. Soda is a can full of empty calories and offers absolutely no nutritional value. Cut back your soda intake to at least once a week if you must have soda. Same goes for the juice.

By following these simple steps, you will be able to burn tons of calories and tighten up your body for summer. Although these tips may seem self evident, many people do not realize how effective these tips are. If you follow them, you will be ready for this summer.

Related Article: 50 Weight Loss Tips

The First Lady of Food

Spend $100 ; get a $25!

One of our gift givers favorite choices, our mail order food gift cards of $100 qualifies for all Personal Chef To Go menu plans.

When you buy a $100 Personal Chef To Go Gift Card, we will send $100 to the person you are buying for and a $25 Gift Card to you free! Your $25 Gift Card can be assigned and given to anyone you desire, including yourself.
 

To purchase  gift cards, add them to your cart. If at any point you have questions or would like more information, contact us . Our experienced staff will be happy to help you!

 

Hurry, There's Still Time To Order Our Mother's Day Special!

Your mother, your mother-in-law, your grandmother, moms to be, and your loving wife will certainly be pleased to receive a gift of time with gourmet meals from Personal Chef To Go. Our healthy, gourmet meals are sure to tell her just how special she is. So why not spoil any one, or all of them with a gift of Personal Chef To Go. Time is running out, so place your orders now!

Mom will certainly appreciate the thoughtfulness you put into her Personal Chef To Go gift.

Not only is it a great deal,  mom will get her freshly prepared meals in quantities she can carry into the house and have enough room to store in her freezer. Sometimes she might have some of her friends over for dinner, too. When she makes her order, she can always consider what her friends like as well. 

From the menu, to the price, to the size of the order, and the approval of mom and her friends, you can't possibly go wrong this Mother's Day.

If you want to let your mom pick out her own meals, we highly recommend our buying a Gift Card by Sunday, May 13th  and  we'll add a $25.00 on every order of $100.00. 

But as much as you'll love sending Mom meals, she'll love Mother's Day flowers, too.

The First Lady of Food

She was the second-most-famous woman in America after Eleanor Roosevelt and you all know her or have at least heard her mentioned by your mother or grandmother. You have eaten her food and may have one of her books on your shelf and refer to it for Old Time Favorites, Company Best or Holiday Specials. For more than 80 years, products with her name have helped families create healthy, delicious and convenient meals, and her recipes are a tradition for the beginning cook all the way to the seasoned chef. She is a brand name and a trademark of American food and what America is looking for today.
 
Known as the First Lady of Food, her name is Betty Crocker. Helping women on the home front, she signifies home-cooked meals that the family, together, sits down to enjoy. Thinking of Betty Crocker reminds me of "Mom and apple pie" and all the good things in life, and this is truly what America is craving--good food enjoyed with family and friends. But who has the time to spend countless hours planning, shopping and preparing meals like Betty Crocker did? 

Interestingly, Betty (a warm and friendly name) was an invented persona and mascot, created by the Washburn Crosby Company (now General Mills) in 1921 out of a need to give personalized responses to thousands of consumer baking questions. The surname Crocker was taken from a retired company executive, William H. Crocker. In 1924, she acquired a "voice" with the radio debut known as The Betty Crocker Cooking School of the Air, one of the longest-running food programs in radio broadcast history. In the height of her popularity she received 4,000 to 5,000 letters a day--including some marriage proposals! In 1936, Betty Crocker was given a face, and over the last 75 years it has changed multiple times to reflect the persona of the current American women. 

The reality is, for many of us, Betty Crocker exists only as a memory of an era long past. Time is crunched and less is set aside for meal planning and preparation. Understanding the demands on women today, Personal Chef To Go, like Betty Crocker, offers help for women on the home front. Offering ready-made home-cooked meal selections that can be enjoyed by family and friends, Personal Chef To Go is a trademark of what America is looking for today. 

Meeting the nutritional demands of today, Personal Chef To Go offers meals for every lifestyle: Lunch and Dinner, Busy Singles, Couples On The Go, Dinner Only and Family Favorites. And, like Betty Crocker, Personal Chef To Go offers fresh and healthy meals to people looking for answers to their nutritional needs. 

If reading this article triggers a sense of nostalgia and a desire to create meals like Grandmother used to make, don't spend time you know you don't have to go looking for your Betty Crocker cookbook and dreaming of making the perfect meal. Just call Personal Chef To Go!

Give Mom A Break From The Kitchen!

Mom.

Upside down it spells "Wow." It makes perfect sense because moms are full of Wow. So how are you going to wow your mom on Mother's Day? 

If your mom likes art you could get a tattoo, or if body modification isn't your thing, an iPad is great for a tech savvy mom but if  your mum's not that wired, we've got you covered too. 

Give Mom a week of gourmet meals for less than you'd spend on taking her to a restaurant!

Let our chefs treat and pamper Mom with fresh and delicious heart-healthy meals!  Order either an E-card or a Mailed Gift Card by Sunday and  we'll add a $25.00 on every order of $100.00. 

Let Personal Chef To Go Help You Celebrate Mom! 

She'll think of you and say...

Wow!

The Wisdom of Mother

I know a woman of strength and beauty. I have watched her for years. She is my mother. 

"Mother" | Collage | Krishanna Spencer

 

We found some cute excerpts about how mothers teach their children. We thought you might enjoy these and reminisce about some great times with your mother.

Things My Mother Taught Me:

Anticipation

• "Just wait til your father gets home."
• "If you keep it up, you're going to get it."
• "I'm going to count to three."        

Growing Up

• "Eat your vegetables if you want to grow up strong."
• "If you keep crossing your eyes, they're going to stay stuck like that."

The Future

• "You're going to get it when your father finds out about this."
• "If you don't do well on your tests, you'll never get a good job."
• "You'll understand when you're a parent."
• "Make sure you wear clean underwear in case you get in an accident and have to go to hospital."

Genetics

• "You're just like your father."
• "I don't know who you get that from."

Life

• "I don't know is not an answer."
• "I know it's not fair, life's not fair."
• "If Bobby jumped off a bridge, would you jump off the bridge?"
• "We had to make our own fun as children."
• "Why? Because I SAID SO, that's why."
• "When I was your age..."

Mom always had something to say, and in her own way, she was truly teaching us, whether we thought so or not. If we take the time to think about it, Mom probably taught us more than every teacher we ever had combined. Mom may not have thought so, but we know she did.

Unfortunately, we forget to tell Mom "thank you" often enough for all she's ever done for us. This Mother's Day say "thank you" with a gift from Personal Chef To Go. 

To help you with your Personal Chef To Go gift giving, we'll add a FREE $25.00 Gift Card to your Mother's Day order of $100.00. That's right, $25.00 dollars FREE! 

Treat yourself or include the Gift Card with your Mother's Day gift purchase, either way it's a great gift and a great deal! Choose from either an E-card or a Mailed Gift Card  for more details and to place your order now! Give the gift of delicious and healthy meals  and let our chefs pamper Mom with a delicious heart-healthy menu that  says "I care enough to send the gift of heart-warming meals".!

 Average cost of meal plan with shipping is $120.00

Let Personal Chef To Go Help You Celebrate Mom! 

 Note: Gift card will be mailed separately to purchaser unless specified that you want to include value with your gift purchase.

 

Celebrate Mom With Personal Chef To Go!

Celebrate Mom!

"All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother." -Abraham Lincoln

"A man's work is from sun to sun, but a mother's work is never done." -Author Unknown

"God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers." -Jewish Proverb

"Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible." -Author Unknown

"Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love." -Stevie Wonder

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us w hen troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts."  -Washington Irving

"My mother had a slender, small body, but a large heart - a heart so large that everybody's joys found welcome in it, and hospitable accommodation." -Mark Twain

Mothers

Where would the world, or we, be without them? Everyone has something good and positive to say about their mother. After all, Mom gave birth to us, nurtured us, raised us, kissed our boo-boos, encouraged us, supported us, guided us, pointed us in the right direction and helped us with everything and anything.

All the things Mom has done for us over the years she has done because that's what moms do. Each one of us owes our existence to our moms' decisions to spend years and years putting our interests before theirs.

We're reminding you of this because Mother's Day is just around the corner, and we sincerely hope you've got plans to show as well as tell all the moms in your life just how much you appreciate them on their special day.

Over the years, Mom's role has changed and so should the type of Mother's Day gift you choose. How can you show the moms in your life your appreciation? Give them the gift of time with Personal Chef To Go. After all, think about all of the time Mom gave you.

Whether they are busy moms on the run, new moms, moms-to-be, grandmothers, or step-mothers, EVERY mom deserves time off and delicious gourmet food. And, you can provide both with a thoughtful gift from Personal Chef To Go.

To help you with your Personal Chef To Go gift giving, we'll add a FREE $25.00 Gift Card to your Mother's Day orderof $100.00. That's right, $25.00 dollars FREE! 

Treat yourself or include the Gift Card with your Mother's Day gift purchase, either way it's a great gift and a great deal! Choose from either an E-card or a Mailed Gift Card  for more details and to place your order now! Give the gift of delicious and healthy meals  and let our chefs pamper Mom with a delicious heart-healthy menu that  says "I care enough to send the gift of heart-warming meals".!

 Average cost of meal plan with shipping is $120.00

Let Personal Chef To Go Help You Celebrate Mom!

 Note: Gift card will be mailed separately to purchaser unless specified that you want to include value with your gift purchase.

Affordable, Healthy Meals For Busy People

Is your life busy? Who isn’t these days? Often creating wholesome meals and snacks can be a challenge, but here are some ways to help create some healthfulness in your packed schedule, without breaking the bank.

For dinner, firstly, decide which protein source you like, how versatile it is, how many different ways it can be prepared or “re purposed” and how expensive it is. Lean poultry fits easily into these criteria. For example, a 1 lb. package of ground turkey can be made into at least 10 variations without much difficulty at all. Chicken also makes a great staple.  (Remember to divide your plate into 3 sections as follows:

A line down the center of the circle gives you two halves. One of those two should be divided evenly again into two. Ideally, your vegetable portion should go in the largest of the sections – fully one-half of your dinner plate. The protein and starch portions go into the other two sections.

For lunch, simply add a small piece of hand fruit to each of these and a tall bottle of water or unsweetened iced tea and you’re set! One loaf of whole wheat bread costs $2.00, and yields 7 sandwiches. Here are 7 unique sandwich ideas that cost less than $2.50 per sandwich to make (and that’s on the high side):

1. Reduced fat, natural peanut butter, 1/2 a banana and 1 tbsp. of honey

2. Egg salad with 2 hard-boiled eggs, lettuce, tomato, sprouts and 1 tsp. each fat free mayo & mustard

3. Grilled chicken breast – 3 oz. cut in half horizontally and sandwiched between lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers. Brush the bread with olive oil and add a fresh basil leaf if you love it!

4. Tuna (canned in water, drained) salad mixed with a bit of fresh salsa and fresh lemon juice 

5. Sardines or salmon (canned, drained) with lettuce and cucumber

6. Reduced fat Cheddar cheese. Spread the bread with trans-fat free margarine on the outside before grilling

7. Fried egg and turkey bacon

Bonus Idea: Turkey bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and sprouts

Of course, there’s always our delicious, healthful Busy Singles, Couples on the Go or Family Favorites menus to choose from.  Eat   like a pampered celebrity at surprisingly reasonable prices with heart healthy meals delivered weekly to your door! Order now!

__________________________________________________________________________

Don't Forget!!!

Please place your order by Monday, Midnight EDT for Delivery This Week! Save time and $$ sign up for auto delivery, never miss another delivery and stay on track with our Smart and Healthy Meals by ordering your  Personal Chef To Go meals now!

Don't forget to vote for our choice, Killer D's Chili, for the People's Choice award!

So you went to Chili-Cook-Off and sampled all the Chili. Which one was YOUR favorite? It's up to you Richmond! Whoever receives the most votes wins $250 and a trophy! Register below to enter your pick! Voting ends at 8pm on 4/21.  Vote Daily! Mason will announce the winner at 5pm on 4/23.

The People's Choice Award | Contests - 102.1 The X!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't forget to vote for our choice, Killer D's Chili, for the People's Choice award!

So you went to Chili-Cook-Off and sampled all the Chili. Which one was YOUR favorite? It's up to you Richmond! Whoever receives the most votes wins $250 and a trophy! Register below to enter your pick! Voting ends at 8pm on 4/21.  Vote Daily! Mason will announce the winner at 5pm on 4/23.

via www.1021thex.com

 

Video Friday: Unlikely Ways To Burn Calories

Burn More In Less Time

One frustrating thing about trying to lose weight is the snail’s pace at which the pounds seem to drop. Then there’s the harsh reality that the more weight you lose, the harder your body fights to hold on to the calories it gets and the fewer calories it burns. That’s usually about the time you hit the infamous weight-loss plateau — and start losing steam. But what if you could turbo-charge your weight-loss efforts without a lot of sacrifice?

We’ve come up with easy ways to boost your metabolism, or the rate at which you burn calories. We’ve also thrown in ideas for cranking up the calorie burn of your workout — without making it longer. Taken together, these tips should be more than enough to shift your weight loss out of neutral and move it full speed ahead again.

Still, it’s important that you maintain a realistic expectation of what’s considered “healthy” weight loss. About a pound or two a week is ideal; much more than that is unlikely to last long-term.

1. Sip green tea three times a day. A study from the University of Geneva in Switzerland found that in addition to caffeine, green tea contains catechin polyphenols, plant chemicals that may boost metabolism.

2. Use interval training to rev up your workout. Walk for the same amount of time at the same intensity day in and day out and your body gets as bored with your workout as you do. Throw it a curveball with interval training, which involves varying the intensity of your workout throughout your exercise session. Every five minutes into your walk, jog for one minute. Every five minutes into your bike ride, shift into a higher gear and pedal hard for a minute. If you swim, turn on the speed every other lap. You’ll burn more calories in the same amount of time.

3. Fidget. People who drum their fingers or bounce their knees burn at least 500 calories a day! That adds up to losing a pound a week.

4. Keep a small squeeze ball with you and work out your hands frequently during the day. It’s one of the few exercises you can do anytime. You’ll build up the muscles in your hands — and muscle, whether in your hands or legs, burns a lot of calories.

5. Don’t starve yourself. Cutting too many calories can backfire in more ways than one. Try to subsist on morsels and your metabolism will slow so much that you’ll not only stop losing weight, but you’ll be lucky if you can peel yourself off the couch.

6. Put five rubber bands around your wrist every morning. That’s how many 16-ounce
bottles of water you should drink during the day to rev your metabolism, helping burn more calories. At least, that’s what German researchers found when they had 14 participants drink about 17 ounces of water. The volunteers’ metabolic rate — or how quickly they burned calories — jumped a third within 10 minutes of drinking the water and remained high for another 30 or 40 minutes. The researchers estimated that over a year, increasing your water consumption by 1.5 liters a day (about 50 ounces) would burn an extra 17,400 calories, or about five pounds’ worth. Since much of the increased metabolic rate is due to the body’s efforts to heat the water, make sure the water you’re drinking is icy.

7. Exercise outside. Maybe it’s the fresh air, maybe it’s the sunshine, but something about exercising in the open makes you walk or run faster than doing the same exercise in the gym.

8. Turn up the heat with hot peppers. Some studies show that very spicy foods can temporarily increase your metabolism. Gourmet groceries often stock a dozen different kinds of peppers. Buy one a week and practice adding some to various meals. Spice up your scrambled eggs with minced jalapeño, add a little fire to your beef stew with half a diced banana pepper, or pull together a spicy jambalaya (using turkey sausage and lots of veggies).

9. Eat five small meals throughout the day instead of three large meals. You might think you should eat less often if you want to lose weight, but that’s just not the case. By eating every few hours, you keep your metabolism fired up and ensure it doesn’t slow between meals in order to hang on to calories. A “meal” can be as small as a cup of soup.

10. Sip a couple of cups of coffee throughout the day. Studies find that the caffeine in coffee increases the rate at which your body burns calories. This does not mean, however, that you can order one of those fancy calorie-packed frappuccinos! And skip the java if it makes you toss and turn at night.

11. Don’t get discouraged because you’ve been yo-yo dieting. Somehow the myth got started that if you’ve spent your life losing and gaining the same 10 or 20 pounds, your metabolism gets out of whack and winds up slower than an airport security line. Don’t believe it. When researchers reviewed 43 studies on the topic, they found no difference in the metabolic rates of yo-yo dieters versus those of everyone else.

12. Walk with intent — and intensity. Burn more calories in the same amount of time with these strategies: 

• Swing your arms when you walk. You’ll burn 5-10 percent more calories.
• Wear a weighted vest. Another great way to crank up the calorie burn. Leave the hand and ankle weights at home, though. They throw you off balance and could result in injury. 
• Walk on grass, sand, or a gravel trail instead of the road. It takes more muscle power to glide smoothly over these uneven surfaces (especially sand) than over asphalt. 
• Use walking poles. A University of Wisconsin study found you get a much more intense workout than without the poles. 
• Walk along the shoreline of a beach, lake, or pond with your ankles in the water. The resistance will cause you to burn more calories and give your muscles an added workout.

13. Bump up the protein in your diet. There is some evidence that by taking protein to the upper end of the recommended range (roughly 20 percent of your overall calories), the amount of energy you expend while resting remains the same even as you’re losing weight (normally, it falls).